Akeno was preparing her tea on the eve of the duel between Elros and Riser, perking up at any noise she heard. Most had been disappointments - just tenants going about their business here and there or the wildlife making their sounds. Finally, however, she heard the door open. Her neck swiveled towards and she leaped up in excitement as she saw Elros enter. She quickly rushed over and embraced him in a tight hug, running her hands over him.
"You seem excited," Elros said with a wry laugh.
"I haven"t seen you in days. Can you blame me?" she asked as she rested her head comfortably on his chest. Elros smiled and hugged her close to him, exhaling as her soft and tender features pressed against him. His body had taken a beating during the training he had done with Constantine, and now he needed rest before the big day.
"Goes double for me, then," he said as he kissed her atop her head. Akeno looked up at him and smiled brightly as she kissed him welcome back on the cheek.
"How"re you feeling?" she asked as she quickly prepared a cup for him. Elros graciously accepted and took a long sip, making sure to let the warm fluid cascade through his entire body.
"Sore, mostly. Kicked myself into overdrive. Just want to sleep and be well rested for tomorrow," Elros told her tiredly, his eyes beginning to droop.
"You should know to take it easy," Akeno said worriedly.
"Well, suffice it to say that I made the duel a bit harder for me than I probably should have, so the training and overdrive were necessary. But, I"m confident I"ll pull off a win," Elros a.s.sured her.
"What do you mean "made it harder"?" Akeno inquired.
"You"ll find out tomorrow," Elros winked. Akeno sighed and nodded; if he told her, it would"ve disqualified him.
"Let"s get you to bed then," Akeno said as she took his hand and led him into the bedroom. Elros got on the bed with an audible groan, followed by Akeno. Thinking it over for a moment, she pushed him on his stomach.
"Ugh. What"re you doing?" Elros asked in surprise.
"Hush," Akeno said with a smile as she sat on his lower back. Bringing her hands to his shoulders, she began ma.s.saging him up at down, kneading the tight muscles she had come to adore. As she slowly moved down his back, Elros let out groans of pleasure - Akeno had the magic touch for d.a.m.n sure.
"This might be blasphemy, but good G.o.d you"re amazing," he said.
"I"m glad you"re enjoying yourself," Akeno giggled as she continued to work her magic.
"Way too much," Elros replied.
"Is it just me or do you have some new scars?" Akeno asked as her hands pa.s.sed over the middle of his back again. She didn"t lift his shirt to check, but she had felt him so much already that she was confident in her guess.
"Such is the predicament a man finds himself in after getting his kicked," Elros told her.
"How did you train, exactly?" Akeno pried.
"A little bit of this, some of that, and a whole lot of the other thing," Elros said with a chuckle.
"You"re so evasive sometimes. But… hmmm… now that I have you like this," Akeno said, her voice coupled with a hint of danger.
"Waiiiiit… the h.e.l.l is going through that beautiful head of yours?" Elros wondered as he began shifting and wriggling around.
"Mmm… nothing you ought to concern yourself with," Akeno said placatingly. Elros was having none of that, however. With one deft movement he shifted the positions between him and Akeno and had her on her back, him leaning over her with eyes narrowed.
"So quick," Akeno giggled as she brought her arms around him.
"I need to be in cases like this. I can"t let you get the upper hand, after all," Elros said, smirking at her.
"Guess I"ll have to be more careful next time," Akeno said in a mock disappointed voice. Elros laughed lightly before he rested himself next to her. Putting his arm around her waist, he pulled her close - bringing a blush to her cheeks. As he examined her intensely, the blush deepened and she averted his gaze slightly.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing. Sorry. I just like looking at you," Elros said as he leaned his head closer to hers.
"I"m keeping a tab of all times you teasing me," Akeno said as she shifted her head a bit. Elros gently brought a hand to her cheeks and made her look at him.
"I mean it," he said, pausing for a second before he kissed her forehead. Akeno was still as a statue as she felt his lips press against her head, blushing even deeper. He had done it before, but there was something about the way he did it now that resonated more with her - it wasn"t in the heat of the moment, but a calculated and decisive action.
"You"re sweet," was all she could say as she leaned in closer to him and closed her eyes, resting gently against him as he cradled her with his body.
"Let"s get some rest now, though. You need to be well rested tomorrow. It"s a big day for you," Akeno said seriously. Elros sighed but nodded in agreement. He quickly fell into a slumber, his body weary. Akeno stayed up a while longer, running her hands over his back and through his hair, smiling at how protectively he held her even when unconscious.
-o-
Akeno and the peerage had gone to the Underworld ahead of Rias and Elros the next morning. Meeting up in the ORC several hours before the duel actually began, Rias was decidedly more nervous than she had been previously.
"Are you sure you"re ready?" she asked, her hands clasped under her chin as to though she was praying. Elros smiled and rested his hands on her arms, rubbing them gently.
"No. I"m f.u.c.ked," he joked, although Rias didn"t find it too funny. She leaned her head forward and rested it on him, letting out a deep sigh. She had been dreading the day the fight actually came - her mood shifting between an adamant belief in Elros winning and fear of the reprisal that might come if he lost. Seeing his confident smile, however, did wonders to put her at ease.
"Are you ready to get going? The fight isn"t for a few hours, but you both get plenty of time to get ready," Rias said.
"Ready and able. Lead the way," Elros said. Rias nodded and held her hand out, opening a magic circle to the location of the duel. She stepped in, followed by Elros.
-o-
Elros had his first look at the stage of the duel - although calling it a stage did it a high injustice. The venue was a large and magnificent stadium, built in the image of the Roman Colosseum but without the advent of age. The circular build had a small encasing dome on top which was open for the event, as well as several archways through which one could fly, walk, and observe the commotion within. Elros was floored by the sheer amount of people that had shown up to watch the match. He saw old Devils in suits walking around in a businesslike tone, vendors selling treats and food to children along the street leading to the Colosseum, gorgeous women lazing around and in deep conversation with friends and partners, countless familiars bustling hither and thither, likely seeing to the affairs of their masters. Balloons were floating everywhere, giving the place a light atmosphere, although the underlying excitement of the big event was palpable.
"Wow. You weren"t kidding. A LOT of people," Elros said, flabbergasted.
"I told you. We Devils take our duels extremely seriously. Your every move is going to be watched and observed by these people - a lot of them Middle and High-Cla.s.s Devils in their own right," Rias said as she looked around with a sigh - she wasn"t a big fan of events like these. She led Elros down the street, but they had barely walked ten meters when they were approached by an older Devil, his eyes on Rias.
"Lady Gremory," the man said in a proud tone as he bowed low to her. At his side was a woman with a light smile, carrying what appeared to be his coat.
"h.e.l.lo," Rias said, bored. Every time she was obliged to come to an event such as this, several Devils would attempt to make a move on her.
"Allow me to first offer my sympathy for the unpleasant way you"ve been treated. A man of high birth such as Riser Phoenix should be more tactful in such a situation. To resort to such an aggressive form of settling a score is for petulant children," the man said. Elros found his tone hilariously uppity and wasn"t sure if this was how he planned to hit on Rias.
"Thank you for saying that," Rias said with a smile. She began to move past him when he spoke again.
"I a.s.sure you that if you were to wed me, you would never be treated in such a way. I can offer you happiness, wealth, and a mighty heir," the man said. That was too much for Elros; he broke into a laugh, but quickly covered it with a cough.
"Sorry. Something in my throat," he said as he punched his chest slightly.
"Quite. Perhaps we could go somewhere where we won"t be bothered by… people such as him," the Devil said.
"I"m afraid not. We have to get going to the Colosseum. Excuse me," Rias said as she took Elros"s arm and began walking again.
"Every single time," she hissed under her breath.
"You mean you have to deal with that stuff constantly?" Elros asked, comedically horrified by her being in such a situation constantly.
"You"ve no idea. These Devils think that just because they"re from wealthy families, they can propose to me out of nowhere - as if I"d just accept!" Rias said.
"I don"t know what to say. That"s pretty f.u.c.king creepy if you ask me. Then again, considering how touchy-feely I am, perhaps I shouldn"t be talking," Elros said with a laugh.
"You-," Rias began before they were stopped again, this time by a younger and more handsome Devil with jet black hair, wearing a black shirt and jeans. He stood squarely in front of Rias, two women at his side - both, Elros noted, supporting bruises.
"Rias Gremory. My name is Anders Canio," the man said, holding his hand out to Rias. She quickly shook it but took a step back. The man"s eyes flitted to Elros before turning to Rias.
"h.e.l.lo," she said, this time a bit more brusquely as she noted the women bruises as well.
"I saw the old man stop you. Let me guess, marriage proposal?" Anders asked.
"Yes," Rias replied.
"He should know better. If he wants to land someone as beautiful as you, there"s a process to follow," Anders said with a c.o.c.ky smile. Rias didn"t reply, but her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Risers being a b.i.t.c.h about this whole thing. If he wants you so bad, he should"ve done the sensible thing and approached you like a man would, not through his family. I"m doing that for you right now. Heard he has a duel with some random guy from your household. Once the guy gets his a.s.s handed to him, I want you to let me have a shot," Anders said, his voice laden with bravado.
"Why?" Rias asked.
"What"ve you got to lose?" Anders asked.
"My dignity," Rias said as she began to brush past him. Suddenly, Anders" arm shot out to stop her. Rias quickly went back, her anger flaring that he would do such a thing.
"I"m not sure you"ve got many choices," Anders said. Rias was about to speak again when she felt Elros"s arm wrap around her waist. Anders wasn"t the only one who noticed - plenty of other Devils did as well and they stopped to watch the exchange.
"Now, is that any way to treat a lady?" Elros asked as he pulled Rias closer to him. Rias smiled and leaned in, her arm wrapped around his waist in response.
"Who the h.e.l.l are you?" Anders asked, his voice suddenly a snarl.
"Rias"s p.a.w.n. That"s no way to treat my master, you know. There"s a particular process to follow where it concerns Rias. First and foremost, you have to catch her interest. You know what I had to do to earn that? Destroy her f.u.c.king house. I"m sorry, but a little hot air here and there just won"t do," Elros said in a condescending tone.
"You should keep a lid on your servants," Anders told Rias.
"He"s more than welcome to speak for me in a situation like this. Frankly, I"m tired of being accosted every time I"m out in public," Rias said with a sigh.
"Besides, after seeing how you treat these poor ladies, what makes you think Rias would have any interest in you?" Elros inquired. Anders didn"t response but moved forward a bit. Elros disentangled himself from Rias surprisingly quickly as he moved forward just as fast. Anders was surprised as Elros drew himself to his full height, in which he towered above Anders by over half a foot. Suddenly, Rias felt something - energy, washing off of Elros and cascading like a waterfall in the small area around them. It was surprising to her, as she hadn"t ever noticed it before.
"What? Do you want to try something?" Elros asked, his voice low and dangerous and his eyes narrowed. Anders opened his mouth to speak but closed it quickly as he took a step back. With a snap of his fingers, he turned and the women with him followed. As Elros calmed down, so did the energy that was around him. Turning back to Rias, he smiled pleasantly and held his arm out. She paused for a second before returning the smile and taking it, continuing their walk towards the Colosseum.
"I"ve never seen you like that before," Rias said as she noted that people finally tore their attention from Elros and Anders and were now bustling again.
"A little trick I picked up to avoid fights. With most people, so long as you put on a brave face, you can scare them off. Helps that I"m a bit taller than most," Elros said.
"I"d say it worked this time," Rias said as she leaned her head on his shoulder again. Doing that, however, attracted the attention of several male Devils. Many of them stared daggers at Elros, who noticed the change in mood.
"Huh. Looks like I should watch my back," he commented with a chuckle.
"It"s my fault," Rias said with an apologetic sigh. Sensing her shift in mood, Elros quickly turned to face her and pulled her in close to him. She looked up at him in surprise but smiled as she met his gaze. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a hug, eliciting more gasps from some of the Devils a.s.sembled there. Elros let his hand began at the top of her back before taking them as low as he dared, holding her close, smiling inside at the reactions he got.
"Doing this on purpose?" Rias whispered in his ear.
"That"s only a small part," Elros said.
"What"s the big part?" she asked.
"I enjoy being like this with you," Elros said as he turned his head and whispered in her ear. As they drew back, Elros rewrapped his arm around Rias who threw both of hers around his stomach, hugging him close as they walked. She couldn"t help but smile wide as everyone seemed to simply avoid their path. As they walked, the rumors began to fly around them, unashamedly reaching their ears easily.
"Is Rias Gremory dating him?" an old Devil asked, looking on in surprise.
"It looks like it. Look how close they are - I"ve never seen her like that before with anyone!" another man said.
"Awww. It"s cute. Young love," an older woman said as she watched them with a fond look in her eyes. Elros thanked her privately - at least someone was approving.
"She"s denied every marriage request she"s gotten! What"s so special about him?" a younger Devil asked angrily; Rias recalled him as one of the hundreds that proposed to her.
"Dunno. He seems to be her servant, though! How cra.s.s," his friend noted snootily. However, he shut up as Elros looked at him.
"He"s pretty hot," a beautiful brunette commented as she looked longingly at Elros.
"He probably has a harem. Wonder if he wants to add to it?" her gorgeous blonde friend wondered, giving Elros a l.u.s.tful look. Elros simply winked in her direction, causing her to smile back at him.
"Enjoying the attention?" Rias asked, bringing his attention back to her.
"I"m young. When it comes to beautiful women, I can"t help but falter slightly. But don"t worry. My mind is focused on one thing and one thing only: your happiness," Elros said, smiling as he looked ahead with confidence. Rias looked at him in surprise at his choice of words. This wasn"t for her, for her pride, for her family, for her standing, or for her feelings - no, this was strictly for her happiness. It brought her quite a bit of happiness to hear that.
"Thank you," she whispered, so low that he couldn"t hear her.
At last, they had arrived at the stadium where they were greeted by one of the judges.
"Mr. Eärendil, if you"ll follow me. You shall have the next few hours to get ready," the man said.
"Now? What about the party?" Rias asked, surprised.
"I"m afraid it"s been canceled. This event is much larger than anyone antic.i.p.ated; we shall compensate with a much larger celebration after," the man said.
"One moment, my good man," Elros said as he pulled Rias with him into a small crack in the wall to the side.
"What is it?" Rias asked in surprise as she leaned against him.
"Just wanted to quickly check you"re feeling," Elros said with a warm smile. Rias smiled back in response as she tightened her hug on him, drawing him in as close as he"d go. Elros returned the gesture in full force.
"I"m happy, honestly. I know you"re going to win," Rias said as she wrapped his short hair around her finger.
"d.a.m.n straight," Elros whispered back confidently. They held on to each other for a long time, simply taking in the others warmth. As they leaned back and took each other in, Elros leaned forward again. He kissed Rias on the cheek, holding the motion for a long time. Rias closed her eyes and took the sensation in before replying in kind. She rested her own lips there for as long as she dared before leaning back again and taking in his figure. Any fear of him losing simply washed away into the ether, to be replaced with the excitement of forging ahead with him once this business was done with.
"I"ll see you once I win," Elros said with a wink before he left with the judge. Rias watched him go before she headed into the Colosseum. She noted Akeno standing immediately to her right - likely waiting there for the whole while.
"He"s gone with the judge," Rias told Akeno as they went to their seats.
"Got it. How"re you feeling about this now that it"s here?" Akeno asked as she put a comforting arm around her best friend. Rias smiled at the gesture and put a hand on Akenos.
"Happy that it"s finally going to be settled," Rias said with a sigh. Akeno nodded, turning her head to look at the middle of the Colosseum.
-o-
Elros was in his locker room, getting changed into what he would be using for the fight. He smiled as he observed the outfit and weapons that he had laid out before him, remembering how he came by them long ago.
On the left lay a beautiful 19th-century flintlock pistol. It was given to him only a couple of years ago by a wealthy friend of his that resided in the states. It had a beautiful black mahogany stock that was reinforced with an engraved steel plate with the letters A.E engraved into it (a touch that Elros added personally). The trigger and trigger plate were new and metal of a metal alloy, while the barrel was made of another metal that Elros had found off world, replacing the steel that was previously there. Although initially of a more recent variety, the flintlock resembled something more out of the 17th century, with a thinner and longer barrel (mostly out of personal preference for Elros). As he lacked the required smithing skills to make such a wonderful piece, it had taken Elros a long time before he was finally able to fire off a single round. He adapted it wonderfully to his power ring and the flintlock was now able to shoot light energy.
The other weapon was a saber that he had acquired roughly a year ago. It had a beautiful black grip with an obsidian black pommel of an unknown material. Encircling the hilt was a golden knuckle bow that smoothly transformed into the cross guard. The cross guard was shaped like a cross with a bra.s.s plating, extending into the langet. The saber blade was a beautiful and glistening steel devoid of blood and curving gently and slightly as it approached the point.
Sitting just below these weapons were the clothes that Elros decided he would wear for the pomp and circ.u.mstance that awaited him in a little while. As the odds would be stacked against him - and he wanted to rely as little on his power ring as possible, if it could be helped - Elros knew that everything he brought out would have to serve a purpose - long range attacks from the flintlock, some level of defense and offense from the saber, and the ability to protect but conceal from his clothing. To that effect, he chose what some might consider an outlandish getup.
A white hood would cover his head, falling just to the brim of his eyes, concealing them for the most part. As it descended, it turned into a beautiful black robe with pauldrons covering his shoulders. The robe continued under them as it ran down his arms, covered at the forearm by red and black bracers, which ran slightly over the fingerless gloves he wore. The robe covered his entire upper body, with no frills visible - except for a small lantern symbol that was embedded across the waist. Further down it continued, overlapping with the greaves he wore on his legs, finally ending in knee high boots. The outfit was tailored to his personal use, a gift from a stranger from a strange land - it was highly mobile, spectacularly beautiful with its simple use of color, and made of a material that was unknown to Elros. While looking bulky, he could attest to the fact that it was light as air and impossibly durable for something of its material. As he put it on and pulled the hood over his head, he heard the announcers roar.
"LADIES, GENTLEMEN, AND DEVILS OF ALL NATURE! WELCOME, WELCOME WELCOME TO THE DUEL OF A LIFETIME. IT"S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THE UNDERWORLD HAS BEEN THIS EXCITED FOR SUCH A MATCH, BUT WHO CAN BLAME YOU? IT ISN"T JUST ANY PRIZE WE HAVE TONIGHT - IT"S THE HAND OF THE FAIREST MAIDEN IN THE LAND, RIAS GREMORY!" the announcer screamed into his microphone.
Elros laughed as he heard that; Rias would not appreciate that.
-o-
"OH NO!" Rias squealed adorably as she gripped her mother and Akeno"s hands tightly in her own.
""The fairest maiden in all the land,"" Akeno giggled, joined by Venelana.
"I CAN"T BELIEVE THEY SAID THAT! I"M GONNA KILL SOMEONE!" Rias shouted, embarra.s.sed beyond belief. The announcer continued (although in a quieter voice).
"Now folks, let"s get to announcing our contestants. Please give a round of applause to RISER PHOENIX!" the announcer yelled. The crowd broke into an uproarious applause as Riser majestically appeared surrounded by fire. The applause soon erupted into something more confused, however, as Riser"s peerage began appearing out of magic circles as well. As they saw that, the Gremory"s and Rias"s peerage looked shocked.
"I thought this was a one on one duel!" Rias screamed loudly.
"As did I," Venelana said, a look of surprise on her face.
"This is… a predicament. Aren"t you guys partic.i.p.ating as well, then? It appears this is more of a Rating Game than a duel," Sirzechs said, frowning as the women made their way and surrounded Riser. He noted, however, that they were all looking more intense than usual - no traces of a smile evident on any of them, not even Riser.
"I"m sure the judge will explain soon enough," Lord Gremory said, although worry ladened his tone.
"Oh, no," Akeno whispered as a hand flew to her mouth, shocked by the unfolding events.
"Folks, I understand you"re surprised, so allow me to explain it to you. When the contestants negotiated terms and conditions, let"s just say it was a doozy. Riser Phoenix, as you all know, has been vying for the Lady Gremory"s hand in marriage for a long time. His opponent, who I shall introduce in a second, thought it best to lay such a matter to rest once and for all in this match - in one fell swoop, I might add. To that effect, Riser Phoenix has wagered not just the Lady"s hand in marriage - but his stake in the Phoenix Company as well as his peerage!" the announcer roared.
The crowd was silent for a moment before they erupted in thunderous applause and cheer, stunned by exhilarated by what Riser was willing to give up. They knew that the Phoenix Family was fabulously wealthy, with Riser"s personal fortune likely in the billions to tens of billions US Dollars. His peerage was extremely beautiful as well, and just as much for Devils as it was for humans - s.e.x sells.
"His fortune?!" Issei asked, aghast.
"His peerage?!" Akeno asked, even more surprised.
"How the h.e.l.l did Elros manage to get him to bet that?!" Rias wondered, flabbergasted.
"Ah… I think I know," Sirzechs said. They looked at him, but he kept silent; the announcer would inform them all in a moment.
"In return for Mr. Phoenix making such an impressive wager, the compet.i.tor returned it in kind. I was not told the exact nature of what he pledged, but it was something commiserate with such a wager on Mr. Phoenix"s part. In addition to his wager, the compet.i.tor agreed to three handicaps - ready and able, as I was informed! One, he will NOT be allowed to use Holy Water or Crosses. Two, Mr. Phoenix WILL be allowed to use his powers to full effect. And three, Mr. Phoenix will be allowed the use of his FULL PEERAGE! I don"t know what kind of mad man would accept such terms, but something tells me we"re in for one h.e.l.l of a fight!" the announcer roared. This time, the cheer and applause shook the entire stadium. n.o.body expected Riser to be afforded such a handicap against one person, and the rumors quickly began to fly around about who it was that the Gremory"s had chosen as their champion.
"Elros agreed to those terms?!" Rias asked, horrified.
"It appears so," Sirzechs said, his mind a flutter. He certainly didn"t expect such a one-sided advantage.
"Oh no…," Akeno said, tears beginning to form in her eyes as her hands trembled over her mouth. The others looked at her in worry.
"What? What is it, you guys?" Gasper asked as he held on to Koneko, who hugged him tightly.
"It"s nothing, buddy. Elros has this," Issei said, although his face betrayed the fear he felt for his friend.
"We had so much trouble when it was all of us against Riser"s team. How is Elros… I…," Akeno began before stopping suddenly. She looked behind her and saw a few new arrivals.
"Vali?! What"re you doing here?" Issei asked hotly.
"I wouldn"t miss this event for anything," Vali said as he took a seat behind them. He had heard about Elros"s match with Riser and made sure that he would be in attendance. He kept on a stoic face, although underneath he was trembling in excitement at hearing what the handicaps were - how would Elros fare?
"Kuroka," Koneko said.
"Hey, sis," Kuroka said with a warm smile before turning to the arena; her smile turning into a frown. She made Vali take her along, but she wasn"t so sure about the matchup. It seemed awfully one sided to her.
"Well, this should be exciting," said Azazel, a grin on his face. He was probably the most excited at seeing Elros"s ring in action, although he couldn"t help but admit his surprise at hearing the terms.
"Azazel. You as well?" Lord Gremory asked.
"Of course, Zeo. I wouldn"t miss this for the world. I"ve taken a liking to Elros. Can"t wait to see how he handles this," Azazel said cheerfully.
"Yes… I feel the same way," Venelana said, intently focusing on the match.
"Now, folks, without further ado, let"s introduce the compet.i.tor. Welcome to the arena, Elros Eärendil!" the announcer roared into the mic. The crowd erupted in cheer again as they felt a small rumble. The portcullis on the opposite side of the stadium from Riser began to open. Elros had chosen to appear in a traditional manner as opposed to through a magic circle.
-o-
As he watched the mighty steel fortification open its maw, Elros began his slow walk forward. The flintlock that he carried in his left hand, he rested on his shoulder, its barrel pointing diagonally behind him. His saber rested comfortably in his, hanging just an inch above the ground. The hood shadowing most of his face, he made sure to measure each step for maximum efficacy - the show was as important as the fight itself. He couldn"t help but admit that he was eager to be in such a fight - one that would certainly test his mettle. It had been a while since the odds were so stacked in his favor, that he had to meditate for an hour just to get his adrenaline under control.
As he stepped out into the crowd, they roared in excitement at his arrival. His name was on the tip of every tongue as he approached Riser and his peerage, still decidedly slow in his gait. He could see Riser"s expression of surprise at the weapons he wielded and the robe he wore - it had the desired effect. He noted the change in the stance of Riser"s peerage, all of whom seemed to now be on edge.
-o-
"A gun and a sword?" Issei asked in surprise.
"What"s he wearing?" Akeno asked in surprise. She had never seen him in such a way before.
"I don"t know. I don"t think he"s ever used a weapon beside his ring, either," Rias said, just as taken aback by the getup. She wondered how the weapons and robes would play into the fight?
"Rias," said another voice from behind.
"Sona!" Rias exclaimed, getting up and hugging her friend. Sona returned it in full force; she had a heavy disdain for Riser as well.
"Hey Tsubaki, Tsubasa, Momo, everyone," Akeno said, not turning to look; she was transfixed on Elros.
"You alright?" Tsubaki asked. She and Akeno fast became friends around the same time as Sona and Rias did, both serving in the same occupancy for their respective master.
"Yeah… just worried," Akeno said. Although Akeno couldn"t see, Tsubaki nodded as she turned her attention to the match.
"Elros is going to take on Riser"s entire peerage?" Sona asked.
"Yeah. I… I don"t know what to say," Rias confirmed.
-o-
As Elros finally came to a halt, he spun the flintlock on his finger before bringing it to a stop, pointing it at the ground. He eyed Riser and his peerage, wondering who would be the first to fall? There were several ways this could play out, most of them entertaining and enjoyable for the audience. He could be a bit more aggressive in some instances. As the thoughts played through his mind, another thought came to ahead.
"This isn"t just about helping Rias. This is about sending a message."
"Elros Eärendil, ladies, and gentlemen - the mysterious new addition to Rias Gremory"s peerage! Not much is known about Mr. Eärendil, but the judges who oversaw the negotiation testify that this will be a wonderful match to see! So without further ado, let"s get to it! A dimensional barrier is being lowered onto the field, so please feel free to get as wild as you"d like, compet.i.tors. Once someone is knocked out, they will be safely teleported to the dugout of the team. If Mr. Eärendil is knocked out or forfeits, Mr. Phoenix will win the match. Conversely, once all the players on Mr. Phoenix"s team are out of play, the match will go to Mr. Eärendil… Ok, I am told that the dimensional barrier is lowered. BEGIN!" the announcer roared. The crowd gave one more clamorous cheer before settling in for the match, excitement etched on everyone"s face.
-o-
As soon as the get go was heard, Elros wasted no time. Before anyone knew it, four p.a.w.ns were suddenly eliminated from the battlefield as four beams of green light tore through their foreheads. Mira and Shuriya were down before they even drew breath; while the beautiful twin maids, Marion and Bürent fell at almost the same time. The next thing they knew, they were already in their dugout, eliminated before they had a chance to do anything.
-o-
"FOUR ELIMINATIONS IN A SECOND! FOUR!" the announcer roared excitedly, unable to believe his own eyes at how fast it happened. It was exactly two seconds ago that he had shouted "BEGIN" and already, Riser had suffered a serious loss - almost 33% of his peerage eliminated in the literal blink of an eye.
The crowd was just as raucous and many got to their feet, stamping in excitement as they witnessed the fluid shots from Elros. Many of those in attendance had been to multiple events such as these, but none where an elimination happened so quickly.
"That was quick," Azazel said with a chuckle as he saw the women transported back to their dugout.
"QUICK?! I DIDN"T EVEN SEE WHAT HAPPENED!" Issei shouted in shock.
"Four eliminations - in the blink of an eye. That was quite impressive," Xenovia said, her demeanor slightly faltering.
"Rias," Akeno suddenly said.
"What is it?" Rias responded.
"Elros is a p.a.w.n. Did you promote him before the match?" Akeno asked. As the words left her her lips, Rias"s face contorted into one of shock and horror - she didn"t. She completely forgot.
"No. Oh, no. I completely forgot! Stupid! I"ve been so preoccupied with whether he"d win or lose, I completely forgot about that!" Rias shrieked, angry at herself for forgetting such a thing. It could"ve easily given Elros an edge in the match, she thought! Sona put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but worry crept into her heart as well.
"Relax, Princess. I"m sure he"ll be fine. Look," Azazel said, still smiling.
-o-
As soon as the final beam tore through Bürent, Elros quickly leaped into action as the announcer was lauding his rapid fire attack. The attack was enough to stun Riser"s peerage - four down in a rapid succession would startle anyone - which gave Elros the opportunity to press his advantage.
Elros set his eyes on the younger twins - Ile, and Nel - green haired p.a.w.ns that wielded chainsaws in their hands. Both of them were completely transfixed on Elros"s sudden attack on Shuriya, Mira, Marion, and Bürent that they simply stood rooted to the ground, not knowing that they were next on the list. It was too late for them to move, however, as Elros was suddenly upon them.
As Nel saw his figure in front of her, she couldn"t help but be a little afraid. He towered over her like a dark beast, no smile on his lips, no twinkle his shadowed eyes. As she looked into them, she saw only her reflection - and the face that she made as his sword punctured her through the heart.
The flintlock in his other hand rested comfortably on Ile"s forehead and she to was unable to move. She heard the soft shriek of her sister as the sword went through her, but it was m.u.f.fled by the sound the flintlock gave when Elros pulled the trigger. Another burst of light shot out and tore through her forehead, eliminating her and send both to the dugout.
By now, the rest of the peerage finally came to their senses. Ni and Li, the other set of twins leaped back while Riser also retreated, surrounded by the remaining members of his peerage. He had a look of shock on his face; within four or five seconds, six of his peerage was down and out, leaving ten of them - his number was down by almost 50%.
It would soon become exactly 50% as Elros quickly turned his gaze to the other set of twins, the catgirls who specialized in hand to hand combat. He jutted forward, using his ring to propel him slightly as he landed squarely between them. They were a bit faster than the rest of the peerage - as they quickly launched into an attack of their own. It wasn"t enough, however, as Elros cleanly stabbed the redheaded Ni between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Li growled at him and attacked, forcing him to step back a bit. She continued to press on, but it wasn"t to her advantage. Angered that her sister had fallen so quickly, she was swinging wildly as opposed to making well thought out decisions about her opponent. Elros easily exposed a weakness - she attacked him often with both hands extended. He easily sidestepped her next attack and calmly brought the flintlock to her temple. Another shot was heard as the light cut through and eliminated her.
-o-
"FOLKS, HALF - I REPEAT, HALF - OF RISER PHOENIX"S PEERAGE IS OUT OF COMMISSION. THIS MATCH HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR BARELY 25 SECONDS, WITH THE TWINS NI AND LI BEING THE ONLY ONES TO PUT UP A FIGHT SO FAR. HOWEVER, ELROS EÄRENDIL HAS EASILY ELIMINATED THEM, LEAVING PHOENIX WITH 8 Fewer MEMBERS. ALL OF HIS p.a.w.nS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED FROM THE match. I DON"T THINK ANYBODY SAW THIS COMING!" the announcer yelled excitedly. Although it was his sworn duty to remain impartial, it was difficult to do so in such a heady moment. Elros, in no time at all, had cut Riser"s peerage down to size, taking out his p.a.w.ns - who had the potential to be dangerous - with such ease, it was as though he did it on the regular.
-o-
"It took him all of 30 seconds to beat that Stray Devil. He just beat 8 Devils in the same amount of time," Akeno said weakly. She and Rias could have both easily taken out just as many of Riser"s p.a.w.ns - they weren"t particularly strong - but it would"ve taken them at least five minutes to work through them. Elros did it in practically no time at all.
Rias noticed that the crowd was almost entirely silent, no one daring to breathe or blink an eye for fear of missing Elros"s next move. As she observed his movements, it struck her how little she actually knew of his deeds as a Green Lantern. What had he seen up there? What kind of fights did he take part in? Was this his approach to fighting? How was it that he so efficiently took them out?
"He"s not wasting a single step," Vali observed.
"What do you mean?" Issei asked.
"Look at his movements carefully. None of them are wasted. Each is calculated to have a significant impact as well as easily feed into the next step. He took out eight p.a.w.ns in only eight strikes. Think about that for a second," Vali said, his eyes eagerly glued to the match.
"It"s like ballet or a dance for him," Venelana said, as stunned as the others by the efficacy of his attacks.
-o-
"DON"T JUST STAND AROUND! ATTACK HIM! ATTACK!" Riser roared at his peerage, all of whom had some level of fear etched into their face. His yell brought them to action - they couldn"t afford to just sit back and watch Elros cut them down to size. As Elros finished his attack on Li, they formed their own plan.
"All at once?" Siris asked.
"Don"t be stupid! We"re as likely to hit ourselves if we do that. Karlamine, Siris - you two keep him on his toes. Isabela, Xuelan, Mihae - hand to hand, and keep him occupied. Yubelluna, to the sky with me. We"re going to bomb him to h.e.l.l," Riser snarled.
"And me, brother?" Ravel asked. She was surprised by the ruthless attacks that Elros applied. During the Rating Game, there was a lot of smack talk and banter between her brother"s peerage and Rias"s - especially with Issei, who was particularly fond of talking to and gawking at his opponents. Elros, however, was different to his core. Without a single word - without talking up or talking down to his opponents - he simply chose to eliminate them. It was almost… dehumanizing, Ravel thought - as though he didn"t see them as enemy fighters, but something less that he simply had to stamp out.
"Press the attack on the ground. Protect my sister," Riser barked, to nods around.
-o-
As he pulled the flintlock back, Elros used his ring to propel himself again at the a.s.sembled peerage.
"NOW!" Riser yelled. Elros saw that Yubelluna and Riser had taken to the sky while Karlamine and Siris - the sword wielders - headed directly toward him, trailed slightly by Isabela, Xuelan, Mihae, and Ravel who brought up the rear. He stopped moved and allowed them to get close.
"Take this!" Siris yelled as she brought her heavy broadsword down on Elros with a mighty swing. Karlamine attempted to pierce through, but Elros leaped back in the nick of time.
He frowned as he paused, sizing up the battlefield. Eight were down, making his victory all the easier. He had two in the sky who were capable of raining h.e.l.l on him that he had to be extremely careful of. Riser didn"t think about his peerage like Elros thought about his friends; Riser would have no trouble sacrificing them for the sake of winning. He heard Riser"s bark about his sister, however - no doubt that Riser wouldn"t be keen on blasting her, which meant that Elros had to keep a close eye and distance on Ravel. The brawlers could wait for a moment - as Siris was the most present threat right now. She swung her ma.s.sive sword with an angelic grace that he felt even he would have trouble with. Karlamine, he saw, was holding back a bit. As he observed what she wore, it hit him - she wasn"t simply a Knight in Risers Peerage, but she was a Knight at heart - she wouldn"t want to fight him two on one. It was an admirable trait, Elros thought - but one he could easily leverage to his advantage.
Elros suddenly pointed his saber at Siris, who narrowed her eyes. Karlamine, however, understood.
"He"s challenging you - one on one," she told her.
"Screw that! Did you-," Siris began but was cut off as a green beam of light tore through her skull. She fell back and her body disappeared, sent to the dugout. Karlamine gasped and turned to Elros, who was suddenly in front of her. However instead of attacking her, he took a few steps back and extended his saber, putting his flintlock in a holster on his side. He spoke his first two words during the whole match thus far.
"En garde," he stated.
"He"s mine!" Karlamine shouted to the others who suddenly stopped their approach, rather stunned by the declaration. She brought her sword up to her right side, a wild look on her face as she connected it with his saber. Elros easily blocked the attack and brought his foot, kicking her square in the stomach and buffeting her back a few feet.
"You have considerable skill, Elros Eärendil," Karlamine granted him. Elros didn"t reply as he launched forward and connected swords with her again. Each time the swords. .h.i.t, they sent out a clink and clank and clang and bang, a symphony for those in attendance. Elros and Karlamine kept up with each other, although it appeared that Karlamine had a slight edge.
Elros wasn"t as well-versed in the art of the sword as the knight that stood in front of him, and he knew that - which is why he wasn"t so keen to put his flintlock away. However, he had respect for the honor that Karlamine showed in taking him one on one, which meant that he would have to rely on what he could accomplish with the sword, as well as other attacks he could manage in between strikes.
"WHY THE h.e.l.l ARENT" YOU FOUR ATTACKING HIM!" Riser roared as he suddenly sent out a jet of fire towards Karlamine and Elros. Elros saw it coming and quickly rocketed back, escaping the fiery h.e.l.l. Karlamine was not as fortunate, however. Elros heard her scream in pain as the fire seared her skin. He quickly used his ring to fan the flames towards the members that hung back, all of whom now had to dodge to escape the fire. Karlamine was leaning on her sword, burns visible on her body as she struggled to take her armor off. The attack sent a wave of anger through Elros.
"How dare he treat her like that!" he snarled to himself. He knew that he had to end it quickly so Karlamine could be given first aid - quickly. He pulled out his flintlock and put it to her temple and pulled the trigger, knocking her out of the match.
-o-
"Karlamine!" Marion shouted in worry as her friend appeared at her side, her breathing laborious and the burns still evident. While fatal attacks such as the shots to the head weren"t carried over to the Underworld dimension, significantly impairing attacks - such as the fire that afflicted Karlamine - were carried over as they weren"t considered life-threatening.
"I can"t believe he hurt her like that!" Bürent said angrily. She knew that Riser wasn"t a good man - but she never thought him capable of so carelessly hurting a member of his own peerage. Even Siris, who didn"t live by Karlamine"s code of honor, seemed stunned at the friendly fire. Marion quickly got healers on the scene and they began working on treating her burns.
-o-
Elros was now facing off with Isabela, Xuelan, Mihae, and Ravel - who had him surrounded. Riser ordered Yubelluna not to attack for fear of hurting his sister but told her that if she saw an opening she was free to do so.
"Your sister is immortal, Riser," Yubelluna said.
"She still feels pain," Riser said, worrying as an older brother would.
Ravel seemed to regain her confidence as she saw the odds were in her favor. Although Elros had taken our ten members with relative ease, six of the strongest still remained - and two of them had immortality. She figured that the end was a bygone conclusion, anyways - did it even matter how many people Elros eliminated? The only reason that Issei had won against Riser was because of the Holy Weapons, Ravel thought. Elros had exactly none of those at his disposal - so while he could tear away at them, they"d simply and easily heal; whereas Elros could not, so he"d eventually grow tired and pa.s.s out due to exhaustion.
"Do you really think you have a chance at beating us?" Ravel taunted. Elros didn"t reply, so she continued.
"I mean, be honest people! What hope does he have of winning? He has no Holy Weapons and my brother and I can easily come back from any of his attacks! How does he expect to win?!" Ravel shouted for the people to hear.
-o-
All around the Gremory"s and Rias and Sona"s peerages, people began talking to each other.
"She has a point," a random audience member said.
"Can"t believe I actually thought that that kid had a choice. Impressive showing, I"ll give him that. But no chance he can actually pull the win of thanks to the Phoenix"s powers," another member said.
"Yeah, change the bet. Gremory"s kid has no chance. He"s done," someone else said, betting against Elros. It appeared that on the drop of a hat, the entire crowd had turned against Elros. As they heard them talk, Rias, Akeno, Sona, Tsubaki, and even Kuroka felt their anger flare.
"How dare they talk about him like that!" Rias growled as she heard someone call Elros a f.u.c.king idiot for accepting such terms.
"But they bring up a good point. How does El-," Vali began before he was silenced by a loud slap to his face. Rias towered over him, her energy cascading like a waterfall.
"Say something like that again. I dare you," she hissed at him. Vali was about to talk, but Kuroka told him to be quiet and just watch the match. He was surprised that Kuroka of all people was taking Rias"s side, but he didn"t say anything else and fell silent.
"What"s his plan, though? I mean he obviously has one, otherwise he wouldn"t accept such a match," Sirzechs said, choosing his words carefully so that he wouldn"t end up on the receiving end of a slap from his sister.
"We"ll have to wait and see," Zeoticus said, intently watching.
-o-
"You overestimated yourself. But I wouldn"t expect anything else from someone from Rias Gremory"s peerage. She"s always been too soft on you all. Serves her right, I suppose," Ravel sneered. Still, Elros didn"t reply - mostly because he knew he was standing against a child.
"Man, what a spoiled brat. Hopefully, she learns some humility by the end of this fight," he thought to himself.
"First, the Red Emperor Dragon turns out to be a pervert, and now some random flunky thinks he can hold a candle to my brother. I"m going to enjoy beating you!" Ravel shouted as she sent a plume of fire at Elros, who easily dodged it. He redrew his flintlock and brandished his sword, which put Ravel on edge a bit. She expected him to talk back like Issei would, but he didn"t even seem to notice her she thought. That angered her further as she sent another plume towards. This time, however, instead of evading it, Elros lunged towards it. Encapsulating his sword with green energy, he cut through the plume of fire and readied his pistol to shoot. He sent it towards Isabela. She figured an attack such as that was coming, so she moved to dodge before Elros had drawn it. However, the attack still found a mark as it cut her through her exposed right thigh. She began bleeding profusely from it and stumbled, falling to the ground. Elros would"ve pressed the attack to finish her off, but Xuelan and Mihae both attacked at the same time, protecting their comrade.
"You"re quite impressive, Elros Eärendil," Mihae said as she sent rapid bursts of energy towards Elros. Elros gave her a small smile as he dodged her magical attacks as well as Xuelan"s fists. Mihae, like Karlamine, appeared to have respect for her opponents. She also seemed to be kinder and more well mannered than the others in his peerage - calling him by his full name as opposed to simply attacking him.
"Is there a reason you refuse to speak?" Xuelan asked as she began peppering him with kicks that he blocked with the flintlock or evaded. Her speed and power were impressive, however - so it wasn"t surprising when she landed an attack that buffeted him back a bit. Elros quickly shot forward as he regained his balance, however, rocketing right past Xuelan who was slow to react to that moment. Within a few seconds, he was by Isabela, who was still bleeding on the ground. Put the gun to her head, he pulled the trigger and eliminated her.
"Five left. Two hotties, a cutie, a brat, and a p.r.i.c.k," Elros numbered off to himself. He knew he still had the king, the queen, and Ravel to go - and they likely wouldn"t be easy. He dodged another attack from Ravel, although with each movement he made sure to get a bit closer to her - saving himself from whatever Riser might try.
-o-
"I can"t get a clear shot!" Riser roared in anger.
"He appears to be sticking close to Lady Phoenix on purpose. He knows you won"t want to harm her," Yubelluna said.
"I want you to prepare to hit him with everything. EVERYTHING," Riser snarled to Yubelluna.
"Understood, Lord Riser," Yubelluna said.
-o-
As Elros danced with Ravel"s fire, he quickly popped off two rapid shots at Xuelan. He was lucky to get his mark this time, however - Ravel"s indiscriminate attacks were flying everywhere, forcing Xuelan and Mihae to avoid them just as much as Elros. Xuelan quickly sidestepped on the attack, but she took her eyes and mind off Elros, which was enough to do her in. One shot tore through her chest, the other through her stomach - the combined effort enough to knock her unconscious.
"d.a.m.n it," was the last thing she whispered. She, like most of the other peerage, was unable to do anything - simply fodder for Elros.
Ravel used Elros"s second of mindlessness to launch a large wall of fire at him. Elros began to dodge it but he suddenly noticed that Mihae was behind him.
"f.u.c.k me. That knight chick was burned pretty bad and she seemed a bit tougher than this sweetheart. That kimono won"t do s.h.i.t. Guess I"m going to have to suck it up," Elros thought. He quickly coated his sword with green energy as he resolved himself on the ground and attempted to cut through the wall of fire. No dice, as it quickly rocketed him back. He connected with Mihae and both of them were sent flying back. Suddenly, he heard Riser yell from above.
"NOW!" he roared to Yubelluna, who quickly began her attack.
-o-
"Oh no," Akeno whispered. She looked sideways at Koneko and Kiba, both of whom were chalk white. All of them had been on the receiving end of a blast from Yubelluna. But they noted that this blast was a lot more powerful than the ones they had been on the receiving end of.
Rias gasped in horror as she saw what Yubelluna was going to do. The crowd gasped in collective horror as she began her attack. For the next few minutes, nothing was seen except for a bright light that blinded everything.
-o-
The bombs began exploring around Elros, who scrambled to get on top of Mihae, who seemed shocked that Riser would put her in the middle of Yubelluna"s attack. Mihae"s shock was suddenly replaced as she felt Elros on top of her, protecting her from the attack.
"But why?" she asked, eyes wide. Suddenly, she felt the world go dark as a bomb went off next to her, knocking her unconscious.
Elros gritted his teeth, making sure that she was able to escape the brunt of the attack. He put up a barrier with his power ring, but it began to crack slightly as the attack went on. Yubelluna wasn"t interested in simply beating him, it seemed - she wanted to atomize him, leave him nothing but a puddle of blood on the dirt below. As he looked his Mihae, though, he was suddenly reminded of someone else - Akeno. He recalled seeing her in her kimono one before and Mihae looked strikingly similar (albeit a bit more innocent). Biting his tongue so no sound of pain would escape, Elros felt his resolve strengthen even further. The cracks slowly repaired themselves, while the bombardment continued to rage on the outside of the forcefield. It wasn"t a completely preventive measure, unfortunately - as the forcefield could only protect them from the explosions overhead. As more and more firebombs. .h.i.t the ground around him, the plane of the fight began to change hideously. The cratered gravel around him began to give away on all sides, opening up small, unplugged holes that the bombs heat and energy could get through. Elros braced himself and soon began to be buffeted around the in his own forcefield. He kept an arm around Mihae, protecting her from any significant danger, but doing so forced him to bear the brunt of the attack. As quickly as it began, it felt as though they stopped. Sighing in relief, Elros turned up to make sure the coast was clear.
It wasn"t. It was as though someone brought the sun down with them.
-o-
Riser and Ravel combined their next attack with Yubelluna"s, forging a humongous bomb overhead. It began to descend slowly, searing everything around it. Riser had a mad grin on his face. Mihae would have to suffer, but it"d be for the greater good.
-o-
"Oh no," Rias said, her heart sinking as she saw the monstrosity plummet head-on with Elros. Akeno shot up, horror and fear etched into her face as she gulped, watching the bomb descend. There was nothing she could do, otherwise, she would"ve said f.u.c.k it and leaped into the ring herself.
"Elros!" Gasper cried out, tears pouring from his eyes as he saw the event transpire. Koneko held on to him, tears falling from her eyes as well. As Kuroka saw that, her lips opened in surprise - she had never known Koneko to cry before. Her eyes went back to the spot where Elros surely was (although it was too bright and bombed to h.e.l.l to say for sure at the moment) as she suddenly felt an emotion she hadn"t for a long time - worry.
-o-
Elros"s eyes narrowed as he saw the slowly descending beast, it"s bright light almost blinding him to everything else. Had he not known better, he likely would"ve a.s.sumed that he was ascending to Heaven.
As quickly as they narrowed, however, he felt something else - excitement. The excitement of what lay ahead and behind - and beyond this mini-sun that was about to burst on his forcefield. He poured everything he had into strengthening it, and none to soon - for a second later, the bomb exploded in a deafening boom. Had he not been protecting himself and Mihae, there likely might not have been anything left of them afterward.
-o-
"ELROS!" Rias roared in horror as everything went a stark white. All the Devils in attendance covered themselves from the light as it began to sting against their skin.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I DON"T BELIEVE IT! I THINK THIS MATCH MIGHT BE OVER FOLKS! THERE"S NO CHANCE IN HEAVEN THAT ANYONE WOULD"VE SURVIVED THAT! MY WORD! RISER"S QUEEN AND HIS SISTER POURED EVERYTHING THEY HAD INTO THAT ATTACK, AND I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE PAID OFF - BUT AT WHAT COST? I MEAN, I FELT THAT LIGHT ALL THE WAY OVER HERE!" the announcer roared.
-o-
"I think we won!" Bürent shouted in excitement. But said excitement turned into a look of horror when the realization hit her.
"No… Mihae!" she shrieked.
"Oh no," Marion said, close to tears as she thought about her friend. Mihae was the sweetest and kindest girl in the peerage - the one who least deserved whatever h.e.l.l Riser had just wrought.
"Please let her be ok," Ile and Nel said, both struggling to hold back tears.
The dugout suddenly added one more. Mihae was in the dugout, seemingly unharmed and uninjured beyond a few scuffs on her kimono.
"Mihae!" Bürent yelled as she rushed over, followed by the other girls. They all collapsed to their knees, surrounding Mihae who was still unconscious. It was a moment before she suddenly opened her eyes, but the first words out of her mouth bewildered the others.
"Elros," she whispered.
"Elros?! The guy?! Why"s she saying his name? Mihae, what is it?" Isabela asked.
"Elros… saved me," Mihae said as she slowly came to, sitting up.
"What?" Bürent asked, flabbergasted.
"He… covered me with his body. That"s the last thing I remember. Then…I came to and he was still on top of me, protecting me from the bomb," Mihae said, the event coming back to her. She gasped loudly as she saw the battlefield, which was still white.
"What happened to him?" she asked tearfully.
"He must"ve been knocked out as well," Isabela said.
"No. He knocked me out," Mihae said.
"WHAT?!" Bürent asked.
"When I came to… he winked at me then shot me in the head," Mihae said as a slight blush came to her cheeks.
"So… no way. There"s no way in Heaven that anyone survives that blast. Lord Riser, Lady Phoenix, and Yubelluna put everything they had into it," Isabela said. But the others were silent as they turned back to the battlefield where finally, the light began to subside.
-o-
"LOOKS LIKE WE"RE ABOUT TO SEE WH- WAIT, WHAT THE h.e.l.l IS THAT?!" the announcer screamed, louder than ever as he suddenly jumped to his feet in his box seats. The crowd quickly turned their heads towards the battlefield, eagerly looking for what the announcer was talking about.
"My goodness," Rias breathed as she saw the sight.
"Elros…," Akeno whispered, just as surprised.
"What the h.e.l.l…," Kuroka said.
"His wings…," Sona said in surprise.
"That"s impossible," Tsubaki said.
"ELROS EÄRENDIL! ELROS EÄRENDIL! HE"S STILL… BUT… WAIT… My word…," the announcer said, his voice weak as he finally saw what was being murmured and talked about. The crowd gasped in shock, fright, excitement, glee, and every other reaction one could imagine.
-o-
Suspended in midair above the gigantic crater on the ground below was Elros, his wings both erupted out of his back - burning the material his robe was made of.
Riser, Yubelluna, and Ravel all looked on in shock and horror as they saw the beautiful but terrible sight.
The wingspan was a comfortable 18 feet, Elros thought. But as opposed to the black and leathery wings most Devils had, his were decidedly unique. Instead of the norm, Elros"s wings burned a bright blue flame peppered with the brightest gold one could imagine. They gave off a searing heat that was difficult to match, although to Elros it felt like a small warm glow.
Extending from the vertical and parallel footlong gashes on his back when he attempted to get the wings, the resplendent blue flame shot out mightily as it erupted upward, outward, sideward, downward, and inward - contorting and twisting in and on itself as it adorned the shape of two powerful wings. The fire flowed hotly in every direction, it"s bright and hot blue flames greedily licking the air closest to them as embers emanated outwards, disappearing into the ether once they got too far away. It flowed like a river might if said the river was a stunning electric light-blue with bright gold wisps flowing through like tributaries. The wings were perfectly symmetrical on either side; the smoothly inclined outwards before looping and curving into talons, after which they curved out and down, forming the side of the wing. As they approached the bottom, they curved inwards, creating jagged spike looking protrusions here thereof alternating blue and gold before they finally fed back inside to Elros. He recalled the pain he first felt when his wings erupted - as though they were searing him from the inside, cauterizing the vantablack opening from which they ejected out of. Softly, he flapped them and kept himself afloat, looks at Riser, Ravel, and Yubelluna who all had looks of fear and surprise.
"How… how… how… how…," Riser stuttered, unable to make out an entire sentence.
"But… that"s impossible. Only… we… but…," Ravel said, her eyes wide in fear.
-o-
"Wings of blue fire," Azazel whispered in awe.
"But that"s impossible! Only the Phoenix"s have that power!" Vali shouted, as stunned as everyone else.
"The Phoenix"s have red and yellow wings of fire. This isn"t their power. This is something else," Azazel said.
"Azazel is right. Besides, Elros has no tie to the Phoenix"s beyond fighting them at this very moment. This is… a rarity," Sirzechs said.
"No, this is more than that… this is… should be impossible," Zeoticus whispered.
"If it"s impossible, how are we seeing it?" Venelana asked, mesmerized by the beauty of the wings. They softly flapped back and forth; it appeared as though Elros was already handily in control of them.
"THAT"S SO COOL, ELROS!" Gasper yelled out excitedly, happy to see that Elros was unhurt after the attack. He let out a sigh of relief as he watched with a look of awe on his face; Elros just got cooler in his opinion. Koneko let out the sigh she had been holding in as well, thankful that Elros wasn"t knocked out or injured. She suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning she saw Kuroka smiling her knowingly. Koneko blushed before turning back to the fight intently.
-o-
"HOW DO YOU HAVE THOSE WINGS?" Riser asked. Elros didn"t reply as he quickly launched forward against the three remaining members, his flintlock, and saber at the ready. Ravel and Riser were easily able to dodge it, although that wasn"t saying much as they weren"t the target. Elros quickly locked into a battle with Yubelluna, who attempted to escape his attacks. Every bomb she sent towards him either missed its mark or was cut through with ease - she had expended to much magical power in priming the previous attack and it was showing. Her flying soon became sluggish as she felt her eyes droop a bit. Elros noticed as well as he observed her wings which were flapping more and more infrequently and sporadically, as though she was struggling to stay afloat.
Finally, her body and psyche simply gave out and the flapping stopped. Elros was a good distance away when her body began to plummet towards the Earth. He kicked it into overdrive and raced over to her, dodging attacks here and there from Riser and Ravel, who were simply flying off the handle at this point. One of they missed attacks. .h.i.t Yubelluna, but she couldn"t react as she had lost consciousness.
"The h.e.l.l is wrong with them?!" Elros snarled to himself, disgusted by how careless they seemed.
-o-
"What"s Elros doing?" Asia asked as she watched Yubelluna fall, worry in her own heart. She didn"t like Riser or his peerage much, but she didn"t want to see them get hurt - she didn"t want anyone to get hurt.
"He"s… attempting to save her," Kuroka said, surprised.
"Did he forget that there"s a match going on?" Vali asked, just as stunned.
Rias and Akeno and Sona and Tsubaki smiled at each other; this was simply the kind of man that Elros was.
"He didn"t forget. But this is just the kind of guy he is," Rias said happily. Venelana looked sideways at her daughter and couldn"t help but smile as she recognized the look on her face. Even if Rias wouldn"t admit to herself yet, a mother always knows.
"A good man with a greater heart. You certainly did choose well, sweetheart," Venelana said as she hugged her daughter close.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I certainly didn"t expect this! Elros Eärendil is going out of his way to save Riser Phoenix"s queen from plummeting into the ground below," the announcer said.
-o-
"d.a.m.n. Come on wings, overdrive!" Elros thought. His wings obeyed as they suddenly shot out a jet stream of fire behind them, propelling him even quicker towards Yubelluna. At just ten meters to go, he caught her in his arms; however, he grossly miscalculated the speed he was going at. There was no chance he"d be able to pull up, so he shifted himself quickly in midair holding Yubelluna close to him as he pointed his back at the ground. With a sickening crunch and a thud, he smashed into the ground, cratering it.
-o-
"Elros!" Rias shouted in horror, yet again.
"That had to hurt," Kiba cringed as an audible crack was heard - which bone, they didn"t know.
"That might not have been the best move," Saji said.
"It was," Sona said defiantly.
"He hurt himself, Sona," Saji retorted.
"It was the right move," Sona said, shooting Saji a look that said drop it; he did.
-o-
"d.a.m.n. Popped my shoulder," Elros thought as he got back up. Yubelluna had been teleported out and to the dugout to be taken care of. Thankful for that, Elros quickly observed the damage to his left arm. It was better than he thought; he quickly popped it back into place with a sickening sound.
-o-
"Gross," Issei said as he cringed.
"It"s not like he has other options," Vali told him. Issei grumbled; he couldn"t deny that.
-o-
Elros quickly took back to the air where Riser and Ravel still were, both seething. The match had not gone even close to how they envisioned it.
Riser a.s.sumed that they would take a few losses - some p.a.w.ns at the worst. He never thought that he"d be whittled down to being the only one left, besides his sister. Even his powerful queen, Yubelluna - the Bomb Queen - had failed him when he needed her the most. He would have to viciously discipline his peerage later on for losing so readily - and against a single person. He could hear the cheers that Elros was getting again; although Ravel sowed the seed for doubt in his victory, Elros had easily won the favor and fervor of the crowd once more. He could almost hear the jeers directed towards him - a High-Cla.s.s Devil such as himself being schooled by a newly Reincarnated, Low Cla.s.s no name.
"Rias needs to marry me! It isn"t as though she has a choice! If it"s not me, it"ll be someone else of a High-Cla.s.s birth. You think that if you beat me, she"ll just be yours?! She"ll never love someone like you!" Riser shouted at him as he and Ravel combined their attacks again, launching them at Elros.
-o-
As Rias heard her say that, her Crimson Power began to cascade wildly as tears formed in her eyes.
"Calm down, sweetheart," her mother told her, taking her daughter"s hand in hers.
"How dare he say that!" Rias shouted, some tears spilling out.
"I know, sweetheart. Don"t let it get to you!" Venelana said.
"MOM! DAD! ZECHS! I REFUSE TO MARRY ANYONE LIKE RISER. IF THAT EXCLUDES ALL THE HIGH BORN p.r.i.c.kS, SO BE IT!" Rias shouted to her family defiantly. They didn"t need telling twice; they all smiled and nodded in agreement.
"I think we know who your choice is, sweetheart," Venelana thought, smiling as she looked at Elros softly flapping his wings again. He was certainly an interesting man, she thought. She decisively felt that she would be happy to call him her son in law, despite hardly knowing him. The character he showed was outstanding; his power was intense; but more than that, she could tell he genuinely cared for her daughter. What more could a mother want for her child?"
-o-
"This is for Devilkind, you fool! We need to keep our traits and lines strong! Why can"t you see that?! Forfeit the match, and I"ll let you walk freely - don"t draw this out!" Riser yelled at Elros, wildly attacking him.
Elros knew that the end was closing in. Riser and Ravel were at wits end, both losing control. They had both used up a significant amount of their power in the attack they launched with Yubelluna. While they might have had immortal bodies, they weren"t invincible - after all, they still got tired and felt pain; and soon, it would boil over.
Elros knew from the get-go that he wouldn"t be able to take them down with pinpoint accurate attacks, and he knew that Riser was right in saying that there would be other contenders for Rias"s hand in marriage. There was only one way to stop it all at once - one way to put an end to this match as well as send a message to all the Devil"s in the audience that there was a new Devil on the scene, and that he cared deeply for his friends in Rias"s Peerage; that he cared deeply for his new master and would protect her at all costs. There was only one choice left to him - one that would certainly send the message he wanted to get across.
Elros kept evading their attacks until he noted that Ravels and Riser"s wings began to lose power and fluctuate, much like Yubelluna"s not too long ago. Slowly but surely, the three began to descend to the ground, two of them tired beyond their wits. It was several minutes, but finally, they all set down, across from each other - one side with Elros, the other with Riser and Ravel.
The whole match, Elros"s hood concealed his face - making him a mystery for everyone. It had the intended effect, he thought; his name was on everyone"s lips. Who was the silent and mysterious man from the Gremory Household? What was his power? How is it that he was able to whittle an entire peerage down to nothing with seemingly no effort at all. Finally, Elros retracted his wings, leaving the two vantablack lines visible. Reaching for his hood, he finally pulled it back, allowing the light overhead to shine on his face.
"Ladies and gentleman, Elros Eärendil has removed his hood, finally allowing us to look at his face in full force! My, that is certainly a handsome young man. But look at that scar, folks! Is it any wonder that he all but annihilated the compet.i.tion?! This is a man who knows the face of war! This is a man who has the face of war!" the announcer yelled.
-o-
"I never thought about it until now…," Tsubaki whispered.
"What, Tsubaki?" Sona asked.
"That scar on his face. How did he get it?" Tsubaki asked.
"I… I"m… I don"t know," Akeno admitted.
"Kinda adds to his charm," Kuroka said with a low purr.
Rias noted that the women seated all around her finally had their interest peaked considerably.
"Hot," one said as she tongued her lollypop, her thought process evident.
"Definitely. Look at that scar," her friend said, whistling low.
"He definitely knows," another woman said.
"Knows what?" her friend asked.
"How to take care of a girl," the woman answered with a giggle.
"Looks like you might have some compet.i.tion, sweetheart," Venelana said. Rias turned red, but in her heart felt a pang. Mostly all Devil women were stunningly gorgeous, certainly more so than the men. And it hit her now how many of them seemed intent on Elros. She narrowed her eyes as another thought went through her mind.
"He"s mine."
Akeno felt the same uneasy sensation as she watched the match continue. Looking surrept.i.tiously to her side and behind her, she noted that some of the others girls - namely Rias, Sona, Tsubaki, and Kuroka - had the same feeling. h.e.l.l, Kuroka seemed ready to pounce, Akeno thought.
Kuroka didn"t know why, but a feeling of jealousy struck through her as she heard the women seated far up front talk about Elros. She tried to suppress it, sighing deeply.
-o-
Elros suddenly holstered his gun and sheathed his saber as he watched Riser and Ravel, nothing breathing heavily and laboriously. He frowned at both of them as his hands rested at his side.
The first hint that Riser and Ravel had that something was wrong was that the gravel and debris around Elros began to rise gently into the air, levitating of their own accord.
"What is this?" Riser asked, fear creeping into his voice. He locked eyes with Elros - but that didn"t help; in fact, it worsened things. Elros"s eyes were suddenly vacant and devoid of emotion, something he had not seen several days prior. He had seen the twinkle they held - and all trace of it was gone.
Elros let out a low throaty growl as he began to concentrate his willpower. It was a technique he had employed only a few times before - and only when he wanted to get a point across. It wasn"t something that he used lightly and it required a significant amount of laborious training to pull off, otherwise the strain on his body would be too much. He began feeding his power through the ring, which he used as a conduit to concentrate it to its core and output it to his surrounding area.
-o-
The crowd suddenly went quiet as they felt something. The announcer was the first to notice.
"Ladies and gentlemen… I don"t know what"s going on, but it feels like there"s… a pressure building up inside of the stadium. Somehow, the energy is leaking out here, and while it"s highly diluted - the fact that it"s even palpable is amazing! Elros Eärendil appears to be doing something - look and see the debris around him, floating - but I don"t know what it is. We might be in for a show, people - as well as the final moment of this match," the announcer said as he rubbed some sweat off his brow. He took a drink of water, suddenly feeling parched.
"What"s Elros doing?" Rias wondered.
"I don"t know - but can you feel it?" Akeno asked.
"Yeah. It"s… power. But it"s not Demonic Power, is it?" Rias asked.
"No. I think this is his ring at work," Azazel said, holding his breath as he watched.
"That"s some power if we"re feeling it all the way over here," Momo added, to nods all around.
-o-
"Riser…," Ravel said as fair finally sank its claws into her heart. Riser was at wits end, however. He found himself suddenly unable to move; as though Elros had cast immobilization magic over him.
"What the h.e.l.l…," Riser said as he watched Elros. After a moment, Elros finally spoke - for all the world to hear. The audience was completely quiet as he spoke - one could"ve heard a pin drop.
"You"re strong, there"s no doubt about that. But for all your strength, there is one thing that you still lack. Let me… show you," Elros said, pausing and growling a bit.
It was as though a volcano had erupted up. A bright white light suddenly erupted all around Elros, rapidly whipping and billowing the robe that he wore, the flintlock at his side, the saber at his other side; as though an invisible force or wind shuddering them this way and that. The energy that he began to release was the most intense thing Riser and Ravel had felt up until that point - a might waterfall of energy that flowed in, out, around, and about. Their eyes opened wide in terror as they felt it.
-o-
"WHAT IS THAT?! FOLKS, CAN YOU FEEL IT? THERE"S SOME SORT OF ENERGY CIRCLING ELROS EÄRENDIL - AND IT"S SO STRONG, THAT IT"S BROACHING THE DIMENSIONAL BARRIER. I CAN SAFELY SAY I NEVER EXPECTED THIS!" the announcer roar, his voice overflowing with excitement. The people began murmuring as well, none of them daring to blink or even breathe in case they missed something. As the energy exploded around Elros, they felt it wash over them - and it was a palpable difference. Devils with long hair had theirs flowing behind them as though a fan was aimed at their face; people that didn"t hold on to their belongings had them blown away; hats fell off and balloons were shook loose.
"My word…," Zeo said, standing up in awe and surprise of the power he felt radiating from Elros.
"What kind of power is this?" Sirzechs wondered, standing up as well. Suddenly, he faltered. The ground in the Colosseum began to shake and rumble.
"My G.o.d… it"s a seismic event," Azazel said hoa.r.s.ely, astounded by the power levels that he was reading.
"AN EARTHQUAKE! ELROS EÄRENDIL IS CAUSING AN EARTHQUAKE - HERE! IF IT"S LIKE THIS HERE, I DON"T WANT TO KNOW WHAT RISER AND RAVEL PHOENIX ARE EXPERIENCING!" the announcer roared.
"Rias?" Venelana asked, also stunned.
"I don"t know, mom. I"ve never seen Elros like this before," Rias said, shuddering a bit.
"What do you mean?" Venalana asked.
"Look at the center - at Elros," Rias said. The others did so and felt their hearts catch in their throat.
It was almost demonic, they thought. Elros"s robe was billowing up and behind him, casting a large and looming shadow that added at least another six feet to his height, they thought. He towered above Riser and Ravel, his features dark as the white light surrounded him. But most striking were his eyes. Gone was the warm brown that they had grown accustomed to; replacing it was a bright and fiery green. They were vacant and uncaring, something they were not used to at all - but they emanated a sense of surety and power that was hard not to admire.
-o-
Riser felt his breath catch as the pressure built up. His hair and clothes were whipping around and whenever he attempted to use his fire, it was simply buffeted back at him or extinguished with ease.
"No, no, no, no, no," he kept whispering to himself in horror. He looked to Ravel - but saw that she wasn"t there anymore. Ravel had pa.s.sed out only moments prior, unable to stand against the energy that Elros was emanating. She was teleported back to the dugout, unconscious.
"AHHHHHH!" Riser roared as he tried to move forward, but suddenly a gust of energy was sent against him, putting him on his a.s.s. Suddenly, the ground began to rumble intermittently. He looked up and to his horror, saw that Elros was getting closer.
Elros was walking at a slow pace, measuring each step to make sure that it affected Riser. Each step brought him closer to victory, he knew - and he would make this victory felt across the Underworld. His arms hanging limply at his side, it took him several minutes before he was finally standing in front of Riser - who looked up at him with fear in his eyes. As Elros saw the fear, he couldn"t help but smile inwards - this is what he made trained for. Seeing that look of terror brought him a joy that was inexplicable for him - as he was usually kindhearted. But seeing how Riser treated his friends, how he thought about Rias - he most certainly earned this punishment.
The end was at hand. Elros increased the power of his energy ever so slightly, and that was enough to seal the deal. Risers eyes finally closed as he fell on his back, mouth open in terror - frightened into unconsciousness. As his body finally teleported to the dugout, Elros reined the energy back into his body. The aftereffects would hit him as soon as he pulled it in completely - unimaginable pain, but he would have to grit his teeth through whatever might follow.
He reined it in and finally, the floating debris fell with a soft thud to the ground. The crowd was silent, awaiting the announcers result.
"Ladies and gentlemen… he"s done it. ELROS EÄRENDIL HAS DONE IT! ELROS EÄRENDIL HAS DEFEATED RISER PHOENIX AND HIS PEERAGE IN THEIR ENTIRETY! I DON"T KNOW WHAT THAT MOVE WAS, BUT IT WAS ALL HE NEEDED TO CINCH THE DEAL. RAVEL AND RISER PHOENIX HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED! THE WINNER IS ELROS EÄRENDIL!" the announcer roared. The crowd erupted into their most deafening cheer yet, shaking the auditorium to its core. The dimension barrier fell and Elros suddenly felt the rumbling and thunderous applause he was getting. Unsheathing his saber, he raised it to the sky in victory.
-o-
"YEAH! HE DID IT! I KNEW HE"D DO IT! GO ELROS!" Issei roared in excitement, joining the crowd.
"YAY ELROS! YOU DID IT!" Gasper cried out happily, hugging Koneko who smiled wide and hugged him back.
Kiba joined Issei in cheering while Xenovia let out a sigh of relief, smiling wide as she ran her hands through her hair. Rias and Akeno stood and began jumping up and down with joy, ecstatic that Elros had pulled off the spectacular win. Sona and Tsubaki dropped their usually serious natures and joined in, both just as excited that Elros had defeated Riser. Vali let out the breath he had been holding in, his body shuddering as he recalled the power that Elros had shown. To him, it was obvious - he had finally found a worthy rival. Kuroka brought a hand to her chest and felt how fast her heart was racing, remembering the stunned feeling as she watched him release his power. She looked at Koneko and smiled as she saw how happy her sister was and it clicked for her that that was likely Elros"s doing as well; she"d have to find a way to thank him.
"That was absolutely marvelous. I"m at a loss for words," Zeo said as he clapped loudly, whooping and cheering for Elros. Sirzechs joined in, just as excited at how the win was pulled off. Venelana cheered as a lady would, but she couldn"t deny the sensation she felt as Elros"s energy cascaded around the stadium - mind-boggling and staggering in its power. She looked sideways to her daughter again and smiled wide as she saw the excitement etched into Rias"s face. She couldn"t ever recall seeing her daughter this happy before.
"d.a.m.n good show, kid. Can"t wait to see you again for sure. Guess keeping a secret on things wasn"t doing it for you, though," Azazel said with a roaring laugh.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE"LL SEE YOU ALL IN THE AUDITORIUM WHERE MR. EÄRENDIL WILL OFFICIALLY BE ANNOUNCED WINNER! THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE!" the announcer roared.
-o-
Elros stood there, his saber raised up. His eyes searched the crowd and smiled as they landed on Rias. He winked in her direction and returned it with a wide and bright smile of her own. He walked through the portcullis, stopped to rest for a moment as when he was out of sight. He coughed up some blood; his body wracked with unimaginable pain. He still had to make it through the day.