"Hey, Akeno?" Elros asked as they were walking to school on a crisp, Friday morning.
"What"s up?" she asked.
"So I know that quite a few Devils live here, and at least one Fallen Angel. But what about Angels? Any of those?" Elros asked.
"Mmm… that"s a good question. I"m not sure myself. Everyone knows this place is under the Gremory"s control, so they wouldn"t be keen to make themselves known. In the past year, we"ve only met two Angels - Xenovia, and her former partner Irina," Akeno said.
"Where"s Irina now?" Elros asked.
"She"s still an Angel. I"m sure she"s in a church or something somewhere," Akeno replied.
"Interesting. So if they have churches, what do we have? Houses of ill repute, perhaps?" Elros asked.
"Not all Devils are as s.e.x-charged as you obviously are, I"m afraid. We don"t really have anything as such, to be honest," Akeno said.
"Being a Devil isn"t anything like I thought it"d be," Elros grumbled.
"What did you expect?" Akeno asked.
"Dunno. Something more devilish in general, I guess," Elros replied.
"Like Rias said, just because you become a Devil doesn"t mean everything else changes. It"s more a job than anything," Akeno responded.
"I suppose. That I definitely didn"t expect. Who knew that being a Devil could be so mundane?" Elros chuckled.
"It has its perks. Longer life, magic, flying… I can"t even think of what it"d be like to live as a human, now," Akeno said with a sad smile. Sensing the change in mood, Elros put an arm around her waist and pulled her a bit closer to him. Akeno perked at that and leaned in comfortably, resting her head on him as they continued walking in silence; the muted conversation conveying all that needed to be said.
As they headed over the small bridge that led to the school, they saw Rias waiting for them with a smile on her face.
"Good morning," she greeted as she approached them.
"What do you mean? Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?" Elros questioned her.
"Uhhh…what?" Rias asked.
"Don"t tell me you"ve never read "The Hobbit"," he said, astonished, as the three walked in stride.
"Not in a long, long time," Rias admitted. Elros shook his head at that; Tolkien"s works were masterpieces.
"Anyways, my dad really wants to meet you today once we get to school. That works for you right?" Rias asked.
"Yup ,sounds good to me. About time, really. After all, if we"re tying the knot-," Elros said before he got cut off by a finger to his lips.
"Not. One. More. Word. About. That," Rias said dangerously. He winked in response but obliged; he"d tease her about that later.
"Rias"s dad is pretty nice," Akeno said with a giggle.
"Is it just your dad? Or are your mom and brother gonna be there as well?" Elros asked.
"Just my dad today. You might see my mom and brother when you go the Underworld to meet Riser. My dad mentioned that he refuses to negotiate terms up here," Rias sighed.
"Why? Did Issei beat him so bad, he developed a form of agoraphobia?" Elros asked.
"I wouldn"t be surprised. Riser has a precious ego. Same goes for his sister," Rias said.
"She hot?" Elros asked.
"If you like girls around Koneko"s age," Rias said.
"Ah. More Issei"s type, then," Elros said as he nodded his head sagely.
"You seem to get along with her quite well, though," Akeno added.
"I love Koneko like a younger sister, I think. Same goes for Gasper," Elros said fondly.
"I can see that. You"re already like a big brother to them," Rias said. Elros nodded but didn"t reply.
As they reached the entrance, Akeno went to cla.s.s while Rias led Elros to the princ.i.p.als office.
"Your dads the princ.i.p.al?" he asked.
"Yup. Makes it easier for us to explain some things," Rias said.
"I suppose that"s as typical a Devil"s education can be on the surface world," Elros said.
"I guess. Anyways, how are your memories? I"ve been meaning to ask; anything yet?" Rias asked a note of worry in her voice.
"Nope. Still drawing a blank," Elros responded.
"Doesn"t it worry you?" she wondered.
"Not really. If it was something related to my duties, I would"ve gotten an earful by now," Elros shrugged.
"You would think that a guy whose missing days of his memories would be scrambling to retrace his steps," Rias grumbled.
"Eh, I figure if I can"t do anything about it right now, why worry? It"s not like it"ll help me remember what happened faster. If it does, it does. It doesn"t, it doesn"t. Either which way, so long as n.o.body got hurt, it"s all good," Elros said.
"Yup, you"re one of those guys. Nothing in the world bothers you? Take it as it comes?" Rias asked with a smirk.
"You know me so well already. I like taking it extremely easy, as you can tell," Elros replied with a laugh.
"Just remember that as a Devil, you"ll have to get serious at a moment"s notice," Rias said.
"Understood, Lady Gremory," Elros said as he stopped to give her an exaggerated bow.
"Ohhhh, don"t call me that! Save that for my mother," Rias said in an embarra.s.sed voice.
Finally, they approached the princ.i.p.al"s office. As Rias opened the door, Elros got his first glimpse of the patriarch of the Gremory household. Middle aged with shoulder-length crimson hair, a crimson goatee, and sky blue eyes, Lord Gremory was quite handsome. He wore a white dress shirt with gold embroidering; the same as his slacks. He had a powerful aura around him, but there was also a genteelness there. He looked at Elros with a kind smile that was returned and strode over to him, offering his hand.
"Elros Eärendil, I presume. It"s a pleasure to meet you, young man. Rias has told me quite a bit about you already," Lord Gremory said. Elros took the hand and the two men gave each other a firm shake.
"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Gremory. I figure if I want Rias"s hand in marriage, the sooner we meet, the better," Elros said with a grin. Lord Gremory laughed uproariously at that while Rias turned a deep shade of red.
"Please, sit down. Will you be joining us, Rias?" Lord Gremory asked of his daughter, smiling at how embarra.s.sed she seemed.
"With your permission, father," Rias said.
"It"s fine with me. Elros?" Lord Gremory asked.
"Fine with me as well, sir," Elros responded as he took a seat.
"I"m soooooooo going to punish you later. HARD," she whispered in Elros"s ear as she began to sit down. Elros simply winked at her but began to mentally prepare himself.
Rias took one next to him. Across the desk, Lord Gremory finally sat down. He regarded Elros with kind eyes, but there was a slightly searching feeling to them - as though he was trying to get down to the core of the kind of man Elros was. Elros, for his part, smiled as he looked back at Lord Gremory with the same searching look.
"As I was saying, Rias told me quite a bit about you and your responsibilities. I was quite shocked when I first learned of it, and I"m not sure the shock has worn off. Azazel was sure to fill me in as well, and he seemed to be quite fond of you already. You must be tired of hearing this, but I was hoping you wouldn"t mind demonstrating your abilities for me," Lord Gremory stated.
"Not at all, sir. Let"s see…. uh…. hmmm…. huh… Oh! Here we go!" Elros finally exclaimed. Pointing his ring out in front of him, the green light began to take form. A moment later, there was a green chess set on the table. Lord Gremory looked at it as a child would look around in a candy shop. Extending his hand, he touched one of the p.a.w.ns and picked it up in his hand.
"My word. This is… amazing," he breathed as made a move.
"Rias?" Elros said.
"I"m game," she said as she picked up a knight and moved it.
"This is quite a marvelous skill you have, Elros," Lord Gremory said, his voice giddy with excitement.
"Thank you, sir. I"m a huge fan of it myself. The possibilities are quite endless," Elros responded happily.
"Forgive me for saying, Elros, but I took the liberty of doing some research on you. I hope you understand," Lord Gremory said, a slight hint of apology in his voice as he made another move. Elros shifted in his seat a bit, a motion that didn"t go unnoticed.
"It"s fine, sir. I understand. Find anything interesting?" Elros asked, a hint of bitterness in his voice. Rias looked at him worriedly but felt a bit at ease when he gave her a kind smile. She made her move.
"In honesty, I found almost nothing - which is more surprising than if I found something. A birth certificate was all there was. I hope I might continue. I simply wish to make sure that all my facts are straight. If you feel that I am out of line in my questions, please stop me. I hope you understand my reasoning, however; your case is far… different from others," Lord Gremory said. Elros noted the prefaced apology. He wondered what exactly it was that Lord Gremory wanted to clarify? However, he figured that this would come sooner or later - the worrying feelings of a father over his children, especially where it concerned a man who could travel amongst the stars. Rias, however, looked taken aback by the question.
"Father, is this necessary?" she asked.
"It"s fine, Rias. I can understand the reasoning. Please, sir, go ahead," Elros nodded.
"Thank you, Elros; and I appreciate your understanding and willingness to talk about it. I noticed that your mother"s signature is conspicuously missing on the certificate," Lord Gremory commented.
"She died immediately after I was born, sir," Elros said, his voice bitter. Rias"s lips parted in slight horror as she looked intensely between her father and Elros. She noticed his fist was clenched, his knuckles a pale white.
"I"m sorry to hear that," Lord Gremory said, a hint of sadness in his voice.
"Not your fault, sir," Elros said distantly.
"And your father, Enyalius Eärendil - Rias mentioned you were abandoned at a young age," Lord Gremory said.
"That"s correct, sir. He and I never had the best relationship, so I can"t say that I miss him much," Elros said.
"Do you have any wish to find him?" Lord Gremory inquired.
"Not in the slightest, sir. If I never see him again, it"ll be too soon," Elros said, his voice laden with fury at the mention of his father.
"Elros…," Rias whispered as she took his hand in hers. As he felt the touch of her soft fingers, Elros felt his anger lessen. He let out a deep sigh and looked at her, a strained smile on his face.
"Do you have any other family?" Lord Gremory asked.
"I had an older brother, sir. Well… someone like a brother, at least. We weren"t related by blood. But he died several years ago. I"ve no other family," Elros said.
"Was he aware of your… powers?" Lord Gremory asked.
"No, sir. Truth be told, there"s little I remember of my youth. He and another woman lived with us for a while, and we had a wonderful relationship - I loved him quite a bit. However, they left about six months before my father did. I reconnected with him several years ago, but he died just shortly after," Elros explained.
"I"m sorry to hear that. You seem to have had a… rough childhood," Lord Gremory said as he leaned back in his chair. The chess set disappeared and he looked at Elros with even more interest as he interlocked his hands in front of him.
"Perhaps, sir. There are some things I"d change, of course. But overall, I"m happy about where my life has led me," Elros said as he finally smiled his usual cheerful smile. Lord Gremory returned the smile with his own as he nodded in understanding.
"To hear that, I am truly happy. Not many are able to pull themselves up like you obviously have. And I am extremely glad to see that you appear to have found some peace in the world. Again, please forgive me for bringing up such a sore topic," Lord Gremory said.
"It"s fine. A man falls out of the sky and destroys your house. I should be thanking you and your daughter for being so understanding," Elros said.
"I"m happy that my daughter chose such an exemplary person to be the newest addition to the Gremory household. I"ve no doubt that you"ll rise through the ranks quickly. I can"t think of anyone in the Underworld with such a… unique ability," Lord Gremory said with a smile.
"Thank you, sir. Did Rias also talk to you about my duties as a Lantern?" Elros asked. He figured he should make sure that everything was copacetic with the head of the house.
"She did indeed. My daughter mentioned that you might be called away on duty from time to time. I"m completely fine with it - there are more important things in this world - sorry, this universe, I should say now - than worrying about one"s status as a Devil. There are a couple things that I"m still curious about if I may?" Lord Gremory asked.
"Certainly, sir," Elros nodded.
"Rias, darling, you should get to cla.s.s," Lord Gremory said as he looked at his daughter.
"But father, you-," Rias began, but Lord Gremory raised his eyebrows at her. She opened her mouth to speak before closing it again, a look of defeat on her face. She looked longingly at Elros who smiled back. He reached up and pushed a strand of hair behind her ears and nodded. With a sigh, she returned the nod and left.
"I"ll see you later," she whispered softly to him. As she closed the door, she was decidedly frowning; with no small feeling of anger towards her father.
"What the h.e.l.l was he thinking bringing up a topic like that out of the blue?! I thought he just wanted to get to know him and talk about Riser! But his family?! How dare he?!" Rias thought. Her heart fell as she recalled Elros"s small musings about his family, and it followed her to cla.s.s.
Back in the office, Elros and Lord Gremory continued their discussion.
"Michael - an Angel - was fairly quick to learn that you had joined. I was surprised to find that he actually knows you. I wasn"t able to speak to him about it at any length - in fact, I heard about this from another Angel - but you know him?" Lord Gremory asked.
"I do, sir. Not extremely well, but we"ve had contact over the years regarding… a mutual acquaintance," Elros said.
"Yes, that"s what I heard as well. This.. acquaintance… he"s quite powerful in his own right, is he not?" Lord Gremory asked, a piercing look in his eye.
"Yes, sir. But he has a good heart… well… no, not really. He"s pretty vicious. But he means well… I think," Elros said with a sheepish grin.
"Yes, that is the impression I got when I met him as well. It was only one time, but it left a lasting impression. Power such as his is quite… terrifying, even to Michael or Azazel or I," Lord Gremory said with a sigh and shiver.
"So long as one stays clear of him, they should be alright. He"s easy to enrage, but he won"t do anything drastic to just anyone. You have to commit a sin of the highest order to draw his ire," Elros said with a slight grin.
"Indeed. And curiously, are you acquainted with any other factions?" Lord Gremory said.
"Hmmm… Are you aware of the Norse pantheon, sir?" Elros asked.
"I am indeed. I consider Odin a friend," Lord Gremory nodded as he recalled Highfather.
"I"m friendly with Thor and Odin, but mostly Thor. I"ve had encounters with Loki as well. We"re on alright terms; not overly friendly but not enemies either. Thor and I have worked together sometimes," Elros said.
"I see. And what is the nature of the relationship with Thor, if I might inquire?" Lord Gremory asked.
"Thor and I have gone on a few joint missions around this sector. He"s quite the explorer. More so than many that I"ve met. I"m not sure if his dad knows what he gets up to," Elros said with a laugh.
"That about in line with what I know of him as well. The boy has a wild spirit. Now, there is one other important matter that I"d like to discuss with you," Lord Gremory said.
"Is this about Riser Phoenix?" Elros asked.
"It is. I must say, when Rias told me that you wished to duel him one on one - especially after you understood his powers - I was quite surprised. She wasn"t exaggerating his immortality, you know," Lord Gremory said as he tapped the desk before him.
"I didn"t think she was, sir," Elros said.
"Is there a particular reason you wish to fight him?" Lord Gremory asked.
"I"d be a bad friend and servant to Rias if I didn"t. I mean… his power is impressive; and if he only accepted a Rating Game, I think the odds might be in his favor. Rias would have to scramble to strategize, while Riser presumably is going into this with a plan of attack from the get go. He won"t let Issei use Holy Weapons - if Issei even could without sacrificing his arm. I"m an unknown, for the most part - which gives Rias at least one ace up her sleeve. There really was no better option, sir. Guy sounds like a creep, anyways," Elros said. Lord Gremory chuckled and nodded at that. He had to admit that Riser was particularly obsessed with Rias.
"It"s certainly been a stressful time for us. I never imagined that he would use his position in the company to sink the deal I had with his father. Even Riven - Risers father - was surprised to learn that Riser so desperately wanted Rias"s hand in marriage. He"s been… very vocal about it as well," Lord Gremory said with a sigh.
"Is he aware that I"ll be fighting him?" Elros asked.
"Not of you in particular - only that someone from Rias"s Peerage will be. He likely a.s.sumes that Issei will be the one chosen, which would typically be the safe bet. He"s agreed to a meeting for tomorrow, however. Does that work for you?" Lord Gremory asked.
"Yes, sir. I suppose I"ll learn tomorrow when the duel will be as well?" Elros asked.
"The duel is already scheduled, actually. It will be the middle of next week. Riser pressed to have it as quickly as possible, in front of as large a crowd as possible - no doubt to lessen your time to prepare. Tomorrow, you will be negotiating the rules of engagement, as well as the wagers. Duels between Devils are conducted with a certain amount of… pomp, as it were," Lord Gremory said.
"Pomp?" Elros asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes. It"s not a small affair, especially when it"s between prominent families. As I said, tomorrow you will agree to the rules of engagement; that includes weapons that can or cannot be used, seconds, and other handicaps; as well as wagers. Rias"s hand in marriage won"t be the only thing that will be competed for; everything from wealth to life could be up for negotiation. There will be a small party before the duel begins, and then another one afterward. The crowd itself will be… tremendous. You, in particular, will be closely watched, I believe. Issei is already known throughout the Underworld; so it"ll surely surprise everyone that someone else will be fighting Riser," Lord Gremory explained.
"That is… well, honestly, I don"t even know what to say, sir. Seems… well… yeah," Elros trailed off. He expected the fight to be interesting but didn"t expect it to be the talk of the town.
"Make no mistake, Elros - it will be talked about. Duels are as important as Rating Games; some might say even more important as the odds can vastly differ. I"ve seen single fighters take on multiples with a hand tied behind their backs, before. The negotiation tomorrow can go either which way," Lord Gremory said, stressing the final point.
"I understand, sir. Will you be there as well?" Elros asked.
"I will be nearby, as will Risers family. His peerage will also be there, I believe. You"re welcome to bring the others as well, should they wish. The negotiation, however, will be between you two and two judges. The negotiation is… sacred, to say the least. To break it is to forfeit immediately, losing all respect and prestige," Lord Gremory said.
"I understand, sir," Elros nodded.
"All that aside, I wish to thank you, Elros - deeply. It seems that you… landed on our doorstep, as it were, at quite a prophetic time. Were I not a Devil, I might say Divine Intervention," Lord Gremory said with a short laugh.
"I"m only too happy to help, sir. If it wasn"t for Rias and the others, I might"ve died. My ring is wonderful, but it can only do so much when it comes to healing - it works better to prevent damage instead of treating it. If Asia didn"t heal me, I think things would"ve turned out much different. But even beyond that, in the short time I"ve known the peerage, I"ve become… fond of them, as it were," Elros said with a smile.
"I"m truly happy to hear that. Rias has been talking about you at every chance since you"ve joined. I"ve hardly ever seen her so excited," Lord Gremory said with a knowing smile.
"You"ve raised an exceptional daughter, sir. I"ve no doubt she"ll accomplish wonderful things," Elros said with a nod. Rias treated her peerage with a kindness and gentility that many in power lacked. To be loved and revered was almost always better than being feared, as Elros learned in his travels.
"Thank you for saying that. My wife and son are keen to meet you as well, but I thought it best that if we conducted this meeting just between ourselves," Lord Gremory said. Elros nodded. Suddenly, another question came to his mind.
"I was wondering if I could ask something, sir," Elros said.
"Please do," Lord Gremory said.
"Rias was telling about other Circles of h.e.l.l. I was wondering if you know about them - and specifically about a devil named Nergal?" Elros asked.
"There are several other circles. How many, no one knows. Some take on the form of a sin - l.u.s.t, Pride, Greed, Gluttony - you get the idea. Several circles, such as ours, are an embodiment of various philosophies that are considered sinful, but not to an egregious degree. We try our best to do good by and for others - at least some of us. But other circles are a… perversion of those traits. Rias was slightly wrong in calling them Devils - we call them demons. The particular demon you speak of - Nergal - I"m not aware of. Have you had contact with him?" Lord Gremory asked.
"Once, sir. He"s been entangled with a friend of mine - John Constantine," Elros said. Lord Gremory sat up straight at that.
"John… Constantine?" Lord Gremory said, sighing deeply as he put his elbows on the table.
"Yes, sir. You know him?" Elros asked, intrigued.
"Devils. Angels. Fallen Angels. Various Circles of h.e.l.l, various Levels of Heaven. Everyone knows John Constantine. This is the first I"ve ever heard someone refer to him as a friend, however. His character… doesn"t leave him wide open to those kind of relationships," Lord Gremory said, disdain seeping through his voice.
"I know what you mean, sir. But, as it stands, I consider him a good friend. If I can help get a dev- sorry, demon - off his back, I have to try," Elros said with an apologetic smile.
"I understand. I"ll see what I can find about this Nergal. But Elros, I must ask that you keep John Constantine separate from my daughter - from the Gremory household as a whole. While I wouldn"t dream of asking you to break your friendship with him, if I"m to believe even half of what he"s capable of… I just don"t want Rias involved in anything like that," Lord Gremory said sternly.
"Of course, sir. I understand," Elros nodded.
"To change tracks a bit, I also wanted to ask you what your intentions are. That is - as a Devil - where do you see yourself in the future?" Lord Gremory asked.
"That"s a good question, sir. To be honest, I haven"t given it any thought. Rias mentioned something about an extended lifespan, but it really hasn"t hit me what that actually means," Elros responded.
"Devils often live to be hundreds, if not thousands of years old. Most attempt to move up the ranks - from Low Cla.s.s to Middle to High to Ultimate, although very few make it to that final level. Those that do make it to High and Ultimate cla.s.s, however, are able to start their own peerages. Ultimates, in particular, are given domain over a portion of the Underworld - a testament to their character and strength," Lord Gremory explained.
"Domain?" Elros asked in surprise as he shifted slightly in his seat.
"Indeed. Ultimates are provided territory, and they can often claim any portion they wish - to rule as they see fit," Lord Gremory expounded.
"What if that territory belongs to another?" Elros asked.
"Well, then the dispute must be settled, as it were. Most avoid doing that, however. In our Circle, Devil-kind has been whittled down considerably, so there is tremendous hesitation to make war," Lord Gremory said.
"Interesting. Hmmm… Sounds bada.s.s, actually. Although, I"m not sure if I want a territory to myself. Seems like an awful lot of work. Honestly, I think I"m happiest about the fact that I can now be a Green Lantern for a considerably longer time," Elros said as he leaned back, a content smile on his face. What was better than exploring new places?
"I imagine so. The world must some rather bland when there"s so much out there," Lord Gremory mused as he looked out the window. Ever since Rias told him about Elros, he had been looking out into the blue sky much more and for much longer than he had since he was a child. He looked at it with a new wonder - what lay out there? What was yet to be discovered? Each new streak that cut across the eternal blue spiked his heart rate. Elros smiled as he saw the look on the older man"s face.
"It"s something else, Mr. Gremory. So many things that I still have yet to see. But, if I"m honest, the Earth is still my favorite planet. A perfect mix of blue, brown, green, and white. There are countless worlds out there, but there"s only one Earth," Elros said fondly. Lord Gremory nodded at that as he turned to look at Elros again
"But as for your question… I dunno. Issei seems interested in being a Harem King. Sounds pretty fun to me," Elros said with a chuckle.
"Yes, Issei is certainly an interesting case. Although, when it comes to male Devils, harems are quite a popular choice. I"ve one myself that my wife, Venelana, manages for me. Why Issei specifically wants to be a Harem King, however… I suppose that"s best left up to him," Lord Gremory said with a laugh of his own.
"I suppose I can"t choose that, then. I think I"m content for now, sir. I"ll put some thought into what I want from being a Devil, but I"m at a happy medium right now," Elros said.
"Understandable. If you"ve any questions regarding that, feel free to ask Rias, Azazel, or I - we"d be more than happy to help. Do you have any more questions for me?" Lord Gremory asked.
"No sir, that"s about it," Elros said as he got up, Lord Gremory following.
"In that case, I will see you tomorrow, Elros. Best of luck on choosing your familiar tonight," Lord Gremory said, extending his hand. Elros shook it and with a short bow, left the room.
-o-
Elros headed to his cla.s.sroom and arrived without getting lost this time.
"Elros! Over here!" Akeno shouted to him. She and Rias had their desks against each other, along with a third that belonged to him. He made his way over and took a seat, peppering them with questions about what the h.e.l.l they were doing.
"What the h.e.l.l is this?" he wondered as he saw a thicket of papers in front of him.
"This, Mr. Eärendil, is your homework," the teacher called out to him from across the room.
"But this is… it"s… what in the h.e.l.l?" Elros asked as he began going through the papers.
"You realize this is school, right?" Rias asked with a giggle.
"Yeah?" Elros said.
"And how at school, we have homework?" Akeno continued in Rias"s place.
"Mhm…," Elros nodded.
"You know how you haven"t done any?" she asked.
"This is all the work I have to make up?!" Elros asked, horrified.
"Yup. Have fun," Rias giggled.
"Be right back," Elros grumbled as he headed over to the teacher, working on excuses in his head.
"So what were you telling me?" Akeno asked, her smile finally dropping as she turned to Rias. She had told her about Elros"s childhood - the little she had gleaned - and it shocked Akeno how much it resonated with her own.
"That"s about it. His mom… died in childbirth. He and his dad seem to hate each other. And his older brother died a few years ago. It"s… I don"t know," Rias said uncomfortably. Elros"s childhood was bad, but it seems to be no worse than the others; Asia, Issei, Kiba, Gasper, Koneko, and Akeno had either died or been on the brink of death. So why was it that learning about Elros made her feel… more?
"My goodness…," Akeno whispered as her eyes trailed to his back.
"I know," Rias sighed as Elros came back, a look of dejection on his face.
"You"re cruel, Rias," he grumbled as he plopped down in his seat.
"Oh? Why do you say that?" Rias asked with a devilish smirk.
"You know why! Throwing me under the bus like that…," Elros whined, his head dropping down to the table in defeat.
"That"s what you get for teasing me all those times," Rias said.
"You realize that this means war, right?" Elros asked defiantly.
"Oh?" Rias wondered.
"Definitely. I"m going to begin teasing you in ways you never imagined now," Elros said, eyes narrowing towards his master.
"If you say so. Just remember that I"ll fight back," Rias said with a wink.
"Oh, I look forward to it Lady Gremory," Elros said.
"Ugh…," she groaned as he called her by a formal t.i.tle.
"You"re going to pay as well, Akeno," Elros said, turning his attention to the other beauty.
"Why me?" she asked in surprise.
"Guilt by a.s.sociation!" he declared, slightly loud.
"Jeez. Thanks a lot, Rias," Akeno said as she deadpanned at her friend, who giggled in reply.
"Now I need to find someone to help me through this. Ladies?" Elros asked.
"You can"t declare war on us and then ask us for help!" Rias laughed.
"Akeno, if you help me, I promise I"ll just focus on Rias," Elros offered.
"That works for me," Akeno said quickly, taking her way out. Rias turned red at that as Elros gave her a mischievous smile.
-o-
"Is it too late to say sorry?" Rias asked as the peerage a.s.sembled at the ORC in the evening, preparing to escort Elros to the site of the familiars.
"Way too late," Elros replied as he slung his arm around her.
"And what do you have planned?" Rias asked.
"You can"t expect me to spoil it, can you?" Elros chided her.
"I"m your master, you know," she grumbled.
"Then I"ll do this for the honor of servants everyone," Elros declared emphatically. Rias rolled her eyes on that but smiled as she saw that the talk with her father did nothing to lessen his chipper att.i.tude.
"Whatever. Anyways, are you ready to get your familiar now?" she asked.
"You kidding? I can"t wait to see what I get," Elros said excitedly. Akeno cooed as she reminded her of a child eagerly awaiting the presents come Christmas Day. She opened a portal that would take them to the forest where the Familiar Master was located.
-o-
As Elros stepped through, he grinned ear to ear as he saw the tree line in front of him. The forest gave off an enchanting light blue and green glow that could be seen as far as the horizon. The ground was littered with bright blue and green leaves, indicative of the late spring season that was in bloom. He took in a deep breath, relaxing himself as the fresh air filled him to his core. As he exhaled, he saw the faintest wisp of breath come out in the cool night air.
"This is beautiful," he whispered to himself, although the others heard. They smiled in agreement and took a moment to take in the majesty around them. As they did so, a voice cried out.
"Ahoy, there! The Gremory Peerage this time, I see. And whose this? A new member?" the man asked. He was an old man who wore a white tank top, red jeans and a yellow backpack. His hair was a deep red and covered with a purple hat that was turned sideways. He wore fingerless gloves and around his waist, a blue jacket. He reminded Elros of Ash Ketchum.
"Indeed I am," Elros said, extending his hand.
"Zatouji!" the man said, taking it.
"Elros," he responded.
"A pleasure, Elros! So, who"s the lucky scamp this time around?" Zatouji asked.
"Elros is. His first familiar," Rias said.
"Ah, I remember the last time you guys came around. The girls lost their clothes!" Zatouji said as he roared with laughter.
"I gotta hear this," Elros said.
"MOVING ON!" Rias interrupted them before they got too far along, to the dismay of Zatouji and Elros.
"Party p.o.o.per…," Zatouji grumbled.
"Don"t I know it," Elros agreed as they began walking towards the forest.
"So, you know how this works kid?" Zatouji asked.
"Nope. All I know is I can get a familiar; two, but that"s rare. What"s the process? How do I choose?" Elros asked.
"Last person that had two… must"ve been decades ago! Anyways, the process. It"s not often that YOU choose the familiar; you usually get chosen. Little Asia here has a tiny dragon that took a liking to her - extremely rare to find one of those. But it chose her," Zatouji said.
"Sounds like the wand choosing the wizard," Elros said with a chuckle.
"Aye, that"s a good a.n.a.logy. Issei wanted to get some slime that dissolved women clothing, but Rias here shut it down quickly," Zatouji said.
"You absolutely cannot get that foul creature!" Rias told Elros.
"Fine, fine. So what is there?" Elros asked.
"Kid, I"ve been here for a hundred years and I still don"t know! You got slime, you got Hydras, Fairies, Undines, Sirens, Griffins, Sprite Dragons, various birds, tiny demons, cats, bats, and everything in betwixt beyond!" Zatouji said.
"What do you guys have?" Elros asked as he turned to his team, walking backward.
"Here"s mine," Rias said. A small bat popped into existence, with wings about double the size of its body. It had short feet and a smirk plastered on its face as well as a tiny tail.
"Awesome," Elros said as he watched in awe.
"This is mine," Koneko said as a small cat with white fur and hazel eyes appeared in her arms. Elros patted it gently, smiling at the adorable creature which purred in delight before jumping onto his head and resting there. Elros grinned as he moved to petting Koneko.
"Adorable, just like you," he said with a happy laugh. Koneko smiled and blushed, drawing aww"s from Rias and Akeno.
"My demons," Akeno said. 6 small impish creatures appeared around her head; one green, one white, one red, one blue, one indigo, and one yellow. They began to dance around Elros"s head and he watched their adorable symphony with glee.
"So cool," he said giddily.
"This is Ra.s.sei," Asia said warmly as a small dragon appeared in front of her. It had blue scales and protective black eyes as it watched Elros carefully. The underbody was white and two wings sprouted from its back as it floated.
"Hey there, little guy," Elros greeted it. The dragon didn"t reply as it circled his head once before turning to Issei. Suddenly, blue lighting shot out, shocking the Red Dragon Emperor.
"It doesn"t like Issei very much," Rias sighed.
"He knows he"s a perv," Koneko deadpanned.
"And finally, mine," Kiba said as a small bird appeared over his head. It had a deep black plumage, blood-red eyes, and a sharp beak. It observed Elros carefully.
"Beautiful," Elros said wondrously as he watched the bird, which soon disappeared.
"Let"s get going!" Zatouji said as he led them deeper into the forest.
"What if there"s a bada.s.s familiar I really want? Can I fight it to make it mine or something?" Elros asked.
"Only in VERY few cases with EXTREMELY powerful or dangerous familiars. Most of the time, you"ll know. If I think you can take one on, then I"ll allow it," Zatouji said.
"You mentioned something about Fairies," Elros noted with a smirk. Zatouji laughed at that.
"I know what you"re thinking, boy - but I haven"t ever seen someone get a Fairy. You bet most of them try, though. Think they can woo her with money or t.i.tles or strength," Zatouji told him.
"And how often are they seen?" Elros inquired.
"Barely at all. Keep to themselves, mostly - distrusting of people as a rule," Zatouji said.
"This just gets better and better, it seems," Elros said as his head eagerly flitted from side to side. He began to see the life of the forest - small birds and rodents flying and scurrying here and there, the sounds of nature from the vast and diverse wildlife that inhabited it, and the energy that radiated off the magical beings that called it home.
"You feel it?" Zatouji asked.
"I do. It"s palpable," Elros said as he exhaled deeply.
"Feel what?" Issei asked uncertainly.
"The energy, boy, the energy! It"s all around us! Don"t tell me you haven"t sensed it yet!" Zatouji cried, aghast.
"I don"t feel anything," Xenovia added.
"Children," Zatouji shook his head, earning him deadpan glances from the others.
Suddenly Elros came to a stop as he looked ahead, wonder etched across his face. They came to a large lake which gave off a faint bluish-green glow. As he approached it, he saw a perfect reflection in the crisp and clear water. He could make out the lush algae that ran below the surface, coming out of the rock and minerals that covered the bottom.
"Beautiful," he whispered as he squatted down, hanging his hand over the water but not breaking the surface yet.
"It certainly is. The lake is pretty d.a.m.n large and deep as you go further out. Lots of creatures and critters call it home," Zatouji informed him as he looked out into the distance, a pleasant smile on his face.
Elros heard a small splashing. Turning his head upwards, he saw the source of it. About 20 feet out, the surface tension of the water broke. First came a head with long, red hair. Then came a stunning face with bright, yellow eyes and full red lips curved into a pleasant smile. Next was the slender body of a beautiful woman, naked save for the blue seash.e.l.l bra she wore. She rose out of the water, stopping at her navel so you couldn"t see what was below. She looked at Elros with interest and he returned her look with one of wonder.
"Is that… a Siren?" Elros asked.
"Hmm… no, not her. Try again. You"re close, though," Zatouji said as he clapped him on the shoulder.
"No… don"t tell me… a mermaid!" Elros whispered in awe.
"Good guess, kid. That is indeed a mermaid, Looks like she"s taken an interest in you," Zatouji said.
"Can I get in the water?" Elros asked.
"No can do, kid. If she wants you, you"re gonna have to wait for her to come here," Zatouji said.
"I can just fly over it," Elros shrugged.
"Huh. Guess that works," Zatouji admitted.
Covering himself in a green glow, Elros began to levitate over to the woman who still had her eyes set on him. He stopped a few feet from her before crossing his legs and getting into a seated position, observing her with just as much interest.
"Hi. I"m Elros," he finally said.
"Elros?" she answered. Her voice was soothing, music to her ears.
"That"s right. What"s your name?" Elros asked.
"Dominique," she replied.
"Dominique. A beautiful name," Elros said pleasantly.
"Are you here to find your familiar?" Dominique asked.
"I am," Elros nodded.
"And what do you want from them?" she inquired.
"Hmm… I dunno actually. I"ve been so focused on finding one, I didn"t give that aspect of it that much thought," Elros admitted sheepishly. Dominique giggled slightly at that.
"You"re funny," she said.
"I"m glad you think so. Perhaps you"d like to join me?" Elros asked.
"I"m afraid not," Dominque replied.
"Aww. Why not?" Elros asked disappointed.
"I do not choose lightly. The bond between a familiar and their master is important - and often for a lifetime. To choose based on one meeting… no, I"m afraid I cannot," Dominique replied.
"That makes sense. But if that"s the case, why approach at all?" Elros asked.
"I was interested in how you looked at the water," Dominique said.
"What do you mean?" Elros asked, confused.
"You seemed almost awestruck by it. It"s not a reaction we commonly see. Most typically attempt to leap in. None take the time to appreciate it," she explained.
"I see. I was stunned by it. I mean… look at how beautiful it is. I"ve never seen such a deep azure," Elros said happily as he looked around. He inhaled and exhaled deeply again before turning his look back to her.
"If you cannot choose based on one meeting, then there"s only one thing left to do," Elros said with a grin.
"And what"s that?" Dominique asked.
"I"ll just have to see you at the next full moon," he told her. She smiled at that.
"You don"t intend to take me by force? Many have certainly tried," she told him.
"Not at all. You raise a good point, and if you"d rather get acquainted first that"s fine with me. Apparently, as a Devil, I have a longer lifespan. I"m patient; I can wait," Elros responded.
"I see," Dominique said as she bit her lip gently in interest. She regarded Elros for a moment before giving him a sweet smile.
"In that case, I look forward to seeing you at the next full moon - right here. Good luck on finding a familiar for the night, however," Dominique said.
"Maybe we"ll all be able to become friends," Elros said giddily.
"Perhaps. Until then, Elros," she said as she descended back into the lake. She saw him wave to her, a wide grin etched on his face, as she swam back to the depths.
"How"d it go?" Zatouji asked as Elros returned.
"She wants to get to know me. We"ve got a date for the next full moon," Elros laughed.
"Sona won"t like that," Rias said.
"Which is why I"ll have to earn it," Elros said.
"Mermaids are known to be notoriously picky. I"ve seen Devils wait years, even decades, to get one as a familiar only to get shot down in the final moments. Anyways, that"s for later. Let"s head back into the forest. That"s where most of the familiars live," Zatouji said as he led the way.
"A mermaid? Oh man, I"d love to have one of those," Issei said excitedly, his mind still set on Dominique"s beauty.
"Oh, you wouldn"t get that far kid. Mermaids are a proud race. They won"t let just anyone fiddle with them,
Zatouji said with a raucous laugh.
"I wonder if what we see next will be as beautiful?" Elros pondered.
"Possibly. Could be a Fairy. Plenty of familiars also shapeshift, like Rias"s bat," Zatouji answered.
"If not beautiful, then bada.s.s would be just as well," Elros said.
"If you want both, look there," Zatouji suddenly said, a look of astonishment on his face. They all stopped in their tracks, their mouths hanging in wonder - Elros"s especially.
In front of him, floating gently above the lush gra.s.s was a bird. Not just any bird, Elros noted - no, this was a legend. It had a deep, red and gold plumage that ran through its entire body - veritable fire, if it could be such a thing. It had a sharp golden beak and abyss black eyes that pierced through the Devils. The wingspan was a solid five feet, gently flapping as it stood in place. Opening its beak, it let out a small and beautiful cry - almost musical in nature.
"A phoenix," Elros breathed in awe.
"That"s right, kid," Zatouji said with a grin. Elros slowly began to approach it, gently as he could so as not to scare it off. The phoenix watched him with a careful gaze, but slowly it began to move forward as well. When they were a foot apart, Elros raised his hand and reached for its head. The phoenix allowed him to connect and Elros stroked it. It began to preen in delight at the touch as it shifted slightly.
"You like that?" Elros whispered with a smile. The phoenix preened again in affirmation as he continued to stroke it. After a moment, it suddenly flew overhead. Gently, it rested its talons on Elros"s head.
"It"s weightless. This is awesome," Elros said excitedly as he reached up to pat its wings. The phoenix let out a cry of delight at the touch before it got off his head and set itself on the ground. Elros dropped to its level, resting on a knee as he continued to watch it with glee.
"Now this is something. A phoenix! A TRUE phoenix!" Zatouji said excitedly.
"Are they rare?" Xenovia asked.
"Incredibly so. More than Sprite Dragons or Griffins. h.e.l.l, I can"t name you a single Devil that has a phoenix familiar!" Zatouji exclaimed.
"Riser Phoenix," Rias told him.
"That kid? Nah. He has a bird, sure, but that"s no phoenix. THIS is a phoenix. Can"t you tell? Shut up and feel it for a moment - the energy and warmth around this area," Zatouji told them. They did as instructed and moments later, they understood what he meant. The area was certainly warmer than the rest of the forest and gave off a different energy - one that was regal in nature, yet gentle at core.
"How about it? Want to become my friend?" Elros asked with a wide grin. The phoenix observed him for a moment before it let out a loud cry in affirmation.
Suddenly, the unexpected happened. Right in front of Elros, a ma.s.sive ball of fire suddenly engulfed the phoenix. The peerage let out a cry of horror at the sight, but Zatouji and Elros simply kept smiling. Elros knew the legend of the phoenix and was surprised the others reacted so offhandedly. The ashes of the bird began to fall to the ground with a soft patter, mounding on top of each other.
"Elros! Are you ok?" Gasper cried out, close to tears.
"I"m fine, buddy. Just hold on for a second. There"s no need to be afraid," Elros said kindly as he turned to Gasper.
"But the phoenix!" Gasper cried out.
"Don"t you guys know the legend of the phoenix? One of its most famous traits?" Elros questioned them. They looked at him quizzically before a look of dawning suddenly appeared on Akeno.
"Of course! Whenever a phoenix reaches maturity, it"s reborn, isn"t it?" she asked.
"That"s right," Elros said as he knelt down to the ashes. Gently, he began to nudge away the ashes. It didn"t take long until he grinned even wider and scooped something from them. Turning to the others, he smiled wide as he presented to them what he discovered.
Fitting snugly in his hands was a tiny, tiny bird. It had a tiny beak and tiny wings, with tiny black eyes. It"s plumage, however, was as striking has its older version - an absolutely stunning red and gold. It let out a small cry of delight as it tried to stand on its own two feet, but fell soon afterward.
"That"s so cute!" Rias cooed happily as she observed the bird which tweeted at her. Elros brought it level to his eyes. The two observed each other with interest before the phoenix tweeted again.
"Hey there, little buddy," Elros said. The phoenix chirped back at him.
"I should probably name you, right? How about Scorn? That"s a bada.s.s name, yes?" Elros asked. The phoenix chirped immediately at that, as it tried to stand back up on its feet - this time succeeding in the effort.
"Scorn it is," Elros said with a grin as he took a finger and patted it gently.
"Well, I"ll be. A phoenix!" Zatouji said with a roaring laugh.
"Gonna have to get this little guy back to full strength," Elros replied.
"Yeah, I"ll give you some food before you leave - should work wonders whenever you spend time with him," Zatouji said.
"Don"t you want to try to get another?" Akeno asked.
"I"m happy with this little guy for now. Maybe next time. Want to make sure he"s happy first," Elros commented as they began to walk out of the forest.
"Incidentally, you don"t have to keep the familiar with you at all times. You can send them back here whenever you want, where they can grow on their own. When you need them, it"s an easy summon," Zatouji informed him.
"Sounds good to me. So should I leave him here now?" Elros asked.
"Might be best. Give me a couple of days with the little tyke, and I"ll put a few miles on him," Zatouji said.
"I"m trusting you to keep him safe," Elros said warningly.
"Don"t worry kid. This is my specialty," Zatouji laughed.
"I"ll see you later then, alright Scorn?" Elros whispered to his new friend. Scorn chirped back in agreement.
-o-
"How"re you feeling?" Akeno asked Elros the next morning as she got breakfast ready.
"Pretty good. Yourself?" Elros wondered.
"You"re the one that"s meeting with Riser," Akeno said, a worried look on her face.
"It"s just haggling over terms," Elros responded.
"He"s not going to let you use Holy Weapons. He might even try something else to turn the odds in his favor," Akeno told him.
"Probably. Doesn"t matter, though. Gotta win it for Rias," Elros said.
"It"s that simple?" Akeno asked.
"That simple. I"m offended that you have such little faith in me," Elros said dramatically. That brought a smile to Akenos lips as she ushered him over to the dining table.
"Guess we"ll see if you have a third quality in addition to being handsome and sweet," she said as they both dug in.
-o-
"How do we get to the Underworld?" Elros asked Rias joined her in the ORC.
"We"re going to have an escort. She should be here soon. Are you ready, though?" Rias asked, worry finding its way back into her heart.
"Relax, Rias," Elros said as he pulled her in for a hug. She wrapped her arms around him, comfortable in his arms - but her worry remained.
"Where are the others, by the way?" Elros asked.
"Akeno went ahead of us with them. We"re going to be meeting them there," Rias said. She was about to speak again when a magic circle appeared in the middle of the room.
Out of it stepped a beautiful woman. She had silver hair that ran all the way down her back with two small braids in the front. She wore a blue and white French maid uniform with a white headband, with a red lipstick. She seemed rather somber, Elros thought, as she approached him professionally.
"h.e.l.lo, Mr. Eärendil. My name is Grayfia Lucifuge. I will be escorting you to the Underworld today," Grayfia said solemnly.
"A pleasure to meet you, miss. Please, lead on," Elros said.
"If you would step this way," Grayfia said, her hand leading to the pulsing circle. Elros took a deep breath and stepped inside.
The next thing he knew, he was in the middle of a beautiful courtyard. He saw a lush garden all around him, peppered with beautiful plants and flowers he had never seen before. It appeared to him that the entirety of the rainbow was represented there, as well as a boundless amount of other colors. Looking up, he saw a crisp blue sky with clouds floating happily on by. Visibly, however, there was no sun - he was not on Earth anymore. Looking around, he saw a large manor in the distance - no, a mansion, it should be said. He had little time to admire it as Grayfia and Rias soon appeared.
"This is h.e.l.l?" Elros asked with a grin.
"Yup. Not what you thought, hmm?" Rias asked with a smile as she interlocked her arm with his.
"Lord Gremory requested I bring you here, and that you might like to walk to where the negotiations will be held. The others are all a.s.sembled in the field to the north, my lady," Grayfia said.
"Alright. We"ll see you there," Rias said as she and Elros began to walk that way, while Grayfia quickly opened a magic circle and left.
"Beautiful," Elros said as he looked around.
"It really is. I"m quite fond of it," Rias said as she rested her head on his shoulder.
"What"s with the sky, though?" Elros wondered.
"The Four Great Satans decided to implement it to match the human world, mostly for the Reincarnated Devils. There"s an artificial moon that comes out at night, as well," Rias informed him.
"f.u.c.king a," Elros whispered.
"The Underworld has a lot more land than Earth, even though it"s pretty much the same size. There"s no ocean here," Rias told him.
"I see. Guess territory is abundant, then," Elros said.
"Yup. When you become an Ultimate Cla.s.s Devil, you"ll be able to claim some for your own. You"ll even get a t.i.tle like King," Rias giggled.
"In which case, I need to find a Queen. How about it?" Elros asked.
"Ugh. Save it for later," Rias grumbled, although she smiled at the thought.
"Fine, fine. I"ll hold off on teasing you," Elros sighed.
"Try not to sound too upset about it," Rias said.
"But it"s so fun," Elros replied.
"Maybe for you," Rias said. Suddenly, she felt her body swing around. Elros wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned in close.
"Don"t tell me you don"t enjoy it," he said in a husky tone. Rias blushed as she put her hands around him to keep her balance. Truth be told, she did enjoy it - she couldn"t recall ever blushing as much as in the days she had gotten to know him.
"What happened to holding off?" she asked in a quiet voice. Elros chuckled and nodded and brought her back to his side with a twirl, walking towards the field.
"Sorry. Couldn"t resist," he answered.
"I can tell," Rias sighed.
"On a more serious note, how do you feel about seeing this guy again?" Elros asked, his voice gentle yet serious.
"I dunno. I thought it was all done with when Issei beat him. I"ve zero interest in seeing him again," Rias frowned.
"Do you want to head back to Earth? I can take care of this myself," Elros said.
"No. This involves me directly, so I want to be here," Rias said defiantly.
"Alright," Elros said as he tightened his grip around her. As she looked at him, she saw that his face was more serious than usual - as serious as when he fought the Stray Devil not too long ago.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
"Yeah. Just thinking about the best way to make sure that this is the last we see of him," Elros said.
"I"ve no doubt it will be. If he loses an official match and then tries to renege, he"ll become an outcast," Rias said.
"That would probably be the best deterrent, I think," Elros said. Rias nodded in agreement.
"It"s going to be a big day for you as well, you know," she told him.
"What do you mean?" Elros asked.
"Riser"s family is famous, as is Riser himself. When you beat him, your profile is going to go up - significantly. If he handicaps you somehow, and you still beat him - then your rank will go up even further. He"s the odds-on favorite, though. He"s never lost an official duel or an official Rating Game," Rias said dejectedly.
"What"s his rank?" Elros wondered.
"He"s in the top 20 amongst all Devils - a source of pride for his family as well, I believe. His immortality has always been a big factor in all the battles," Rias said.
"So when I beat him, I get his rank?" Elros asked.
"That"s right," Rias said.
"Is he a Low, Middle, or High-Cla.s.s Devil?" Elros asked.
"High cla.s.s. Everyone born into a prominent family is automatically high cla.s.s," Rias said.
"So do I become a High-Cla.s.s devil when I beat him?" Elros wondered.
"I don"t think you"ll become a High-Cla.s.s Devil, but it might be enough to make you a Middle-Cla.s.s one. If you beat a lot of ranked Devils, though, you could probably become a high cla.s.s in short time. It"s one of the sure fire ways to ascend through the ranks," Rias said.
"This might be fun," Elros said as he thought about the power structure.
"Of cou-," Rias began before she was cut off by a small voice.
"Rias! Elros! Over here!" came Gasper"s voice. He was smiling at the approaching Devils, waving them over.
"Hey there, buddy," Elros said as Gasper ran over to him and gave him a hug.
"Is everyone else here as well, Gasper?" Rias asked.
"We"re waiting on the judges and the Phoenix"s!" Gasper said as he led them to where the others were a.s.sembled. Elros nodded at the peerage, who were off to one side conversing with each other. He saw Lord Gremory and went over to greet him. Standing by him, however, were two people that Elros did not recognize.
The first was a man who had hair that was much like Rias"s except that it came down to just below his shoulders. He wore gold and silver pauldrons, under which was a flowing white robe. He had a pleasant smile on his good-natured face and stood next to Grayfia. Elros noted the power that seemed to radiate off of him - almost heady in nature.
The other was a woman that almost left Elros breathless. She was a striking beauty, to be sure. She had milky white skin, much like her daughter. Her hair was a brunette, her eyes purple and beautiful. She wore an elegant white dress that didn"t expose too much, but would leave any man mesmerized. She stood with her hands folded in front of her as she gave a small nod to Elros, who approached with Rias.
"Elros, good to see you again so soon," Lord Gremory said as he extended his hand.
"Mr. Gremory, likewise," Elros said with a smile as he shook it.
"You must be Elros Eärandil. My name is Sirzechs Lucifer. Rias"s brother," Sirzechs said as he also extended his hand to great Elros.
"A pleasure, sir," Elros said, shaking it.
"Indeed, but please - call me Sirzechs. Or Zechs, if you"d prefer that. I"ve heard much about you from my father, Michael, and Azazel, Elros. You seem to be quite the addition to our household. We"re happy to have you," Sirzechs said with a friendly smile as he took in Elros"s figure. Sirzechs, who was quite tall, didn"t meet many men of a similar stature.
"h.e.l.lo, Miss. Elros," Elros said as he extended a hand to the woman. She forsook it, however, choosing to greet him with a hug. Surprised, he turned to Rias who he noted was looking slightly aghast as she watched the scene unfold, her face turning a bright red. Elros awkwardly returned the hug.
"I know, my dear. It"s a pleasure to finally meet the man my daughter is smitten with," the woman replied, stepping back to take a good look at Elros. At that, Rias gave an adorable shriek.
"MOM! I AM NOT SMITTEN WITH HIM! YOU CAN"T SAY STUFF LIKE THAT TO PEOPLE! DAD! ZECHS!" Rias complained adorably. Elros couldn"t help but chuckle at her reaction.
"My name is Venelana Gremory. I"m Rias"s mother," she said, smiling.
"A pleasure, Mrs. Gremory. Well, I now know where Rias"s beauty and charm come from," Elros said, bowing low to Venelana who giggled.
"A gentleman. You"re quite lucky to have such a wonderful boyfriend, Rias," Venelana teased.
"Oh my goodness. Once this is all over, I"m going to go kill myself," Rias complained, turning even redder.
"So, where is everyone?" Elros wondered as he looked around for Riser and the judges.
"Grayfia has just gone to fetch them now. They should be here any minute," Lord Gremory informed him.
"I must apologize, Elros, that you were dragged into this. This whole ordeal has been improperly handled, and some of that blame rests on me. I thought an unofficial duel would be enough to get Riser off of my sisters back. Obviously, that wasn"t the case and now it"s been blown up into something much larger," Sirzechs said with a sigh.
"No problem at all. I"m only too happy to help," Elros said cheerfully.
"I must ask why you accepted so readily. My daughter tells me you didn"t even think twice about it," Venelana said, although her smile hinted that she knew the answer.
"Anything for Rias, Lady Gremory," Elros responded warmly. Rias smiled at that and put her arms around Elros, exhaling in happiness. Venelana smiled wide at that.
"It appears my daughter has already taken a liking to you, Elros. I can see why," Venalana said.
"I a.s.sure you that the feeling is mutual, m"lady. You know, I suggested to Rias that we get married and could avoid this whole situation, but she said something about getting to know each other better," Elros said with a mock sigh. Venelana giggled at that while Rias turned a bright red. She tightened her hold around Elros viciously and began to cut off circulation.
"Okay, okay, sorry!" Elros said. She loosened her hold but stayed red as she looked at him dangerously.
"Perhaps if my husband had deigned to wait a few months and chosen someone that Rias is so obviously in love with, this whole mess could"ve been avoided," Venelana teased her husband who sighed tiredly; he would never hear the end of this.
"NO MOM! STOP, PLEASE. SIRZECHS, SOME HELP, PLEASE!" Rias complained to her brother who simply laughed.
"Come now, mother. Now"s not the time. Elros will be joining us for summer after all, so there"ll be plenty of time to tease him and Rias then," Sirzechs said with a good-natured laugh.
"I almost forgot about that! I"m pleased to hear that you"ll be joining us, Elros," Venelana said.
"I a.s.sure you, the pleasure is all mine, m"lady," Elros said with another bow.
"Rias, you should be quick to bag him. Otherwise, I just might," Venelana said with a giggle.
"ELROS! COME ON, WE"LL BE BACK WHEN THEY GET HERE!" Rias squealed. She took Elros"s arm and pulled him away from her family, all of whom were laughing at her reaction.
"My mother, I swear…," Rias trailed off, red as all h.e.l.l.
"She seems quite nice," Elros said with a smile.
"Too nice sometimes. She"s taken quite the shine to you, it seems. That"s good, at least," Rias said as they walked to the rest of the peerage.
"I know. It"ll clear our way to marriage," Elros teased, earning him a smack from Rias.
"Not. Another. Word. About. That," she said dangerously.
"Alright, alright," Elros said, putting his hands up in defeat. They began talking to the rest of the peerage. Hardly any time had pa.s.sed when a new magic circle opened. Everyone focused on it and soon, people began to step out.
First was a man who Elros a.s.sumed was Riser. He was a tall and handsome man, in his 20s most likely with blond hair that fell to his shoulders and dark blue eyes. He wore a burgundy blazer with gold embroidery on the right with a matching pair of pants and black dress shoes. Underneath the blazer, he wore a white dress shirt with the top two b.u.t.tons undone. He strode out with an air of confidence, his hands tucked into his pockets and his eyes fixed on Rias as soon as they found her.
The next was a man Elros a.s.sumed to be Riser"s father. He had a kind look about him, different from his sons. Their features were similar, save that his father had a goatee.
The next was a child who Elros inferred was Riser"s sister. Like her brother, she had a haughty look about her. She wore a pink dress with a red ribbon and had blonde hair that was tied into two drill-like twin tales. She was decidedly frowning as her eyes fell on the peerage.
Following her were several women, stepping out one after another - most of them fairly gorgeous, Elros thought. There was a girl with turquoise hair that wore a red kimono and wielded a staff; a woman who wore nothing but a bra and panties with her black hair tied up intricately above her head, her tan skin glistening in the faux sun; two buxom beauties who wore maid outfits, one with violet hair and the other brunette; two sets of twins, one pair with green hair, the others who looked almost like cats; a beautiful woman with Chinese features who wore a qipao with gold accents that displayed an ample amount of cleavage, as well as a white sash around her waist; a woman with short, blonde cropped hair that wore a mask on the right side of her face, paired with a jacket that cut off just below the b.r.e.a.s.t.s and ripped jeans that exposed a large area of her right thigh; a woman with long, black hair that had a blue accent and was tied in a ponytail down her back - she wore a cheongsam, red shorts, metal knee high boots and gauntlets. In her hand she carried a ma.s.sive broadsword; a woman with light brown hair that wore a set of silver armor over a white dress, wielding a sword in one hand; a beautiful young woman who wore a conservative kimono and had a pleasant smile; and finally, a stunningly beautiful woman that Elros found himself unable to take his eyes off. She was fairly busty, with long and wavy hair that fell all around her. She wore a revealing purple tunic and a long, white overcoat with black and gold accents that billowed around her. She was wearing black shoes over stockings and garter belts, and in her hand wielded a long staff. As her eyes pa.s.sed over the peerage, they soon fell to Elros who she regarded with interest.
"Riser," Rias said, acknowledging the man.
"Rias. It"s good to see you," Riser said with a smirk.
"The feeling isn"t mutual," Rias replied, her voice cold.
"I see she still hasn"t learned respect since her loss in the Rating Game," Ravel sneered.
"Riven, good to see you," Lord Gremory said warmly, shaking hands with Risers father.
"Likewise, Zeo. Forgive me for what is happening," Riven said with a displeased sigh.
"Think nothing of it. Hopefully, we will be able to conclude this business soon enough," Zeo said.
"I should think so, Lord Gremory. I see Issei is here. Wonderful. Shall we get down to business, then?" Riser said as he walked to the peerage, accompanied by his own.
"What?! Me?" Issei asked, aghast.
"Who else, Dragon?" Ravel said coldly. She remembered the beating that Issei had given her brother.
"You"re getting ahead of yourself, Riser," Rias said as she stood squarely between Riser and her peerage. Riser looked down his nose at her and smirked, bringing up a hand to caress her face. She smacked it away, anger in her eyes.
"I still don"t understand your problem with me," Riser said as he attempted again; again, his hand was knocked away.
"I find your att.i.tude abhorrent, your personality lacking, and your ego intolerable. Need I say more?" Rias retorted. Risers smile fell as his eyes turned cold, eyeing her up and down.
"I"m going to enjoy whipping your precious Dragon into place. This time, I"m not going to be as lenient," he said, anger creeping into his voice.
"Last time was a fluke, anyways," Ravel snorted. As she looked around, her eyes fell on Elros - who was keenly observing the interaction.
"And whose this? Another Devil in your peerage?" Ravel sneered as she walked up to Elros.
"Indeed. Elros, at your service," Elros said respectfully.
"As if I need your service," Ravel spat as she walked around him.
"Only when you want something done right," Elros retorted.
"Don"t talk back to me!" she hissed at him.
"But of course, m"lady," Elros said. Ravel missed the hint of mockery in his voice. Riser brushed past Rias and walked to Elros. They regarded each other for a moment before Riser attempted to push past Elros. Riser attempted to shoulder check Elros but hardly moved him an inch as he brushed past him and over to Issei. Elros walked over to stand by Rias, wondering what Riser was going to do next.
"Definitely a tool," he whispered in Rias"s ear. She giggled in response, earning raised eyebrows from the peerage.
"Dragon," Riser said coolly as he looked at Issei, who seemed to want to run.
"Grilled Chicken," Issei replied. Elros chuckled at that before he turned to Riser"s peerage.
"h.e.l.lo, ladies. How are you this fine day?" he asked pleasantly; they all ignored him.
"Huh. Tough crowd," he mumbled as he turned back to his own friends.
"Don"t think you"ll be getting laid by them tonight," Rias whispered to him.
"The day is still young," Elros replied with a wink.
"Are you ready to negotiate?" Riser asked Issei.
"Negotiate? Negotiate what?" Issei asked.
"You fool. Our duel," Riser said.
"You"re not dueling me!" Issei said.
"The h.e.l.l I"m not!" Riser said, his voice rising.
"I"m afraid you"re mistaken, Riser. Issei isn"t the one you"ll be facing - Elros is," Sirzechs said with a pleasant smile. Riser whipped around and looked at Elros who winked back at him.
"YOU?!" Riser asked as he charged forward.
"Yup," Elros replied cheerfully.
"I"ve no interest in fighting you," Riser said.
"That"s irrelevant, as I"m the one you"ll be fighting," Elros replied.
"My quarrel isn"t with YOU!" Riser shouted at him as he got close to his face.
"Your quarrel is with Rias, so transitively it is with me," Elros replied as he wrapped his arm around Rias. As Riser saw that, his anger began to pour over as he stepped back threateningly.
"The h.e.l.l do you think you"re doing?" he asked angrily.
"What do you mean?" Elros asked as his hand went to Rias"s waist, pulling her closer to him. Rias smiled as she put her own around him and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Let go of her!" Riser shouted.
"I"m afraid I can"t. We"re inexplicably drawn to each other," Elros told him.
"She"s mine," Riser snarled.
"I most certainly am not!" Rias shouted at him as she rested her other hand on Elros"s chest.
"You"ve your answer," Elros said.
"Why she"s so enthralled with men of lower blood is beyond me," Ravel scoffed as she watched the exchange.
"I dunno about that, Lady Phoenix. I"m pretty awesome, if I do say so myself," Elros replied, pleased with the reaction he was getting. Riser was about to speak again when his father interrupted.
"Enough! Zeoticus has informed me of the situation. Riser, you will be fighting Mr. Eärendil. No! I don"t want to hear it! You requested a duel with a member of the peerage, and now you have it. The judges are here, now. It"s time to negotiate," Riven said as he pointed to two men who had just appeared. They were older, grizzled gentlemen who wore business suits.
"We"ll ask you to keep your wits, Lord Riser. Do not do anything rash or you shall forfeit the match before it begins. Mr. Eärendil, are you ready to proceed?" one of the men asked.
"I am, gentlemen. What"s the process?" Elros asked.
"You and Lord Riser shall follow us a ways away. The negotiations will remain between us four until the match begins on Wednesday. Broaching the subjects of discussion will automatically disqualify you. Understood?" the judge said.
"Sounds good. Lead the way," Elros asked. He turned to Rias, a smile on his face as she returned it warmly. Suddenly, he leaned in and kissed her gently on the cheek, drawing gasps and aww"s from those gathered. Akeno gave a sour smile, a pang of jealousy going through her, while Riser and Ravel hissed in anger. The three other Gremory"s simply observed with happy smiles.
"What was that for?" Rias asked softly.
"Let"s just say for luck," Elros responded.
"Something tells me you don"t need it," she said. Elros winked before following the men, Riser in tow as he stared daggers at his back.
"I hope you"re ready to get married, Gremory," Ravel said as she walked up to Rias, who ignored her.
-o-
Riser and Elros stood a few feet away from each other, one judge on either side of them.
"Riser Phoenix posed a challenge to the Gremory Clan - at stake, the hand of Rias Gremory in marriage. The Gremory Clan accepted and their proxy is Elros Eärendil, a newly Reincarnated Devil. The duel is scheduled for the middle of the week in the Underworld. It shall be one round and won by knockout, forfeit, or in the most extreme circ.u.mstance, death. We shall briefly work out the nature of the prizes at stake as well as the handicaps allowed each team. Do you both understand?" the judge asked.
"I do," they replied in unison.
"Very well. From the onset, the hand of Rias Gremory in marriage is a draw. Lord Riser requested this from the beginning and it was accepted. Do you have any questions, Mr. Eärendil?" one of the judges asked.
"What"s stopping him from trying again? He"s already lost one duel, and now this cl.u.s.terf.u.c.k is happening. The way I see it, beating him in a duel isn"t enough to guarantee that he"ll accept his loss willingly. How else can I be a.s.sured that you"ll follow through?" Elros asked.
"Mr. Eärendil brings up a valid point. Although the previous duel was unsanctioned, it was requested by one of the Four Great Satans. How will you guarantee that you"ll follow through, Lord Riser?" the judge asked.
"You have my word," Riser said.
"Your word means nothing to me. I need something tangible," Elros said.
"Such as?" Riser inquired.
"Don"t know. Your life would suffice, I suppose," Elros offered. The judges and Riser looked surprised at that and took a moment before replying.
"You jest," one of the judges said.
"Do I? It would certainly guarantee the fact beyond a shadow of a doubt, no? If not that, then something else. It all depends on how sure you are in your victory, I guess," Elros said condescendingly.
"Why you-," Riser began before a warning look from the judge stopped him.
"Suggest something else, Mr. Eärendil," the judge said.
"You used your wealth to inhibit the deal between your father and Rias"s didn"t you? There"s no stopping you from trying that again in the future. Stake your wealth, then," Elros said.
"You can"t reasonably ask me to stake my share in my family"s company!" Riser said angrily.
"Then what else do you have to offer?" Elros asked. Riser thought about that for a moment.
"I stake my peerage," he said.
"Your peerage?" Elros asked in surprise.
"My peerage," Riser said. Elros thought about that for a second.
"If you"re willing to stake your friends, then I was wrong about you," he said.
"They"re not my friends - they"re my servants," Riser said.
"Hmm. I can agree to that," Elros said.
"Mr. Eärendi, if you ask Lord Riser to stake his peerage then you must offer something commiserate in return. What is to guarantee that YOU will not turn on your word?" a judge asked.
"What do you suggest, my good man?" Elros asked.
"I noted that ring on your finger," Riser suddenly said, his eyes falling to the green ring. The judges followed, interested. As they saw it, it glowed a pale green.
"Ah, this little thing. I"m sorry, but no can do," Elros said with a smile.
"Why not?" Riser asked.
"Because your peerage simply isn"t enough to compensate me for this little guy. h.e.l.l, you could bet your entire family fortune and it wouldn"t be enough," Elros said with a chuckle.
"You underestimate our wealth," Riser scoffed.
"And you underestimate the value of this ring," Elros said. He stuck it out to the side to demonstrate its power.
"Gentlemen, give me an object," Elros asked the judge.
"An object?" one judge asked. Elros nodded.
"A ball," the other said. Suddenly, a green ball shot out from the ring. The judges and Riser looked at it in awe.
"Another, if you please," Elros asked.
"A flower," the other judge said. The green light contorted into a flower, amazing them.
"One more," Elros asked.
"A snake," the judge said. And a green snake was born.
"My word…," one of the judges replied, observing the power of the ring.
"The h.e.l.l is that?" Riser asked in shock.
"Is that… an Artificial Sacred Gear?" the other judge asked in surprise. Their jaws dropped as Elros smiled at them and tucked his hands in his pocket.
"As I was saying - you underestimate its value," Elros said.
"If you offer that ring, I"ll offer my stake in the Phoenix Fortune in addition to my Peerage," Riser suddenly said, drawing looks of surprise from both judges. He looked at Elros with a new look in his eyes - this one, Elros noted, of greed.
"I accept," Elros nodded.
"Interesting… very well, that is out of the way. Next, we discuss handicaps," a judge said as he wiped away some sweat of excitement.
"You cannot use holy water or a cross in the fight," Riser said quickly.
"That"s fine with me," Elros said.
"I will be allowed to use my power of immortality," Riser said.
"Go ahead. Take whatever handicap you want. Do you want to use your familiar? By all means. h.e.l.l, if you want to work the odds in your favor, I"ll even let you use your peerage against me," Elros said darkly.
"You can"t be serious," Riser said, eyes narrowed.
"Mr. Eärendil, I must ask you to watch what you say. Devil duels are different from whatever it is that you might be accustomed to. If you offer Lord Riser such a thing, you tacitly imply that you find yourself worthy of such a challenge. Should you lose, Lord Riser will not be looked down upon for using such an advantage; you will the one who will be chastised for offering such a challenge, then failing to meet it," one of the judges said.
"I"ve considered what you said, judge - and the offer remains," Elros said.
"Then I accept it. Readily," Riser said with a smirk.
"… Very well. The terms and conditions are set, and we hereby seal the duel as witnesses and arbiters of the match. You will have until then to prepare. Until then," the judges said. They opened a magic circle and disappeared, leaving Riser and Elros together.
"You just sealed your fate," Riser said.
"Perhaps. At least now your peerage will get a say in matters. Until our fight," Elros said as he brushed past Riser and towards Rias and the others.
As they rejoined, Rias rushed over to Elros and hugged him.
"How"d it go?" she asked.
"Well. Can"t talk about it, though. Guess you"ll have to wait until the fight," Elros said.
"Are you done, brother?" Ravel asked.
"I am. Let"s go home. Until the duel," Riser said to Elros.
"Take care," Elros said cheerfully. With that, another magic circle was opened and the Phoenix"s walked through.
"What"re you going to do now, Elros?" Zeo asked as he approached him.
"Well sir, I have a few days. Think I"ll take this time to get some training in," Elros said.
"You"re welcome to use our compound should you like," Venelana offered.
"A kind offer, Lady Gremory, but I already have a place where I"m used to training. I"m just going to head over there," Elros said.
"Of course. We"ll see you in a few days, then," Sirzechs said. With that, the three Gremory"s headed back to their house while the peerage went back to Earth.
-o-
"Are you going to head out now?" Rias asked as she, Akeno, and Elros were alone in the ORC.
"Yup. I"ll see you two in a few days," Elros said. As he made for the door, both Rias and Akeno approached him and embraced him tightly. Elros smiled at the gesture and wrapped his arms around both of them comfortably, drawing them in.
"It"s gonna be fine," he said.
"I know. I have faith in you," Rias said.
"You"re definitely gonna kick his smug a.s.s," Akeno added. Both retracted themselves and placed a kiss on his cheek. Elros returned the favor and exited, taking quickly to the skies.
"A few more days without him," Rias grumbled.
"I know. I"m so used to sleeping with him," Akeno giggled. With that, they headed back into the ORC, thoughts focused on the duel.