Demon Among Devils

Chapter 2: "Judgement"

Rias Gremory was, without a better word to describe it, confused.

She should have been in a foul mood. Issei had gone missing. Despite what she had told him, despite the warnings she had given him, the boy had still went. Ever since the Fallen Angels captured Asia and sequestered her away in their hideout, the newest member of her Peerage had been restless. The boy wanted desperately to save the priestess, and Rias was sympathetic to her plight as well as his. Especially his. In fact, she was more than sympathetic. She outright admired his courage and his sense of loyalty to his friends. It had been one of the reasons why she had selected him to be a part of her peerage, after all. That, did not mean however, that she agreed with the way he dealt with things. Being brave was one thing, but being reckless with one's life was another. And charging on his lonesome into the lair of a group of Fallen was definitely in the latter.

She was forced to call upon her peerage, scrambling them in a rescue mission that she hoped would not be too late. Raynare was sadistic, even for one of her kind, and Rias did not doubt for a moment the Fallen Angel would kill Issei if given the chance. She had reminded Issei of that fact, but to her chagrin, the boy did not seem to consider the seriousness of the matter at hand.

They made the trip in record time. Their preparations had been swift, and they arrived at the site of the church, battle-ready and prepared for the worst. What they had seen actually made them gawk, and Kiba, her knight, whistle in appreciation.

The place was leveled. The chapel was almost completely destroyed, with a few standing pillars the only remains of what had once been a complete and undamaged building. Broken shards of glass, splintered pieces of wood, scattered pieces of tiles, all were abundant at the scene. And among the wreckage, they had discovered the bodies, Asia's and Issei's first, but thankfully only unconscious. Both teenagers were slumped against a large crucifix, backs touching the holy edifice, and judging from the severed chains that dangled from the structure's arms, Rias knew exactly how the Fallen had been holding their prisoner captive. The priestess's head was leaning against her rescuer's shoulder, and from a distance, it seemed as though a young couple was merely resting. Had the situation been less dangerous, she would have admitted the sight would have looked cute.

She should have felt relief. More so when they found Raynare and her followers as well, lying where they had fallen, incapacitated without a shadow of a doubt. With such a powerful band of enemies stunned and at her mercy, she should have been glad of the reprieve. But that only brought more questions, especially when he was there too.

They found him sitting on what should have been the steps to the antechamber, near the sleeping forms of Asia and Issei. His posture was slackened, almost lazy, and the headphones she always saw hung around his neck were over his ears instead. There was an alertness to him though, an aura of wariness that prevailed despite the image he gave out. And he had positioned himself facing both the girl and the boy, and if she were to guess, she would have assumed he was guarding them.

He stood up when they approached, mop of unruly hair flopping almost comically as he did so. She did not miss the two burnt holes in his uniform, one center to his chest, the other scorched into the fabric near his shoulder. He saw her looking, and turned imperceptibly to the side, so that both holes would no longer be visible.

She frowned.

He nodded to them, courteously, as though if he had been expected to be there in the first place. Her peerage had not known what to do at that, and just nodded back. She would have found the whole scene amusing had she not been as confused as them.