Taste of Madness

7 | Gremory

[Gremory]

"Do you believe in the supernatural?" 

Jebediah processed the question brought up by the red-haired Rias Gremory, he was looking through the various studies and experiences he had gone through, it was as if he was a scholar, skimming through various texts to find an answer.

"Supernatural?  I assume she's talking about the Abrahamic related supernaturals, since that 'girl' I fought claimed to be a Fallen Angel, entities usually talked about within those respective pantheons." Jebediah pondered to himself.

Meanwhile, Issei, having just been recently revived after dying to a supernatural force reluctantly spoke up, "I wasn't much of a believer, but after that whole incident, I'd be hard pressed to say no."

The brunette then turned towards Jebediah and noticed that he was somewhat occupied with something within his mind. Deciding to question him, Issei spoke up, "Hey Jeb? Dude, I think you're kinda zoning out, are you alright?"

The attention of the Occult Research club was now laser focused onto Jebediah Christoff, who decided it was his time to speak.

Jebediah nodded in response to Issei's concern, and proceeded to answer Rias' question, "You can say I do believe in the supernatural, I guess."

He noticed a satisfied smile appear on the redhead's face as she spoke up, "Great, that will make explaining your situation that much easier." 

As much as he felt like leaving the clubroom out of a sense of boredom, the promise of a explanation kept his attention glued to Rias, anticipating the answers to what might be the questions he thought of.

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"So, as you know, this is the 'Occult Research Club', where students come together in order to research everything and anything occult and supernatural..." Rias explained to both Jebediah and Issei, "But of course, just like that Fallen's disguise as Yuuma Amano, the ORC acts more a front for something else.

"Hey, sorry if I'm being a bit rude, but can you get to the point?" Spoke Jebediah. He already assumed that the club was a front, but for what was unknown to him.

"If you wish." Rias politely answered, "Every person in this room is a devil, besides you two of course."

In response to Rias' bombshell drop, Issei was stuck in a state of freaking out and attempting to rationalize what the redhead had just revealed, that was evident on his face, which looked like he had a mix of a brain fart along with a panic attack. 

"So that's what that weird aura was..." Jebediah thought to himself, "So if that 'Yuuma' girl was a Fallen Angel, and the people present within the ORC clubhouse were Devils, then it would be logical to assume that Angels existed too."

Deciding to ask Rias a question, Jebediah spoke up, "So not only do Fallen Angels exist, but devils do too? Are there any other beings of interest to pay attention to?"

Rias responded to Jebediah's inquiry, "Oh I was about to explain them, Christoff-san."

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The redhead explained that within their supernatural world, there existed three factions: The Angels, The Fallen Angels, and the Devils. All three of the factions weren't exactly the most friendly with each other, preferring to keep out of each other's business... besides the times they don't, and end up spying on each other.

Within each faction existed a ruling hierarchy, the Devils had the "Four Great Satans" along with a council of various of their respected figures, the Fallen Angels had their "Governor General", and Angels had their "Lord" along with "Four Great Seraphs".

"So god really does exist, huh?" Jebediah thought out loud, eliciting a painful response from the Devils within the room, he noticed that they were all had their hands to their heads as if they had a sudden headache, "Are you all okay?"

 The black-haired one... Akeno was it? She was the first to recover, and informed Christoff about their weakness to Holy items, such as crosses and holy water, this also applied to someone uttering 'His' name within the presence of devils.

Meanwhile, Issei had just recovered from Rias' reveal of her devil nature, and looked towards Jebediah.

"Dude...? What have we gotten ourselves into?"

The savior only shrugged to Issei's question, "I don't know, why don't you ask her yourself?"

The Hyoudou noticed that Rias recovered, and decided to ask her a question, "Hey, sorry to ask you right after you got a massive headache, but... why did Yuu- no, the Fallen go after ME of all people?

"Ise, you have a secret, one could say... 'sacred' power within you." Rias answered before responding with another question, "Did the fallen mention anything about 'something' within you?"

"It's a shame you will have to die for something you can't control."  Issei remembered the Fallen Yuuma telling him before attacking him, he nodded in response to Rias' question.

"You have a Sacred Gear." The redhead told Issei, "Items bestowed with powerful abilities that are distributed among humans by 'him'."

"So, uh, if I'm getting this correct, I have some superpowers?" Asked the brunette.

"I guess you could put it that way, yes." Rias sighed, "It seems that the Fallen were interested in you due to that innate gear, like moths to a lamp."

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Issei questioned the redhead "So how could I get them to just stop chasing after me?"

"That's where I come in." Rias prepared to offer Issei a deal, "We can reincarnate you as a devil, and you will get protection under the House Of Gremory."

Jebediah listened to the two converse, and came to a conclusion.

Whatever happens from here on out... is going to be interesting as hell!

FIN

NOTES
If you noticed a lack of writing quality, then I sincerely apologize.
I simply wanted to pump this chapter out for the sake of writing.

But uh... what was I gonna say?

Oh yeah, might just put this story up for adoption.