An irresistible heart and will

Chapter 4 - Era of the reborn Sekiryuutei

"Dialogue"

[Ddraig speaking]

{Albion speaking}

'thoughts'

<< past wielders speaking>>

                                                                                ...

Black - one of the most pure and perfect colors that exists. Despite its flawlessness, many associate it with evil, due its secrecy and fear residing within it.

"B-Blackness is what all I see..." wailed a shining red armored figure inside a cave surrounded by majestic sapphire crystals. The figure was in a sorry state; blood was leaking, steam was emitting, and its body was shivering. One's initial perception on the grisly sight would be that 'he/she is in death's door, and they won't make it. Some would go and kill the being in agony, just out of mercy.

"My body trembles, my senses crumble and my vision slowly starts to fade." The figure continued gasping, somehow still alive. "This is the fierce last stand of all I am."

His voice dwindled to a gritty whisper.

Waiting and holding onto his life - waiting for his partner's voice to be heard. It has been four days since this started, it feels like his entire body has been pierced by sharp needles and he has been pushed into a boiling lake.

Even with the sapphire Quartz healing aura emitting, the pain is relentless; the only thing that is keeping him alive is his fervent resolution and the constant remembrance of his entire life. Being tormented and harassed by regrets, anxiety, sorrow, and visions that he cannot control. Visions of 'If only I had been wiser, motivated, less perverted and confident'. Recalling days gone by.

The visions of the orc clubroom, the words his friends said that day hurt him mentally more than anything else he experienced. Did he let them down? or did they let him down? What does he genuinely feel about them and what do they feel about him? While all these questions poured in his mind, a voice familiar to him spoke to him; a voice he had been eagerly waiting to hear. A voice that he considers celestial, ironic considering the fact it is indeed a voice that belongs to a heavenly dragon.

[The past is a whirlpool. If you let it dominate your present moment, it will suck you in. Time is an illusion. You have to live at the present. That is all that matters.] The ancient dragon shared his wisdom to bring his host's mind out from the past and look forward.

"Hahahaha... so I survived?!" Ise exclaimed in hysteria. He did take the dragon's words to his heart.

[Why are you astonished? I thought you said you will make it out alive and that you have a habit of making the impossible possible. You have grown a couple of inches taller and have gotten stronger physically. Every bone and every muscle were crushed and reformed. Your five senses have gotten sharper. I also believe your demonic powers have improved greatly.] Ddraig replied proudly. The gamble paid off for this method and now the celestial dragon can't wait to see how he grows, evolves and develops from here. The contest he is particularly looking forward towards is his fight with the white one and he can vividly picture his vessel getting the better of his rival's vessel. The reaction of Albion will be priceless. It is indeed a romantic sight for him.

Ise had deactivated his balance breaker and looked at his body astoundingly; his arms, legs and torso had grown longer, he had some red scars - which looked like burn marks which were spread inconsistently across his body. the rags he wore during the method were bloody, tenacious and ripped." Dang... I clearly need new clothes. And these scars..." Issei looked at one of the larger crystals to see his reflection and was left gob smacked. The first eye-catching detail he saw was his piercing eyes which were slightly reptilian with unnoticeable slits, they were the same almond- brown colored with greenish rings around the pupils. His brunette hair had grown shoulder length with split bangs, almost identical to Sirzechs's. He had the same scars on his face too; two on his right cheek and two on his left cheek, One on the right side of his forehead and one right below his new scarlet lips.