Fate DxD

Chapter 29

It's strange, I don't remember losing consciousness, and yet I wake up, feeling water slapping against me.

(Wait... water?)

I open my eyes to see... emptiness... there's no ceiling, or at least I can't see it. I stand up slowly, my body aching. Indeed, there's a few centimetres of water. I look around to see that I'm in a gigantic corridor. In front of me, also emptiness, or at least the corridor goes so far that I can't see the end, only blackness.

Listening closely, I can hear heavy breathing, and above all I feel as if I'm being stared at. I turn around to see a huge golden cage, with a seal in the center, probably to protect the lock, and between the bars, two brilliant red eyes in the pitch black, staring at me with all the hatred he can muster.

"Well, I didn't think you'd invite me into your cell, Kyûbi." I say, rising to my feet.

"Tss, back down your tone, insect, my influence is still great enough over you to send you here without either of us having decided to, do you understand now? You're my puppet, I can do whatever I want with you."

"Hmm? And why am I still conscious and you're behind bars?"

"Play it smart while you still can, but the more the days go by, the more the seal will be weakened, not to mention your sanity. You'll go down just like the rest of them."

"Well, I thought we were going to have a friendly little chat, at least I'd hope so."

"We have nothing to say to each other, insect. I hate you and all humans, you're abominations that only bring death and destruction, or sometimes you attract it too."

I raise an eyebrow, not understanding the last part of the message. But, seeing the state of our world right now, it's hard to argue with him.

"Look, I understand, but you can't generalize humanity into a destroyer, many people are trying to correct mistakes, and save our planet."

"Ahahahah! What naive words! Especially coming from you, who knows only hate and destruction, let me laugh."

"I'm trying to move on... I have to before..."

"Before wanting to save lives and destroy others? You're pathetic. Good for you for pursuing an unattainable dream, but saving everyone is utopian. Let me tell you one last thing, this world would be better off without you. So continue on your way, you're plotting a path to your own death and believe me, I'll finish you off myself when the time comes."

At these words, a huge wave bursts out of the cage and sweeps me away, forcing me to close my eyes.

Opening them becomes significantly more difficult, but I recognize this ceiling, I'm in the occult research club. Gradually regaining all my senses, my vision becomes clearer and clearer, and the noises around me, at first muffled and unintelligible, return to normal. I try to move but my body is so heavy...

"Ara? Senji, are you awake? Don't move, you still have light residue in your body, I'm almost done purifying you, so wait a little longer." I can see Akeno healing me where I was shot.

"Welcome back Senji, you gave us quite a scare, falling unconscious all of a sudden." Kiba said with a sympathetic smile.

I look around, and when our eyes meet with Koneko's, she immediately avoids me. She's moved as far away from me as possible.

(Of course, now that they know, they too will... what am I supposed to do or say?)

"My body, how bad is it?" I ask.