Madness: DxD

Broken Rites

The ground crunches under my boots.

Everything here used to scream. Now it just remembers how.

The sky is a torn wound stitched together with red lightning. The Auditor's work. Was, anyway. I buried her where even echoes don't crawl back from. Even if it is temporarily.

Didn't fix anything. It never does.

I keep walking.

The deeper I go, the quieter it gets. Not peaceful. Anticipatory. Like the world is holding its breath to see if I finally stop.

I don't.

Ahead, the shrine rises out of the ash like a bad idea that refused to die. Black stone. Smooth. Untouched by the ruin around it.

I stop a few steps short. Weapon within reach. Always.

I look at the shrine.

Then past it.

Then nowhere in particular.

Y/N: You can stop pretending I don't see you.

Nothing.

I wait.

A second stretches. Snaps.

The air shifts.

They peel into existence like paint flaking off reality.

Three of them.

Same blood. Different mistakes.

The smallest one drops onto the shrine, legs kicking, grin sharp enough to cut glass.

The middle stands a little behind, arms folded, eyes already calculating angles I haven't moved through yet.

The tallest leans against a pillar that wasn't there a second ago, watching me like I'm something she plans to ruin slowly.

Youngest: Took you long enough, murder-boy.

Y/N: I had to clear out your neighborhood first.

She scowls. Good.

Middle: We saw. Pentagram is... quieter now.

Oldest (smiling): You've been busy. I like a man who leaves a mess behind.

Y/N: Is there a time you three don't spy on me?

Youngest: Obviously not. You're hard to miss. All that stomping and brooding—

Middle: And destabilizing entire regions—

Oldest: And that thing you did with Alastor... that was impressive.

Y/N: He had it coming.

Youngest: Everyone here has it coming.

Y/N: Then business is good.

The smallest one laughs. It's irritating. Consistent with expectations.

I step closer to the shrine.

They don't move. That's new.

Y/N: I need your help.

That lands. Even the youngest stops kicking her legs.

Middle: You don't ask for help.

Y/N: I don't ask twice either. So listen carefully. There's something strong clawing its way in. Another Auditor.

The air tightens.

Middle: ...You've seen it?

Y/N: Helped it with some rituals.