21. Arms of Alarm
It's still early, most would still be asleep. Most aren't Anos who thankfully does not need to, but the feeling is nice – which is why he partakes in it. To him, sleep is more of a suggestion.
It often is when one's existence is inexhaustible and Anos' own stamina is without end.
It is why when he exits his room, behind him lay two thoroughly satisfied devils; each with smiles plastered on their tuckered out and slumbering faces.
A short walk past the hall, and out in the kitchen, Anos enjoys himself a fine brew. He considers making solid food but decides against it. He's settled, back pressed to the wall.
It's warm outside and the skies are a serene blue. The lime leaves flying about lazily indicated a fine breeze. It was perfect, this morning. But Anos isn't actually admiring the view. He's waiting and not for much longer.
He's leaning near his window; it's parted open and the blinds were out of the way after its arrival flies through. Perched onto Anos' arm is a silver owl, shaped and transmuted from the corpse of a fallen fool whose name bordered in irrelevance. Anos has been using the bird of prey as an envoy of sorts, to track the town for certain oddities.
Ordinarily, his use of his Magic Eyes of Far-sight would be the formal option, but the conditions aren't so grand nor are they dire enough to call upon them. It is an idle affair that requires an idle gesture.
Either method gives Anos what he wants in the end.
So it's no wonder the two exorcist girls that appear so suddenly has made him curious. A pair like them could make quite the fuss in this town. And that wasn't even accounting for those two genuine articles of holy swords behind their backs.
—————
"This is nice," A chestnut-haired girl says from under her snow-colored cloak, absently stretching her arms up over herself with a pleasant bounce of her chest. "Feels like it's been a while since we had the chance to wander around like this."
Her partner raises a fine brow. "There's a reason for that. Don't lose sight for why we're here, Irina."
Irina Shidou was a girl best defined by her cheerful disposition—of course—her partner was quite the opposite.
"You know I won't Xenovia, promise." Irina, eyes still closed and face up to the shine of the sun, manages to push the dull of her friend's influence to the back of her mind. "So, what's first on the schedule for this blessed today?"
Xenovia tosses the hood of her cloak back before her response, freeing her deep ocean blue locks complimented by a single streak of forest green. Following in the Quarta's lead, her companion does the same. The way each's hair settles against their face and frames it is certainly the reason why a car swerves a bit too far to the left - their left.
That, or the clandestine holy sword practically stitched to Xenovia's back. Still, the former is just as likely. "Mmm, after we've secured an in with the devils of this town, I suppose we could visit the friend you said lived close by."
Irina gasped eagerly. Two arms circle around Xenovia's shoulders in a gentle tug of a hug, the brown-eyed exorcist found herself pressed into the softness of Irina's cloak and the tight threads of the uniform underneath. It felt like daylight over the meadows.
"Really? You mean it? Oooohhhh—thank you! Lord God, you're the best! Maybe I'll have my prayers for Xenovia to be less rigid answered soon too!"
"Don't ask our Lord for something like that!" The bluenette struck her with a gaze. Irina practically melted in a pot of playful apologies.
Somebody has to keep Irina on her toes. Heaven knows Xenovia loves Lady Griselda but it's not going to be her.
Just now, she wondered if Irina might be encouraged of this behavior when she's with their shared caretaker. Probably, since she does the same straight in Xenovia's company.
"Anyways," Irina continues on, "if I'm remembering correctly, we need to take a turn right around... here."
They do just that, and Xenovia sees the open gates of Kuoh Academy. This is it. The two exorcist girls can feel the wards slide against their bare skin even if they haven't crossed them yet. This is the heart of Gremory-Sitri's territory, and they would not have left it unfortified.
Xenovia has no doubts that once they cross the gateway to the academy that they'd know they were here. That is the reason they aren't trying to sneak in at all. This close to something so precious to Sirzechs Lucifer and Serafall Leviathan, they'd do well not to spy.
And well, technically Lady Griselda never specified they had to contact either Sitri or Gremory. Just the devils. But this way will probably be faster.
Less than five minutes after Xenovia and Irina have passed the gate and before they even make the motion to walk themselves at the front office— a call comes over the PA comes. It seems the two are required in the council president's office. Devils really do work fast.
A bit impatient to some but there are two full peerages on this campus, and only two of them. They really need to hammer in they aren't a threat to any of the devils of this town in specific, at least not more than any other pair of mortals.
—————
Some time later, Gremory and Himejima come out in loosely-fitted robes and unkept hair, breathlessly beautiful in a roguish kind of way. Their expressions were light, weighed by a good mood that settled in since early morning.
"Mmm... morning, Anos." Akeno greets with a little stretch.
"Morning, Anos," Rias parroted, a little after her Queen. Both pecking either side of his cheek.
"Morning to you two," He replies, immediately taking notice. "I do hope I didn't go overboard."
Akeno grins, the effort she took in hiding the limp in her stride was admirable, "I was trying not to inflate your ego."
Rias shook her head at her best friend, her own body was still so pleasantly sore with Anos' scent all over, "After last night, I can say for certain that Anos is indeed more than impressive. I say let him have all the ego he wants."
It takes a lot to tire out a devil. Anos effortlessly outlasted two high-class ones on his own.
It is also probably why Anos hasn't wiped the satisfaction of knowing that off his face yet.
Though before the topic of Anos' virility shapes their entire morning discourse, Rias' phone chimes from beneath her robe like a spark of life runs through it. Plucking it from her pocket, Rias reads Sona's name. She answers immediately after.
"Hello?" Rias says after she taps upon the screen with a dainty finger to put it to speaker.
Sona responds before she's even done with her greeting, "I hope this isn't an awkward time for you?" she says with a stroke of haste, if nothing else.
Rias almost shakes her head in reply before realizing her fellow King wouldn't be able to see the motion. "Not at all. Please, how may I help?"
"Holy sword users, right this moment they're on Kuoh Academy grounds," Sona doesn't skip a beat. No pauses. No delays. All business, zero play.
The redhead nearly drops her phone. Akeno looks like she'd have done the same. Anos looks not at all surprised. She'd have to ask him about that.
"Is there a reason for their visit?" she hears herself ask.
"Not anything I could pick up at a glance." Sitri continues, "I'll need you over here. I believe you should discuss this too -- perhaps since it could pertain to the attack at the abandoned church."
That is maybe the only thing that tracks out of an otherwise odd drop in by the holy followers of the Vatican.
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I'll be right with you in a few." Rias says, and hangs up. Careful to hold in an abrupt sigh at the situation. She looks to her Queen, "Akeno, with me."
Next she looks to her lover. This was a domestic affair, she's not going to needlessly put Anos in the middle of it if she didn't have to. Being an independent King is partially what drew him to her and her to him, after all.
"We'll see you at school." Rias says afterward.
Anos nods. "Fill me in when you can." he says, pulling a chair to enjoy the rest of his morning brew.
It's that brief, near wordless understanding that shows their compatibility. Though it is a shame they can't kill time before leaving. Whatever those exorcist girls have to say will have to make this lost time very worth it.
With that, they leave.
—————
Sitri, Gremory, and their Queens are seated as preferment as can be at the center table, and there are two seats bare for Xenovia and Irina. The most blatant form of invitation.
Irina waits until Xenovia sits to do so herself. A sort of obvious way to give the idea that the latter is the one taking the lead for this talk. Although, they're expecting the two holy sword users to lie: that much is obvious.
Luckily they don't need to. Not only that, they won't be able to with what Sitri does next.
"Let's get down to brass tacks. Names, both of you." Sona says by way of greeting. Blunt but it is the sensible way to tackle this, "You'll answer after you've signed."
Courtesy of her boyfriend, Sona expertly draws the magic formula for Zecht. An all-binding contractural law. This one was simple: all lies spoken from either exorcist will be stopped.
The two do so without delay. They couldn't refuse her, and it wasn't in them to lie anyway. Even devils, opposition to God – didn't deserve a wicked tongue.
"We may begin." Sona starts them off.
"Xenovia Quarta."
"And I'm Irina Shidou."
"Not informing Kuoh's overseers prior to your visit was very unwise," Rias follows up. "Why are you here exactly?"
Xenovia replied. "The simple truth of our intent and purpose is the retrieval of three of six holy swords that were stolen and whose whereabouts have been traced somewhere in this town."
"I don't believe I need to ask, but," Rias began with the barest hint of skepticism, "forgive me, the implication is glaring."
Irina is fast to reply, "Now don't get the wrong idea, we - the church - don't suspect you devils took them. We already know it to be the fallen."
That admission sparked a thought from the pair of Kings and Queens, particularly in Sona. Those fallen angels were stepping out of line again, first the gears and now holy swords. Going as far as to do it directly in the Satan's little sister's territory. Are they trying to restart the war?
"Their actions are just as inexplicable to us as they are to you." Xenovia continues from where they left off, "for that, we humbly ask that your town be a simple embassy for our search. It is our only objective."
"And in return, we won't influence, or harm anyone under your protection," Irina chimes in, "provided you lend us the same courtesy."
The deal is a generous one. Along the lines of permission and cooperation from visitors to overseers. They've made it quite clear they don't want to interfere beyond treading around town for a third party culprit whose foolishness leads to an informal alliance for the other two parties.
"The obvious answer, I would think, is to accept." Sona says, neither visibly happy nor approving, "but I hope you don't mind divulging who of the fallen took the holy swords, if it isn't a gap in your knowledge of course."
Xenovia and Irina stare at one another. It felt like a shadow crossed over their faces for a moment. The former speaks, "A bastard of Heaven. Co-Founder and one of four leaders of the Grigori; Kokabiel."
"You've chosen to pursue a Cadre-class fallen? Are you two mad?" Rias inquires concisely at the audacity alone.
For as powerful as Kuoh's forces had gotten, no one from either peerage quite measures up to a Cadre whose power exists in the same realm as a Maou. Maybe Issei, who could rival a Cadre if at peak physical form and condition, if Rias' estimates are credible.
And more obviously, Anos; whose strength surpasses the world itself. Though he is the exception, never the norm.
Xenovia stands when she next speaks, "Make no mistake, it is an under-oath duty to ensure the holy swords aren't tempered by the hands of the rebels of God. It is our moral obligation. The previous exorcists of this town you approved knew that too."
"Additionally, we're Heaven's emissaries, officially and unofficially. Our termination would lead to serious grounds for war." Irina concludes, mirroring her partner as she too, stands.
"Now, if we're quite finished. Do we have an agreement?" Xenovia returns the topic to its conclusion.
"More than likely." Rias speaks for not just herself but her fellow King. "Unless there's anything you wanted to bring up?" she vets with the bob-cut devil.
The Sitri leans forward, only slightly. "It isn't much but it would be generous of you to identify the holy swords you carry on your person."
Xenovia lifts her hand to better emphasize her concealed blade, "The one I bear is Excalibur Destruction and my associate possesses Excalibur Mimic; aptly wrapped around her upper arm."
"Thank you for your cooperation on the matter," Sona soon stands, nodding at Rias and breaking the Zecht, "we will deliver our permission for your search; and for any action outside of your mission - we will know."
"You can watch us search your town, and see that's all we're doing. It makes no difference." Xenovia returned, raising the hood of her cloak. "I apologize for taking up your time but I must thank you again, truly."
"Make no mention of it." Gremory shakes her head. Glad to know negations were not only over and done with but streamlined.
Although... something gnawed at Rias. Too easy. Like there was a piece missing, one that should have clicked in place, if not now, then soon.
Then she heard it. The student council door being flung opened and then—
"What's your deal?" The chestnut-haired girl's voice; Irina's, fast and irritated, cut through the air.
Rias stopped. So did everyone else. They turned.
Kiba stood square in front of the exit. Face completely unreadable, arms locked at his sides.
Behind him was a worried Koneko, Asia and Issei. Rias locked eyes with the Pawn who silently mouthed an apology. Everyone looked at the scene with caution. Then, in one motion, the Knight reached up his hand.
Rias felt her mouth move reflexively. "Kib—"
It came up halfway, Kiba's hand, as if to introduce himself in a curt handshake, "Kiba Yuuto. Does that name mean anything to you?"
Xenovia exhaled, steady but edged. Her mind doing a leap in memory: The Holy Sword Project. She'd condemned the branch responsible for it long ago when she was made aware of it. Could this boy be...
The two got to talking.
Rias watched them, feeling a knot of relief and semi-ease twist in her stomach. She exhaled slowly, trying to let it go. It seems Kiba's time with Anos truly helped rein in his rage and aggression.
—————
The academy bell rang, signifying the first period for today's classes.
Waves of students rush from room to room, Anos didn't bother. He walked his usual turtles pace. Ignoring the crowd fulls of girls on the way in the same way he ignored them on the way out. He was a taken man after all.
Then, he picks up something strange. Well, just a bit.
It is a fleeting spark. He already knows the who and how of it. The recognizable energies of unholy steel. Of a knight. The question was what exactly was Kiba doing? And why was there a high concentration of holy magic in opposition to him?
Well, there was no trouble in seeing for himself. As long as he did it secretly. Similarly with the fact that Anos doesn't really need to make it to history class.
He'd already rewound time to the creation of this world when looking into it. A while back he'd utilized Rivide for such an action. But such things stayed in the past. Or maybe, it was just another story for another day.
Slipping through the empty staff room, where the cameras aren't present, the former demon disappears into the space with a faint glow of silvery-white.
In the moment Anos casts Gatom, he's just in time to see Kiba driven back, alongside the air in his lungs with a padded knee slamming into his torso. The Knight folds around the blow, gasping, until his knees give out.
Bested by one of two exorcist girls, particularly the one blue hair -- who looked to have fought the fight of her life.
So in so, Kiba lost. Unexpected, but not impossible. And Anos has two very glaring guesses as to why.
"What's all this about?" Anos' words echo throughout the field behind the old school building like they exist to do nothing else. The kind of tone that fixes you where you stand. That palpable sort of pressure.
The explanation Anos gets is summarily given by Tusbaki, and just as short as the talk that led to it. Lost swords. Ten-winged fallen angel rogue. Holy project. And a friendly spar.
"I was under the impression the church held much more competency than what I'm currently hearing." Anos would know, he lived in one for the majority of this life.
"Excuse me?" Xenovia huffed, turning over to him, "who are you to criticize the church?"
"It doesn't matter who I am," he says, focusing further back to eye Asia healing Kiba, "we're allies as long as our interests coincide."
"We would prefer to handle this ourselves," Xenovia says, giving Anos a once over look. "it is our fight - Irina and I alone."
"No," Anos says, shaking his head, "it was your fight. You made it ours as well the moment you stepped on Kuoh grounds. I've built my home and livelihood here and I take no such slights."
The Quarta found it hard to read this man, but that doesn't mean she can't guess— although his proposal is more than she's expecting. Yet, given that he's in obvious cahoots with Gremory and Sitri, maybe it's not so surprising. None of the devils here are denying his ability to join the effort either.
Maybe he's more than meets the eye.
"The devil's here wouldn't willingly head straight into a fight against their most glaring weakness and I doubt a human such as yourself would put up much of a fight." The blunette claims.
Yes, of course, fresh off of beating Kiba has obviously made her unruly with her words. She seems at least the type not entirely opposed in being proven wrong. He'll give her a chance here.
"I'll oblige you then," Anos says, "Heal her, Asia."
"No. To allow myself to be nursed by a devil, and one who is a witch would be a great stain on my character. I can't allow it, not from someone like her." Xenovia preached.
Her speech closes on the sound of Anos' laughter. "Harsh words, don't you think?" he says.
"It isn't anything but the truth. Just like me, she knew what she signed up for, and unlike me, what she turned away from when she became a devil."
"I see," Anos took it in a hum, this girl, "then allow me."
No one feels, hears, detects or even begins to question how. All they register is the ending—with Xenovia restored in full. No cuts, no scrapes, no exhaustion. Not a hair out of place.
"Do you wish to pit that dull blade against me? I can wait for you to fetch another, if you'd like." Anos, picks up a suitably sized branch off the ground. "If not then I shall fight using this to make it fair to you."
"You heal me then insult me?" Xenovia could not begin to understand this man, "for your benefit this holy sword I wield is Durandal, said to be on par with the original Excalibur and capable of cleaving through all things in this world."
Anos could not look more unimpressed.
But the goal wasn't merely to fight—it was to have a little fun as well. He already surmised Xenovia had only beat Kiba in an awkward combination of discarding her Excalibur Destruction for this trump-card of a blade as well as Kiba's own repressed emotions.
"Preoccupied on the battlefield, are we?" Xenovia, had circled silently behind in two steps, raising the her holy sword Durandal into the air. "Hmph. You at least should be able to dodge this!"
Durandal came hurtling down with incredible momentum, the enormous blade landing directly on Anos' unguarded head. The weighted pressure of the swing bored a hole into the floor, sending dust and debris swirling into the air.
"Wha—" she swallowed. The sword that was said to be able to cleave through all things in this world had completely snapped in two uneven pieces from the impact with his skull.
"You aimed for the wrong spot, Xenovia. My head is tough."
"Tough? This isn't just a matter of being tough. Durandal has split mountains with a single strike when used carelessly, so how..."
Anos held his branch loosely in a centered stance, "Did you think slicing through mountains meant that you could slice through my skull?"
Taken aback by the wave of bloodlust, the blunette flinched, backing swiftly away at a ten step distance. But a moment later, she's lost sight of Anos.
"He's gone..." she breathes idly. "Where did he go?!"
The wind direction trailed and bent.
"Xenovia! Turn around—" Irina shouted.
"?!"
"Stop making such a fuss. All I did was walk." Anos uttered from behind her.
The Exorcist girl twirls in a motion that challenges the limits of sight; one moment she is facing ahead, and the next her broken blade is hair's breadth from Anos' jaw, pulsing with no wasted movement.
"Hyah!"
"Too weak."
Anos swung his branch down with loosened force. It collides with the girl's sword, sending her away through the soil and dirt. She tumbled and rebounded across the ground with a resounding thud and crash.
"What's wrong? Did you think it would be easy to cut through my branch?" He called to the toppled girl. The branch, reinforced with magic, was far stronger than any holy sword ever forged.
He took a step forward, closing the distance between them. In an instant, his hand grabbed the back of her head, lifting her, which was now at lesser height than he. She released her grip on the hilt of her sword. She found it heavier unlike any time she'd held it before.
"Shall we continue?" Anos asks, pointing the branch at her neck.
Xenovia grimaced bitterly through bloodstained teeth, a defiant bark was brewing. Anos could see it and so could...
"Xenovia! Tell him you surrender!" Irina pleaded, her cheeks felt wet and her throat felt parched. One would think she took the beating. "Please!"
"I...I surrender..."
"Wise choice," At the declaration of the exorcist girl's defeat. He drops her, Irina practically pounces over to check on her friend and Anos turns over to Gremory's Bishop, "Heal her, Asia."
For a moment, Asia looks nervous, but Anos quietly brought her over with a comforting, guiding hand, "She knew what she signed up for, just like you, after all."
This time, there were no shallow complaints from the blue-haired exorcist. Funny how it all just seems to work out in the end.
The restoration process is fast. Bittersweet was the word to describe this whole picture. Once Asia finished, she gave the exorcist some space and stood near Anos. He could see the withheld and questioning look within the ex-nun. It was a paper-thin defense, however.
"Something wrong?" He wouldn't force anything from her like he would others.
"I don't like seeing others getting hurt is all, worse when it's over me," she says, soft like putty, "you didn't have to go so far for me."
"But I did," Anos turns toward her, smiling softer than he felt, "I've met witches, Asia. You aren't one of them."
She gave him a look, one which he confidently met. There were no lies in his words. And those words sat well with her. It bloomed something in her chest as if back at the springs. His kindness was something she couldn't help but admire. Even if it took a harsher hand to administer.
"You couldn't help yourself, Anos?" Sona states. The rest of the two peerages came over. Barring Kiba who sat himself away. Irritation written all over.
"It'll help her and this alliance," Anos says in the way most couldn't argue with.
Near them, the two exorcist girls right themselves up. Before the next few words are wasted, Anos calls the two broken pieces of Durandal to his hands. He collides both portions in a snap-hiss of a spark and they meld together perfectly as the greater whole it was before.
When Anos approaches to give it back to Xenovia, she's quieted down enough that her thanks and acceptance of her sword is done by Irina instead, "Thank you, we should be on our way." Irina returns.
"You two," Anos said, suddenly. "Stop."
Just one word. It landed like a verdict.
Everyone exhaled through their nose, anticipating.
"Didn't you hear me before? It'll be good for the alliance if you stick around." Anos says, the ground near him rattled and shook before a coffin of darkness took shape. Plain, carved wood with the smallest hint of refinement; a mundane container, "And so will this."
The coffin shrieks as it opens split in the middle; Freed Sellzen falls on his ass, cowering on the dirt beneath everyone's feet. His body is blackened, most of his clothes and hair have been burned away, and he's twitching erratically in place.
Anos grabs him by the scruff of his charred neck, "If you have time to be dead then you have time to answer our questions."