(Read the Author's note at the end please.There's a poll in the Author's Notes, please do it!)
Word Count: 4.4k
First Person
"Open the door."
Her words kept echoing in my mind over and over again like a broken record that refused to stop.
The familiarity of that voice reminded me of something I had long forgotten.
No matter how hard you try to change the devil, the devil always returns to its roots.
For some reason, Makima wanted Gabriel dead. That was the price she demanded in exchange for sparing Reze's life.
If she wished, she could have done it herself…but she chose me.
I was to be the one to commit this sin.
I almost laughed at the absurdity of it all.
In the end… what do I really want?
I don't know anymore.
If anything…I am a coward who once ran away.
Ran away from my family, who wanted nothing more than to see me succeed. They wanted me to use my brain, to strive for a better career. They had high hopes for me..and I know better than anyone that I couldn't live up to their expectations.
I didn't want that life.
So I ran away with my girlfriend.
She died a year after my freshman year in college.
That was the moment I came back home..came back with a vague reason for chasing reconciliation.
And then somehow, I was thrown into this world by a goddess I knew nothing about. And then I met a certain redhead devil who said she wanted me.
And since then… everything has gone downhill.
I'm tired.
I'm so tired.
Exhausted even.
Yeah. I'm exhausted.
I feel like…I've done enough.
Maybe…I should finally give in.
Then I felt it, a gentle hand brushing against my hair, slow and deliberate, as if trying to comfort me. With just her touch she managed to make me calm down even when I did not wish to be.
I turned towards her.
This time…she had the gentlest expression on her face, wearing that same kind smile she always carried herself with. Her hair swayed softly in the evening breeze, crimson strands catching the dim light as her beautiful eyes met mine..those eyes that always saw straight through me.
Ah, right… she was here.
"I have been here the whole time, Aleks-kun," she said, her voice soft enough to sound tender, yet it made my blood quietly boil.
Did she read my mind again? Even if she did, I didn't even bother to ask.
Her hand stopped moving, then drifted away from my head. And then she extended it toward me, her left hand waiting for my touch.
My eyes drifted down towards her hand, then back up to her.
"Shall we go?" she asked, in that same calm tone.
I didn't reply. I didn't want to give her that satisfaction.
I only nodded, slowly, before grasping her hand. She tightened her grip just enough to remind me she wasn't going to let go.
Then, with my left hand, I reached for the church door. The door was old and worn, yet solid beneath my touch, it felt surprisingly sturdier than what its age suggested.
I pushed it open.
Soon, a blinding white light spilled through the cracks, washing over me. Somewhere beyond it, I heard a voice…it was soft, pure, and impossibly serene…singing.
An angel's voice.
This was when I saw her.
My target right in front of my eyes, knelt on the floor, praying to the altar.
Gabriel, the Might of God.
I had finally made up my mind.
No matter what happens next…Rein …
…don't look back.
***
Third Person
Eliora Evangelist.
A name once renowned in human history for creating the greatest portrait ever painted— "Lucifer, the Fallen Angel."
Her artistic skill was said to rival Leonardo da Vinci himself. The topic became so controversial that historians endlessly debated over who was the greater artist based on their masterpieces.
But in the supernatural world, she was known by a title that none of the three factions could ignore.
The First Joker of Heaven.
If Dulio was the extra, she was the original.
Publicly, she was known as the wielder of Incinerate Anthem. Privately, she was Michael's trusted trump card who was personally appointed as Gabriel's escort.
To Eliora, the public faith initiative that Heaven had organized for Japanese citizens in Kyoto was supposed to go smoothly. Blessings, Peaceful speeches, and prayers..you know the usual show of faith and talk of unity.
Instead, it turned into a disaster.
Whatever happened in Kyoto, the details were too obvious to be repeated. After ordering Griselda to lead the team of exorcists to patrol the city and protect civilians, Eliora chose to stay behind and be on guard while Gabriel performed her evening prayers.
See, they had deliberately picked an abandoned church at the outskirts of the city so the pesky Youkais wouldn't interrupt Gabriel's praying session.
Even in desperate times like these, Gabriel never forgot her prayers. But this time, her prayer also had a second purpose to it.
Through prayer, Gabriel could connect directly to the Holy System of Heaven, and from there, communicate with its current administrator: Archangel Michael.
So while Gabriel knelt before the altar in devotion, Eliora stood near the entrance, vigilant and ready to strike anyone who dared disrupt her lady's peace.
Given her cautious nature, Eliora had enacted two barriers—one surrounding the church, and the other encasing Gabriel in a dome to prevent any outside disturbance.
The outer barrier was invisible to most supernatural beings, tweaked in such a way that it would alert her the moment a hostile entity crossed its threshold.
And guess what?
"A devil and a human… together. Holding hands… possibly lovers. But why would a devil willingly come to the Church? With a human no less?" Eliora muttered under her breath. Most of her face was hidden beneath her hood, yet the deep frown forming beneath it was impossible to miss.
CREEK.
The church door slowly creaked open. Instantly, magic circles flared around her like the Gate of Babylon. Eliora had made up her mind. She was ready to burn whoever walked in if they so much as harbored ill intent.
Two figures stepped inside. One was a human with black hair and…beautiful bright blue eyes, dressed in a Japanese Public Safety uniform.
And the other…
The moment Eliora's eyes gazed upon Makima, her eyes widened in horror and despair.
It was as if just seeing the red-haired devil brought back memories she had wished to forget.
No… no way. What is she doing here?!
Dread crawled up her spine as realization struck. She knew she was no match for Makima. Even with all the power she had amassed..she was still no match for the Control Devil.
The red-haired devil simply smiled at her panic. Makima was delighted to see her 'friend's' reaction.
"It's been a while, Eliora. How have you been?" Makima asked, voice warm, tone almost nostalgic, as though she were greeting an old friend after a long time.
Eliora flinched upon hearing the devil's greeting..but she did not hesitate any longer.
"O' Father in Heaven, bless thy holy light to murder these sinners!"
Her prayer burst out sharp as the Magic Circles around her instantly flared up, radiating with holy light.
The effect was instant. A blinding white light swallowed the room, all while Gabriel remained lost in prayer, oblivious to the chaos behind her.
Snap.
Makima snapped her fingers, and just like that, the miracle died. The light vanished as if Heaven itself had been muted.
Aleks watched the spectacle with a calm expression. He said nothing, choosing to let Makima finish her little reunion.
Makima released Aleks's hand and took a step forward. Towards Eliora. While Eliora clenched her teeth in frustration.
"Fucking bitch," she hissed, purple flames igniting in her palms. "Why won't you just die?!"
The world obeyed her and purple flames ignited in her hands. The fire grew hotter and denser, ready to burn Makima alive.
Makima stopped walking, halting exactly one and a half feet away from Eliora.
"You have a foul mouth for an angel, dear Eliora," she said softly, calm as still water.
"Is this how you greet an old friend?"
Eliora had been enduring it all this time, but when she heard the word friend, every restraint she'd been holding onto finally snapped.
"I AM NOT YOUR FRIEND, YOU FUCKING PSYCHO! YOU KIDNAPPED ME AND FORCED ME TO DRAW AN ART I HAD NO INSPIRATION FOR! YOU CRAZY—crazy—"
Her voice finally broke. The purple flames flickered, then slowly died down, leaving her hands trembling and her eyes wet with tears.
"…crazy bitch."
She fell to her knees, losing all her leg strength, her breath ragged, and her mind a mess with the suppressed memories flooding back.
The years of psychological torture Makima put her through, the decade of captivity. They all came rushing back. All because Makima had wanted her to create a portrait of a "perfect being."
And when Eliora finally painted it, after ten years of losing her mind, Makima took her second masterpiece all for herself, locking it away where no one else would ever see it.
Makima knelt and then slowly reached out to tilt Eliora's chin upward.
Olive-green eyes met gold.
"Tell me, Eliora, what do you think about a world where there is no human suffering?" Makima broke the silence.
Eliora flinched at the question Makima's tone was calm, but her face was cold, and stripped of the faint smiles she usually wore. That alone told Eliora how serious she was.
Eliora didn't know why Makima asked that, but she could tell by that stare that something was wrong. Though she chose not to back down from standing her ground.
"That's an impossible world. Suffering is part of life… if you take that away, there's no growth. Everything becomes stagnant," she said, voice steady at first."Of course, only a psycho like you would think about such a world." Her hood fell back as she finished.
Something changed in Makima, causing her to break eye contact and look down as if dispersing at the answer, then she tightened her grip on Eliora's chin until the other woman visibly winced.
"I thought I could get you to my side willingly," Makima said softly. "I do not want a great artist like you to rot away in this world… but I suppose it can't be helped."
She tilted her head; a cold smile crept across her lips.
"I will kill you, Eliora. Tell me, do you have any last words?"
If Eliora was scared before, now she was terrified. She could not make sense of her situation right now. Realizing her death was literally in front of her…it gave her a hollow feeling internally.
She knew from the start she was going to die the moment Makima entered the church. With a heavy heart, she willingly accepted her fate. One regret she had…was not being able to protect Gabriel.
She let out a smile that betrayed her true feelings and her fear of death.
But she wasn't the one to give up. She had sworn to protect Gabriel and she wasn't going to die until she ensured Gabriel made it out alive.
So she secretly made one final preparation while closing her eyes to fake the fact that she'd accepted her fate.
She waited for her eventual doom… but it never came.
"Makima, don't you think that's enough?" Aleks spoke, putting his hand on Makima's shoulder.
Aleks finally decided to intervene, seeing the situation going out of hand. Any later and things would have gone irrevocable.
"Instead of killing her, just knock her unconscious or control her, she might be useful to you." Aleks answered with such clarity that it felt like he'd answered every impossible question in the universe.
Makima couldn't help but let out a sigh. Her lover's soft-heartedness really annoyed her sometimes.
Oh, Aleks-kun… still so naive, she thought with a faint smile tugging at her lips. What am I going to do with you?
"You have much to learn, Aleks-kun, but I suppose you're right. Killing her would have been a wasted opportunity," Makima said in a soft, controlled tone.
Was it that easy to convince her? But I'm glad she didn't go all feral again. Aleks thought with a sigh of relief.
Speaking of Eliora, Aleks could tell she was not an ordinary woman. He knew this angel had planned something devious to ensure Gabriel's survival. It was better to be safe than sorry.
Meanwhile, Makima didn't waste time and then looked at Eliora. Eliora bit her lip in powerlessness, hoping whatever she had planned would work. But suddenly her head started feeling cold, as if all the blood in her brain had been drained away.
Her vision blurred, her senses fading one by one. The last thing she heard was the sharp sound of glass shattering, like a barrier breaking apart.
***
First Person
Gabriel was… really cute.
That was my first impression when I finally managed to get a closer look at her.
She was an angel born to make other angels fall just from her looks alone.
I guess all the energy God used went into her appearance, leaving her seriously lacking in the common sense department.
After Makima dealt with Eliora, we decided to approach Gabriel, breaking through the barrier that surrounded her. That alone was enough to snap her out of her prayer.
Her gaze wandered around the vast hall before landing on Eliora's unconscious body, and then on us.
She blinked a few times, tilting her head slightly, studying us like a curious child trying to make sense of strangers.
And then, her ocean-blue eyes met mine.
I could clearly see the shimmer in them grow, until tears welled up and began spilling down her cheeks.
Gabriel, the Might of God, was crying.
"Why… why would you do this to Eliora?" she asked, her voice trembling as she covered her face with her hands, trying to hide her tears.
"She's done nothing wrong…"
My heart tightened hearing her plea.
To think that one of Heaven's greatest Seraphs, the Might of God herself, could have the heart and innocence of a child…
I knew about her personally from the light novels, but still, seeing her in reality hurt more than anything.
This world was far too cruel for someone like her.
And then, unexpectedly, Makima stepped forward and knelt beside Gabriel.
Without a word, she placed a hand on Gabriel's head, and gently caressed her, like a mother consoling a crying child.
I saw Gabriel visibly flinch the moment Makima's hand touched her.
Her slight tremble, the subtle shiver running down her shoulders, was enough to tell me she knew.
She knew exactly what kind of being was standing before her.
Makima smiled, clearly amused by the angel's innocent reaction.
"Who… who are you?" Gabriel asked hesitantly.
She could tell Makima was a devil, a powerful one at that, but beyond that, she knew nothing.
Makima tilted her head, her smile widening just a little.
"Well, isn't that funny? Surely I expected one of the Great Seraphs to remember little ol' me," she said with a soft chuckle.
I frowned slightly.
I thought Makima had kept her existence hidden from the supernatural world. Then why was she asking Gabriel that?
Could it be…she had already clashed with one of them before?
"I-I'm sorry… I don't know," Gabriel replied weakly. Her tears had stopped, but not her misery.
Makima's expression didn't change, that same pleasant smile remained, though the hand that had been gently caressing Gabriel's head suddenly tightened, making the angel visibly wince in pain.
"Well then," Makima began softly, her tone calm… almost nurturing.
"Let me tell you a story. A story about a naive little girl… and her mother."
And then she began, with a voice that was so soothing that it could even put Gabriel to shame.
"There was a naive little girl who lived with her mother in the human world," Makima continued, her eyes drifting on the floor.
"In reality, she was a devil, much like her mother. Her parents were two nobles from the House of Agares and Gremory." She paused.
"Seeing she was a child that could cause political upheaval in the Underworld," Makima went on, her tone lowering, "her mother decided to raise her on Earth by herself. And so they happily lived."
For a moment, her expression softened, as if she recalled a memory that made her happy, or maybe it only appeared that way. This time, something was unsettling about that faint smile she always wore:
"Her mother took great care of her and loved her dearly," Makima said, eyes half-lidded. "The little girl wanted nothing more than to stay by her side forever."
Her voice quieted to a whisper. The air around us felt heavier. It even stops Gabriel's trembling to stop, replaced by silence.
"But…" Makima murmured, and then softness in her voice vanished. "One day, an Archangel came and took that happiness away. That angel killed the girl's mother and nearly killed the girl too. It was also on that day…the girl finally awakened her true self."
The words hung in the air like for a second too long. As if she had revealed a disturbing truth, Gabriel was unsure whether to pity or fear the woman in front of her.
Makima's gaze shifted toward me; those golden eyes with concentric red rings glinted faintly under the church's fractured light. She said nothing but I understood everything. Whatever she was doing; all of it, was something she believed she had a reason for.
"That girl was no longer naive after learning her true nature," Makima whispered.
Her lips curved back to that same faint smile.
"That girl… is me."
Silence stretched throughout the room.
Neither Gabriel nor I uttered a word. When the weight of her story finally sank in, I was the first to react.
"Wait… Gremory? Are you related to Sirzechs Lucifer?" I asked, my voice unable to hide the disbelief.
Her smile only widened at my reaction.
"Yes. He's my half-brother," she replied, never breaking eye contact with me.
Of course he is.
What a small world we live in. Then again, this is DxD., Somehow, the Gremorys always end up involved, even when the story isn't about them.
Moving on, she said she had a mother, or at least, a version of her did. A naive one, kind of like Nayuta.
That means…
My eyes drifted back to the angel in front of us who was still busy weeping.
Damn, she's really a crybaby.
I decided to finally comfort her, even if my mission was the complete opposite.
I stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder, making her flinch slightly as she looked up at me.
And man… she looked miserable. Her expression alone could break anyone's heart.
"Hey," I said softly, "don't cry, okay? It doesn't suit an angel of your status to cry."
I meant it as kindly as I could, given the situation.
And in that moment, I understood what Makima truly wanted.
When she asked me to erase Gabriel from existence, it wasn't just to break my humanity, it was also revenge. Revenge for her mother's death. Killing two birds with one stone. What a woman.
"Th-thanks," Gabriel whispered, her voice trembling, a mix of gratitude and hesitation.
But then—
Gabriel suddenly collapsed. Her body hit the floor softly, lying motionless as if life itself had been drained from her.
I watched it all unfold with a strange numbness spreading through my chest.
My Six Eyes confirmed what I already suspected, Gabriel was still alive, just unconscious like Eliora. And of course, the culprit was once again Makima.
I finally turned to her, a heaviness settling deep within me.
It was finally that time, huh?
"Go ahead, Aleks-kun," she said, her tone calm, a faint smile still tugging at her lips.
"I made it easier for you."
Then her voice sharpened, smooth yet commanding.
"Kill her now.."
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.
I had already made up my mind.
I won't look back, no matter what I have to do.
When I opened my eyes again, a katana materialized in my hand, its edge gleaming faintly under the church's light.
Makima's eyes widened slightly in surprise, of course, she would.
After all, the eyes staring back at her were none other than the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.
Their beauty even eclipsed the Six Eyes.
"You should know by now..I am very grateful to have you by my side, Aleks-kun," Makima murmured, her voice carrying an odd mix of admiration and control.
But as I met her gaze again, something felt… off.
Even with my Mystic Eyes, I could barely perceive one or two faint lines of death across her body, and even that with great difficulty.
Meanwhile, Gabriel's body was covered in countless lines…her body was marked with various points of death as well.
If Gabriel is supposed to be a Satan-class… then…
Just… how strong is Makima?
***
Third Person
Aleks stepped toward the unconscious angel. His hands trembled, but his resolve did not. Raising his katana, he aimed it at Gabriel's neck. The blade hovered inches from her throat—
—then stopped.
His entire body froze. The tremor in his hands grew stronger. He thought he'd made up his mind, that he won't look back, but in the end… he still couldn't do it.
The katana slipped from his grip, clattering to the floor with a hollow echo. Aleks dropped to his knees, with his hands shaking.
"I… can't." His voice broke. "I can't do it, Makima. I don't want to be the bearer of this sin…"
The words felt heavier than anything he'd ever spoken.
Makima opened her mouth as if to respond, then stopped herself, closing it again. She knew nothing she said would change this.
"I thought…" Aleks started again, his tone cracking under the weight of his own voice. "I thought I could stop caring. That I could live without fear, without regret."
He laughed bitterly.
"But guess what?"
He lowered his head, his hair covering his eyes.
"In the end, I'm still the same coward who hesitates to even kill an ant."
Makima said nothing. Her silence was an answer in itself, an invitation for him to finish.
"But I—"
He stopped mid-sentence as a overwhelming sense of danger surged through his nerves. His instincts screaming at him that something was wrong. Horribly wrong.
He turned back…only to see Eliora missing.
"Makima, we have to move! Now!" Aleks shouted, scrambling to his feet.
Aleks knew that Joker woman was up to something. Whatever it was, he knew he couldn't take it lightly.
Makima's eyes narrowed, scanning the church for the culprit, but the Joker was nowhere to be seen.
And then they heard her.
"…Aging World…"
That voice. That familiar voice they both knew all too well.
"Gate Open."
The world obeyed and the reality itself warped as a massive gate manifested just a few feet behind Aleks.
He immediately spun around, trying to retreat, but his body refused to move.
It was as if a crushing pressure was pinning him in place.
"What the hell—!?" He cursed under his breath, struggling.
Then, hundreds of shadowy hands burst from the gate's void, lunging toward him like a swarm of hungry spirits.
"Get off me—! Get the fuck off of me!" Aleks shouted, trying his best to break free. What's worse, the blessing wasn't helping either.
The Mystic Eyes were also useless since his body couldn't even move.
Switching templates now would be too late.
Only Makima could save him now.
And she did.
In an instant, she appeared before him, her presence tearing through space itself. Then, without hesitation, she raised her hand..
She used her force manipulation to slice through the shadowy hands that restrained Aleks.
The hands vanished; but the suction pulling him toward the gate only grew stronger.
"Damn it…" she hissed under her breath, her composure fracturing for the first time.
Makima wrapped her arms around Aleks, trying to pull him away from the gate with all her strength. The pressure was immense like a black hole…and yet she refused to let go.
Aleks could feel it, her trembling, her desperation. He never thought he'd see this side of her.
Makima, the woman who never flinched, was now fighting against fate itself just to keep him close.
To Makima, this was unacceptable.
She had faced gods, devils, angels..But this? This was the first time she felt powerless.
Her voice came out low but her eyes still burned with the same energy that wanted to conquer the world.
"I won't let you go," she whispered, clutching him tighter.
"I won't let anyone take you away from me."
And so she tried and tried, but it was all useless.
Aleks only smiled. He knew that if this was supposed to be some kind of a prison dimension, he'd break free in no time thanks to his blessing. So he thought he had nothing to worry about.
"Makima… look at me," he said softly, that same calm smile still on his face.
Makima did as he asked. Their eyes met once again, gold and blue locking together.
"I'll be back. I always do. I have something that will help me come back. So just… let go, alright?" Aleks reassured her, trying his best to keep his yandere lover from completely losing it.
Makima's hands moved up to his face, gripping his cheeks tightly before she leaned in closer, their foreheads nearly touching.
Her voice dropped to a whisper, sweet and unsettling all at once.
"If you don't… I'll murder Reze. I'll murder your family too. So you better come back."
It was the most Makima thing she could have possibly said.
Aleks couldn't help but chuckle.
There she was the cold-hearted devil who loved him to an unhealthy degree.
Makima's grip slowly loosened… and finally, he was pulled into the Gate completely. The void swallowed him whole.
And then, just like that, the gate vanished.
Silence filled the church, while Makima stood there motionless, processing everything that had just happened.
How had things come to this? She thought to herself.
Thinking of Aleks, her expression softened for a second, before her gaze turned cold again.
She had to deal with a certain Joker.
The one who needed to be reminded exactly what it meant to cross someone she loved.
Unbeknownst to Aleks and Makima, this very moment would change everything…for better or worse.
***
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Author's Note:
The next chapter will mark the end of Arc 2. I really hope you've been enjoying this fic so far , I've been doing my absolute best to handle the story and characters as faithfully (and insanely) as possible.
Poll:
What do you think about Makima in this fanfic? Do you like her? Do you hate her? Did I do a good job portraying her?
Answer in the comments below
Yes, I like her. Woof woof.
No, I hate her. (Also you need therapy, Author.)