"You are one tough bastard yourself, old crow." Shirou shot back with a wry smile. The atmosphere seemed to have dissolved to a level that was more cheerful with the leaders and representatives relaxing, although Sona could see Grayfia was just restraining herself greatly to not attack the both of them while Griselda was sporting a thoughtful expression with an odd blush on her cheeks.
Why was that?
...
"Well, that just leaves one thing left from our mutual test." Azazel raised a hand towards Shirou. "Would you like to join the Grigori?"
'WHAT?!' Sona's mind grounded to a halt at Azazel's offer, something which certainly took everyone by surprise if it could make both Grayfia and Vali shocked at his words.
"You are neutral, that much is clear. But you are also favoring the devils in some manner." Azazel started explaining while maintaining his eye on Shirou. "You are with them for the time being, but what little I have learned from your fights and our earlier demonstration, you actually have a lot more in common with the Grigori than either of us would think." Azazel then turned to look at Michael. "And something tells me that you are thinking the same thing, Michael."
"Truthfully, the young man here does remind me of you." Michael nodded his head while giving a sad smile that spoke of memories long past. "But he also reminds me of several of our other compatriots, both past and present. He has that sort of mannerisms and behavior that is also quite compatible with the Vatican, the Excalibur coming to him is the proof." The archangel turned to the magician with an expression that spoke of a huge decision made in his mind. "You have the same traits as many of my old acquaintances from so long ago when the Vatican was first formed and you have the light that reminded me of Father. The Excalibur Shards have proven that by reforming themselves."
"So I extend the same offer to you like Azazel. Do you wish to join the Church?"
Sona could not believe her ears. First they had the talk where everyone voiced their opinions, then Shirou pulled out some weird demonstration to test Azazel, then he gets propositions by both Grigori and the Heaven Faction! This was unbelievable. It was unreal.
And somehow, it also scared her slightly at the possibility of Shirou actually agreeing to them.
Sona did not understand the feelings she had regarding the magician as of late, but she did consider him to be a very close, if not weird, friend that a part of her could relate closely. Someone who was responsible, gentlemanly and kind to her, not as a prize or a species, but as a person. She did also enjoyed some of their interactions before and after he learned of their origins.
And he could be leaving…
"I thank you for the offers, but I would have to politely decline." Her thoughts were broken by Shirou who bowed his head at both of the leaders. "Someone still needs to watch over the humans and the occasional innocent beings within my reach and under my watch."
"Ah that is expected." Azazel shrugged and leaned back while Michael gave a resigned expression. "But the offer will remain open to you."
"As is mine." The archangel concurred with his head. Shirou bowed his head again before looking towards the teenage devils, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before continuing to the others. Sona did not really understood what was going on anymore, but somehow she felt relieved that he was not leaving.
She seriously needed to do a reevaluation of her feelings soon.
"Well." Sirzechs clapped his hands together with an apparent effort to dispel the serious atmosphere that kept invading the room. "I think we are all clear in our desires to have peace right?" Everyone nodded either through proper agreements or just to dispel the whole incident away. "Then I believe this meeting is adjoined." He pointed to the table where several parchments laid, each belonging to one of the factions. "All we need is to sign our agreements and we can make it official."
'Well, that was actually pretty tame, despite the crazy issue from earlier.' Sona thought as she watched the leaders signed the parchments before Issei, Vali and Shirou stepped forward to do the same. 'Maybe this could work.'
'BOOM!'
Of course, nothing could go well. What did she bother to tempt fate?
...
"Oh my, looks like the terrorists are a little too eager to control themselves." The magus mused as he watched the group outside of the academy started their assault on the meeting place. He had contacted his partner after his little trip to the academy and relayed his idea to test Shirou Emiya. After which he had spent the time alternating his activities between his experiments and checking on his little seed to ensure that it was growing well without anyone noticing. When he heard about the meeting, he decided to wait it out on the nearby rooftops to see the proceedings.
He did not need to wait too long as he soon found himself in some dimensional barrier that separated the academy from the rest of the town, with the odd feeling that time was stopped in the area that would allow the intruders to attack unhindered. The magus mentally shrugged as he used the chance to see the type of people aiming for the talk.
Honestly speaking, he was sorely disappointed.
The magus had been in this world for a couple of centuries now, considered a 'young traveler' by those who had been here longer than him, but he had the opportunity to check on the different species and factions that lived in this world, and more importantly, the different magecraft systems that was being practiced here. And if he were being 'nice', the systems they have were rather lacking in some areas. Granted this was a different world and there were some individuals that gave proper impressions, but he was not captivated with the manner these people were using their abilities. They were so loose in their styles, and there have been times the magus was sorely tempted to tear out their internal organs and strangle them with their intestines as he watched them perform some of the simplest spells with such cringe-worthy movements. Even Shirou Emiya, a third-rate magus with barely any talent, had movements that were fluid and he had the will to make sure those movements were perfected.
Then again, this was a world where the gods were still around, it likely made them very complacent.
Shaking his head to rid of those thoughts, the magus watched the first wave of magicians going forth to attack the building where the leaders were having their meeting, going over their tactics in his mind. There was zero planning in this; these guys were just throwing spells at the building in the rare hope that they could damage it and get to the leaders.
Clearly the mages were grunts sent to the slaughterhouse to serve as distractions and to wear the enemy down. If so, then…
The magus smiled sinisterly as he looked to where he planted his trap, where he spied three of the mages standing near it. Just as he needed it to be, a source of protein for his project. He drew a symbol in the air at the direction of the trap, feeling the seed burst open from its shell.
Let the games begin.
...
"Man, we are never going to get any action are we?" One of the reserved magicians scowled as he looked at the vanguard attacking the academy.
"I for one don't mind." His fellow magician said as he leaned against the tree. "At least we don't need to use our spells so early in the game. Let them tire themselves before we go in."
"Good point." The first one gave a grudging agreement. "But still this is boring. You would think that this plan would involve more action, Clive."
"We just need patience Clayton." The second shrugged carelessly. The first one was about to reply with some choice words when a pained yell called out from the bushes a few feet away from them. The both of them immediately brought out their staffs and pointed at the bushes.
"Where is Kelvin?" Clayton asked as they looked around.
"He was right there!" The one called Clive gestured at the area just as the bushes started to rustle again. Then without warning, a large object launched out of the bushes and landed on the ground in front of them with a loud and wet splat.
"URG! What the fuck!" Clayton paled as he recognized what remained of their reserve magician, the innards completely ripped out savagely and the head and limbs removed. Before the second could comment, something burrowed out of the bushes and rammed him into the ground and bit his shoulder hard.
"ARG! Get it off me!" The magician screamed as the creature savagely ripped his arm off and started to smack him with it. Clayton quickly activated a spell and aimed it at the monster. Within a few seconds a wind spell was conjured up and with a quick whoosh, the creature's head fell off its body in halves.
"God damn it! That fucking hurt!" Clive grabbed the stump and held back a yell from the pain.
"Hold on, I am going to seal the wound." His partner directed his staff at the wound and chanted a few words. Magic sigils appeared at the stump for a while before disappearing, revealing freshly healed skin and no more blood.
"Thanks." Clive stood up with a wince before looking at the dismembered body of the creature that attacked them. "What the hell type of creature is this?"
"I have no idea." Clayton looked at the remains warily, noting the odd tentacles and limbs of the creature. He shivered at the sight of the creature's eyes staring back at him. For a brief moment, he thought the eyes shifted slightly. "Maybe it is one of the devils' pets to deal with us if anyone tried to invade."
"Well at least that is over…"
...
A/N : The Story Needs More Power Stones ;)
PS : if we can reach 400 Stones by the end of the week, I will throw you an extra chapter
...
if you want to read ahead of the public release you can go to my p atreon :
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