Chapter 6: Tea Time with the Devil
Remember to feed me power stones.
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Altogether forty-five emperors had claimed the Spear of Destiny as their possession between the coronation in Rome of Charlemagne and the fall of the old German Empire exactly a thousand years later. And what a pageantry it was!
-Trevor Ravenscroft, The Spear of Destiny
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I chewed on the freshly baked cookie I took from the giant stack on the table, remarking on how surprisingly good it was. I blinked, looking back to the …. Thing. Before returning my gaze to the girl, who I now knew as Serafall. She gobbled down the cookies, 3 at a time until none were left. I was slightly sad. I actually wanted a few more.
"Anyway…" She muttered through a mouthful of cookies, "I suppose you want some answers now?" She asked. I nodded in affirmation, excited for some answers.
"Well, I suppose you can guess that what most legends describe as myth are true. All those legends about the Devils, Angels, and Gods are real. And I do mean all of them. Roman, Greek, Persian, Norse, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and even those folk tales the Native Americans tell. They are all true." She spoke simply as if it wasn't an earth-shattering revelation.
I thought about it for a moment, before considering this fact. I wasn't really surprised. I had always wanted to believe those stories and legends about Achilles and Hercules were true, and their existence wasn't all too surprising. History already thought they existed, so would they change that much? Most of what we have today, technology, philosophy, and legend also considered them to be true.
"I suppose someone like yourself is not surprised, or you can probably adapt quickly. Either way, there are a few key things to know. First of all, I am not the Leviathan." She spoke. I blinked, confused. I knew that Leviathan was one of the 7 Kings of Hell, and the Biblical Sea Monster that many assumed to be some sort of Dinosaur that was around during ancient times, or just a giant whale.
"Basically, many years ago, there was a huge war between the 3 Great Factions. That being Heaven, led by the Biblical God, Hell, led by the 7 Kings of Hell, and Grigori, led by Shamazya. Everyone was fighting when another fight got in the way."
"A battle between Y Ddraig Goch, the Red Dragon Emperor, and Albion, the White Dragon Emperor, was also taking place. Then these two battles coincided, blah blah blah, the world was about to be destroyed due to the battle escalating, other pantheons got involved, then the Biblical God descended. He killed both of the Heavenly Dragons, Killed the 7 Satans, Shamazya, and most of his Watchers, then died himself." She narrated, waving the last cookie around, before wincing as she mentioned the God of the Bible's name.
"Saying his name hurts you? Like those priest exorcist stereotype movies?" I asked amused, seeming silly to me. She looked at me, pouting, before I laughed and she smiled before speaking again.
I blinked, confused. "The God of the Bible died? I thought he was Omnipotent?" I questioned in a confused tone. He had supposedly created the world itself. Wait, didn't other religions also have primordial Gods that also created the world? How does that work out?
"Yes. No one really knows why, beyond the fact that he was mortally wounded for some reason. It's a big mystery that no one really knows the answer to. This is extremely classified information, which I'm only telling you because you would find out yourself due to your possession of the Spear. So you didn't hear this from me." She warned.
"Then you skip a few Millennia, and then there's a Devil Civil war between the Old Satan Faction, with the Descendants of the Original Satans, vs the Anti-Satan Faction, with myself and a few others. Some stuff happens, they lose, and I am given the title of Leviathan as one of the new Satans." She rambled on.
"So you are not a descendant of the Leviathan?" I questioned.
"Yes. I am actually a descendant of Sitri, one of Solomon's 72 Demon God Pillars. Though I left the name behind when I assumed the position of Leviathan." She explained. A random thought popped into my head. Does that mean Solomon controlled 72 Demon Familiars? I guessed it did.
"Then how does that connect to the Spear?" I questioned. That was my biggest question. What was my part in all this?
"Ah. The spear. Well, it is something called a Sacred Gear." She shrugged her shoulders. I was becoming annoyed with her playful attitude again.
"Then what is a Sacred Gear?" I asked in an exasperated tone. She kept throwing this term around like it was something I should know.
"Ah! First, let me say that I really don't mean to recruit you or anything. I was just curious because of your fearlessness, and the Spears' presence, which hasn't been seen since the end of World War II. You see, the Spear's appearance in the world usually heralds a desperate time of need, yet there isn't one as of yet." She explained calmly.
"So the Spear must be important for someone of your caliber to state its power." I started calmly.
"Yes! To explain in simple terms, the Sacred Gear System is the last creation of the God of the Bible. It is a sentient, working, creation that exists in Heaven. Sacred Gears themselves are simple. Powerful magical artifacts from various mythologies that incarnate and appear randomly in people at birth. The exact mechanics of how they appear and manifest in people are unknown, even to me." She rambled on, wincing for a split second, causing me to look a bit worried. I didn't like causing unnecessary discomfort for anyone.
"Do you have to say his name?" I questioned.
"Ah, it's fine. It feels like a pinch. Especially to someone as powerful as me." She reassured, smiling a bit at the concern.
"To continue, sometimes a very powerful one could appear, yet never manifest because the Host of the Sacred Gear lives a Normal life. And a Sacred Gear could be a powerful mythological weapon, like the Kusanagi, or some sort of sealed beast or monster, like the Yamata-no-Orochi." He explained.
I tilted my head. "So they are just randomly appearing powers?" I asked disbelievingly. Serafall nodded.
"Yes. That is why they are feared. They randomly appear, could possibly possess world-destroying power, and their wielder could go berserk suddenly. They are universally feared by every god from every Pantheon, with the System itself being feared and revered as much as the Guy Above was." She explained.
"They appear randomly, manifesting in only Humans, and no other species in the Supernatural world. They are coveted by all creatures and factions, a single one able to shake the fabric of the world." She explained, before dawning a serious look.
"When I say they are powerful, I mean it. Many of them have the capacity to change the tide of a war, destroy a Patheon, and kill a God. In the Supernatural World, many powers exist. Some are stronger than others. Dragons, Gods, Angels, and many more. But the single powers that exist above all others, and are feared and coveted by every creature in the world are Sacred Gears." She explained in a serious tone.
"They are the wild cards, that make either the greatest Heroes that go down in history or the evilest people who are feared forever more. They are universally exempted as the single strongest things to exist in the world."
"And there exists a class of Sacred Gear, known as Longinus, or God-Killing Armaments. And your Spear is feared as the Strongest among them all. It is the True Longinus, the Lance of Longinus itself." He explained.
"The Spear of Destiny?" I echoed back, the name being familiar to a history nerd such as myself.
"The same one that killed the Messiah himself." He started calmly.
I knew of the Spear and its legend. The spear wielded by a nameless Roman Centurion that pierced the side of Jesus Christ, the son of the God of the Bible, as he was Crucified, killing him. The bible stated that the Blood of Christ itself ran along the spear, and the Roman Centurion was amazed and declared that Jesus Christ must be the Son of God, even as everyone else persecuted him. He was even turned into a Catholic Saint many years later.
The Spear also appeared later in Arthurian Legend, appearing many times in history throughout the timeline of European rulers during the Dark Ages after the fall of the Roman Empire. Charlemagne claimed to have the spearhead of the Longinus implanted into his sword.
I then asked another question. The dream I had recently stirred up an old memory. A dream I had many years ago, but dismissed as time went on. The memory was fuzzy and old. "I had a dream recently about our meeting," I spoke, summoning the Spear and staring at it. "I don't remember much, but a Sacred Gear went out of control, and you summoned the Giant Monster Behemoth." I made up on the spot.
Serafall looked at me with curiosity. "It sounds almost like a Vision or a Revelation of kinds that he used to give to Saints or his Chosen Prophets." She spoke, deep in thought.
"But it's not that uncommon for Sacred Gear Wielders to awaken their Sacred Gears violently, resulting in casualties." She stated simply.
"I remember the entire island of Kyushu was destroyed in the fight. I remember millions were killed." I stated slightly sadly. Serafall blinked but overall looked unalarmed.
She sighed, before responding in a kinder tone. "No offense, but the Supernatural world doesn't care for humanity. They are everywhere and reproduce so easily. Gods, Pantheons, and Monsters fight all the time. Millions of humans dying is not an unusual occurrence when so many other powerful beings exist everywhere, and hate each other." She explained in a slightly embarrassed tone.
"Wouldn't people realize that millions of people disappear and die?" I asked in disbelief. How could millions die and nobody is none the wiser? Wouldn't their relatives at least notice their disappearance?
"Sacred Gear Wielders are like forces of Nature to the Supernatural world. Unpredictable, unstable, and simply a thing that happens from time to time. They cause destruction regularly, just like a lot of Monsters or gods do from time to time, and they simply cause more damage than the aforementioned parties. It is nothing special, new, or abnormal."
"In fact, the last time a Sacred Gear awakened violently, many more than 10 Million lives and a single city was destroyed. The fact is they sometimes appear, cause massive destruction, and shake up the balance of the Supernatural world. They are wild cards, and most pantheons accept that." She started with a shrug.
She leaned back in the chair, staring up at the ceiling. "Gods rule the world. That much is simple. Humans simply are ants that inhabit it, only because we allow it. Sure, it is annoying if certain ones we like die, but if a few ants die, it really isn't that big of a deal. They can repopulate in what is only a few seconds in comparison to our long immortal lives." She stated slightly embarrassed.
"Then you are the same?" I said slightly angry.
She looked slightly amused, before answering. "It is their nature to look down on those weaker than themselves. However, I do not agree with that sentiment." She confidently stated.
That idea didn't sit right with me. The idea that Humanity was unable to stand up for itself, and millions could die with no one caring. Serafall hummed a tune for a moment, before speaking again. "That might be why the Spear has appeared, though I doubt it." He stated thoughtfully.
I remembered what he said a few moments before. "You said that the Spear only appears in times of need?" I questioned.
"Yes. Sacred Gears are strange, not appearing for Millennia at a time, and only appearing during certain times or before something major happens. But the True Longinus has only appeared when another Sacred Gear has gone out of control." She spoke.
"The last time it appeared was during World War II, when the Third Reich was at its strongest. From what I have heard, they had somehow succeeded in finding the Sephiroth Graal, the Sacred Gear that is known as the Holy Grail. And, they were searching for other artifacts, like the Ark of the Covenant and the very same Spear of Destiny you possess." She explained.
A familiar image popped into my mind. "You mean like Indiana Jones?" I questioned slightly amused. Serafall blinked but chuckled.
"Never thought of it like that before, but yes." She affirmed. "But a single Sacred Gear going out of control shouldn't warrant the Spear to appear." She muttered to himself mostly, still looking at the ceiling. I sweated slightly, knowing that no such event would happen, at least as far as I knew, the event being nothing but a made-up excuse for my 'dream'.
A faint memory began to stir within me. It had been nagging me for a while, but the term Sacred Gear sounded familiar. But I couldn't quite place it. A very old memory, one long forgotten. A dream? "I remember something," I spoke, deep in thought.
Serafall looked at me curiously. "Oh? Some sort of forgotten backstory? Do you perhaps have amnesia, and don't remember anything past a certain age?" She asked excitedly, no doubt referencing the fact that she thought I was a protagonist of some cheesy anime show.
I snorted, before speaking. "I think it was some sort of dream. I remember a scene of fighting, between a giant white and red dragon. Then I remember … something. A warning, I think. That the Sacred Gear System was becoming too powerful and sentient?" I questioned hesitantly. The memory was old, and something I had long since forgotten.
Serafall dawned in realization. "You know, the Sacred Gear System has been getting a lot worse lately. The Juggernaut Drive, and Subspecies Balance-Breakers?" She questioned herself in uncertainty. I motioned for her to explain, which she obliged.
"You see, there have been many, uh, 'Glitch's' in the System. The Longinus themselves are considered to be one. And many Gears, when they go berserk, can transform into a form known as a 'Balance Breaker', and even then, can be changed into a 'Subspecies' depending on the host. And two powerful Sacred Gears in particular, Divine Dividing, and Boosted Gear, can transform into a third form, called 'Juggernaut Drive', both holding the souls of the Heavenly Dragons that the God of the Bible killed. And some strange things have been happening recently." She narrated.
"Do you know of the Fallen Angel Baraquiel?" Serafall asked.
I shook my head. It sounded Abrahamic to me, at the least. "It is a high-ranking member of the Grigori, who had a daughter with a Human Woman." She explained. "And normally, such a thing is impossible. Either the infant dies at birth, or in some miraculous miracle from the Creator himself, she is born a Fallen Angel." She spoke, before wincing.
"It even would be theoretically possible for her to have been born a Nephilim, which would have been impossible during the Guy in the Sky's life. He somehow made it so no more could be born a long time ago after the Girgoi fell. But, it theoretically could happen now that he's gone. But, instead of something like that happening, his daughter was born a hybrid. Half-Human, Half Fallen Angel. Something that literally can't happen."
"So the Spear has appeared because the System is malfunctioning?" I questioned. Serafall tilted her head, considering her answer.
"It is exceptionally possible." She finally answered after some thinking.
I sat back, thinking. This Spear was given to me, for some reason. To save the world? Perhaps. But the Spear chose me. The Lance of Longinus, the Spear of Destiny. Honestly? I was ecstatic. This was my chance to do something with my life, to become a Hero.
"So if my goal is to fix the Sacred Gear System, what should I do?" I questioned hesitantly. I didn't want to ask an obviously bias person for help, who represented factions that would love nothing more than to take advantage of my power. But, I had no other real option, unless I wanted to risk going in blind.
Serafall smiled deviously "First, is to not side or trust any other faction." She stated seriously. Her face was much more serious than before, making me blink.
"You represent the power of the Sacred Gear System, the last thing left behind by the Biblical God. And every other Faction would love to use your power to further their own agendas. The entire balance of the Supernatural World would be turned upside down should you join a faction, and you would be eternally trapped in a world of Politics and Bureaucracy." She stated quickly.
I tilted my head back, thinking. I had already thought about that. In a world where these so-called 'Sacred Gears' are feared as both wild cards that could blow up in your face or win you the game, siding with anyone would only lead to conflicts, and damnation into the eternal hell known as Politics.
Serafall sighed, before speaking. "As much as I want to convince you to join the Devils, your presence would destroy the delicate balance between the Three Great Factions, and the entire supernatural world as a whole." She muttered bitterly.
I sighed, knowing that my power would mean everyone would only want me for my Sacred Gear, rather than anything else, and I would be nothing but a pawn in the Politics of the Gods.
"So I am to try and continue this goal alone?" I asked hesitantly. I knew that she was right and that politics was a world I wanted to stay out of if I wanted to complete my goals.
Serafall smiled mysteriously. "Not necessarily. You do have one faction on your side, and arguably the stronger one of all." He stated mysteriously.
I wondered what he was talking about before it dawned on me. "Humanity." I spoke out happily. Of course!
Serafall smiled. "Exactly! If the Spear of Destiny has appeared in this Generation, it means something big is going to happen. Therefore, because you cannot join any faction, why not make your own, composed of the biggest, most powerful race there is?" She finished.
I thought about it excitedly. This was my chance to do something. To be a Hero. This was a chance for my life to be something more than just another pencil pusher. I didn't want to die a second time, without having accomplished anything.
I thought about the implications of what she was saying. Becoming a faction that represented Humanity, to solve whatever problems might occur in the future? "Then, I want to start by making a world where Humanity is not looked down on by the supernatural." I stated.
Serafall blinked. The idea didn't sit well with me. A world, where Humanity existed ignorantly, only as the playthings of the Gods. I hated the fact that Humanity was ignored, not considered in the Supernatural world of Politics, and treated like nothing by livestock except for the occasional Hero, Demi-god, or Saint.
Serafal laughed. "I guess someone like yourself would hate learning that Humanity is mostly considered worthless." She spoke.
"Let me ask something. Why are you helping me?" I asked seriously, wanting to know the answer to a question I was holding back.
Serafall hummed, before answering. "Because I see Humanity as something interesting, and something to strive to be like. Devil's are Evil, but should have the chance to be good. And, we Devils see humanity as playthings, but something under the protection of the God of the Bible. As such, we follow rules. We only appear to Humanity if they Summon us, make a deal with us or a contract. Unlike everyone else in the Supernatural World, we live in Hell, and it is our home. We do not see the Human World as ours. Even the Old Satans, while they wished to Conquer the Human World, didn't appear in it recklessly. Nowadays, Devils don't usually interfere with the Human world, only when we are Summoned, to make Deals of Contracts." She explained, looking pleased.
I did agree with her assessment. Those old legends of Demons and Devils were of Humans Contracting them for power or something else, only appearing when Humans Wished it. Sure, they did appear other times, to tempt or trick humans, but it was much less than what the legends of the other pantheons and gods spoke of.
"But why are you trying to convince me not to join a Faction? Sure, it could be like you said and you just want the status quo to remain the same, but why do that when if I joined the Grigori, you could use my power to stand up to other factions if it is as powerful as you say?" I questioned again. I just couldn't understand the intent behind her actions. All beings were greedy, and would never give up the opportunity to gain power. It made no sense to me.
She smiled mysteriously. "Does the intention or motive matter?" She questioned seriously.
I considered her deflection. Yes, it did matter, but if it didn't affect me or cause any general harm, then I guess it didn't matter.
I begrudgingly looked at Serafall and nodded. My goal had become clear. I was chosen by the True Longinus for some purpose. And I needed connections, and to recruit people to help me further my goals. If that meant making a deal with the Devil, then so be it.
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More Dialogue, that was written about 2 month's back. The next chapter will be a bit sudden and the pace might pick up quite a bit, as I want to start to move the plot along. It is hard to write ways for a character to travel to other worlds that is natural, instead of a system mission.
This is a AU, so the power scaling will be changed a bit. Finals suck, so writing will slow down quite a bit. (My pace is already atrocious as is.)
As always, comments, question's, ideas, and support is wat helps me to write. Thoughts, constructive criticism, and ideas are always welcome. Please leave a review! It does help a lot.
Remember to feed me power stones. One day I will write a economic analysis on why we need more power stones daily, I swear.
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