Heaven - Temple of Angels
In the Temple of Angels, an atmosphere of concern and urgency hung over the sacred corridors. The majestic architecture of the temple, with its white marble columns and colorful stained glass windows, stood in stark contrast to the tension that enveloped its occupants. Michael, the leader of the angels, was in the great hall, his expression serious and determined. Beside him, Gabriel, his sister, was visibly shaken.
Gabriel, with eyes full of sorrow, looked at Michael. "Michael, so many lives were lost in Tokyo. It's unbearable. Death, regardless of religion, always brings pain. I... I can't bear the pain it brings."
Michael sighed, feeling his sister's pain as if it were his own. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Gabriel, I understand your pain. The loss of life is always a tragedy. But we must remember that our duty is to protect and guide humans. We need to be strong for them."
Gabriel looked at Michael, trying to find comfort in his words. "But Michael, how can we be strong when we feel so much pain? Seeing destruction and death is devastating."
Michael pulled Gabriel into a comforting embrace. "Sister, our strength comes from the love and compassion we feel for those we protect. The pain we feel is a reflection of our love. We must channel this pain into strength to continue our mission."
As he hugged Gabriel, Michael traced a magic circle in the air with his other hand, concentrating on establishing a communication connection with Sirzechs.
Gremory Mansion - Living Room
The living room of the Gremory Mansion was immersed in a tense atmosphere. Sirzechs, Venelana, and Rias were seated, discussing the recent events with worried expressions. Rias, relieved by the cancellation of her arranged marriage, still couldn't shake the anguish over Issei's disappearance.
Suddenly, a magic communication circle appeared in the air, emitting an intense light that caught everyone's attention in the room. Sirzechs immediately recognized Michael's magical signature. He traced runes in the air to stabilize the connection, and Michael's image appeared in the hologram.
"Michael, to what do we owe the honor?" asked Sirzechs, his voice firm and respectful.
Michael, with a serious expression, looked at those present. "Sirzechs, I have troubling news. Ddraig's name has disappeared from the system."
The room fell silent for a moment, the gravity of Michael's words sinking deeply. Rias's eyes widened, her heart tightening in her chest.
"If Ddraig does not appear in the system, it means his host... is dead," Michael continued, his voice laden with sorrow.
Rias took a step back, her mind trying to process the information. "Issei... is dead?" she murmured, her voice trembling.
Sirzechs frowned, his gaze darkening. He had hoped that Issei could eventually overcome Riser. The news of his death was a heavy blow. "This is... very bad," he said, trying to maintain composure. "I truly believed Issei could become one of our greatest allies."
Venelana, seeing the expression of pain on Rias's face, tried to comfort her. "Rias, dear, I'm so sorry."
Rias didn't know how to act; everything was being taken from her, one sad news after another. She abruptly stood up, her expression unreadable, trying to hide the pain she felt. "I need to talk to Akeno," she said, her voice faltering slightly. "I'll go to my room."
Without waiting for a response, Rias left the room, her legs trembling as she climbed the stairs. Entering her room, she closed the door behind her and leaned against it, slowly sliding down to the floor. Silent tears began to stream down her face as she tried to process the loss of Issei.
Sirzechs watched his sister leave, feeling deep concern for her. He turned to Michael, maintaining his firm posture. "Michael, thank you for informing us. I appreciate your attention."
Michael nodded, his expression grave. "I am very sorry for your loss, Sirzechs. We need to schedule a new meeting to discuss the implications of this situation and how we can move forward. It's essential that we maintain stability among our factions."
"I agree," said Sirzechs, nodding. "We'll coordinate a meeting as soon as possible. We need to ensure this event doesn't cause a larger collapse."
Michael offered a slight smile of understanding. "I'm available. We'll talk soon."
With that, the connection was terminated, and the magic circle disappeared, leaving Sirzechs and Venelana in the room. Venelana sighed, trying to absorb the gravity of the latest news. "Sirzechs, we need to be there for Rias. She's suffering so much."
Sirzechs nodded, his concerned gaze turning toward the staircase where Rias had disappeared.
Riser's Private Mansion in the Underworld - Living Room
In the living room of Riser's mansion, the atmosphere was thick with palpable tension. The luxurious and imposing decor of the place contrasted with Serafall's serious expression.
Serafall was seated on one of the velvet sofas, her magical girl outfit standing out against the austerity of the room. Beside her, her sister Sona maintained an upright and dignified posture, adjusting her glasses as she conversed with Serafall.
"Onee-sama, you seem quite dissatisfied," said Sona, observing her sister's stern expression.
"It's because I am, Sona. Riser is causing a lot of problems for me," responded Serafall, her voice laden with frustration. "He's made decisions that have caused turmoil, and now I have to deal with the consequences."
Sona sighed, understanding the difficult position her sister was in. "Riser has always been impulsive, but he is my husband. Maybe we can find a solution together."
Before Serafall could respond, a magic circle appeared on the floor of the room, shining intensely. In an instant, Riser appeared in the center of the circle, his expression confident and unperturbed.
"Riser," said Serafall, standing up from the sofa. "We need to talk about the situation with Dimitri. He is furious."
Riser shrugged, his expression showing no concern. "It doesn't matter, Serafall. Dimitri can be as furious as he wants."
Serafall frowned, her voice filled with worry. "Riser, he is part of one of the pillar families. We can't simply ignore that."
Riser smiled with disdain. "If necessary, we can reduce the number of pillars from 72 to 71. That doesn't bother me."
Sona, realizing the recklessness in Riser's words, intervened. "Riser, you can't be so imprudent. We need to maintain the stability of the underworld."
Riser looked at Sona, his expression softening slightly. "I know, Sona. But I won't let empty threats intimidate me."
Footsteps.
The soft sound of footsteps descending the stairs caught everyone's attention in the room. Akeno gracefully descended, her presence elegant and imposing. Her eyes fixed on Riser as she approached.
"Riser-sama," Akeno began, making a slight bow. "I would like to ask for your permission to visit Rias's mansion."
Riser raised an eyebrow, curious. "And why do you want to go there?"
Akeno took a deep breath, her voice laden with sadness. "Issei is dead. I want to be there to support Rias in such a difficult time."
There was a brief silence in the room as Akeno's words hung in the air. Serafall and Sona processed the news in different ways. Sona frowned, the worry evident in her eyes. Riser, on the other hand, showed no apparent concern. Instead, he simply nodded.
"You have my permission, Akeno. Go and support Rias as much as you can."
As Akeno prepared to leave, the news of Issei's death didn't seem to deeply affect anyone in the room.
"I feel sorry for Rias," said Sona, her voice soft. "She will need all the support she can get."
Riser merely watched Akeno, showing no visible emotion about Issei's death.
Akeno, noticing the lack of concern from the others, maintained her firm expression. She traced a magic circle on the floor, her hands moving with precision and grace.
In an instant, a bright light enveloped her body, and she disappeared, teleporting to Rias's mansion.
As the light of the magic circle faded, Riser turned his attention to Sona and Serafall. "Let's focus on what really matters now. We have many issues to resolve."
Sona nodded, but the concern for Rias was still evident in her eyes. Serafall, despite her own frustrations, knew it was necessary to remain calm and help resolve the issues at hand.
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