DxD: Anomaly

The deeper they ventured into the forest, the eerier it became. The once familiar sounds of nature—chirping birds, rustling leaves, distant insects—had vanished entirely. The silence was absolute, heavy, and unnatural. No animals, no wind, just the steady crunch of their footsteps against the dirt path.

Leonardo frowned, his senses on high alert. Something felt... off. The deeper they went, the stronger the sensation became. It was like an unseen presence was watching them from the shadows, unseen eyes following their every move.

"Lavinia," he murmured, his voice low. "Is it just me, or does it feel like we're being watched?"

Lavinia, who had been happily humming to herself, blinked at him before glancing around. She tilted her head as if listening, then smiled. "Oh! That just means we're close!"

Leonardo narrowed his eyes. "Close to what? A horror movie jump scare?"

She giggled. "No, silly! Grauzauberer's barrier has security measures. It keeps track of who enters and makes sure no threats get through!"

Leonardo exhaled through his nose, but the uneasy feeling didn't fade. "Yeah? Well, tell your magic barrier to stop staring at me."

Lavinia just laughed and kept walking, completely unbothered. Meanwhile, Leonardo kept his guard up. He didn't like this. Not one bit.

The forest around them seemed alive in a way that wasn't natural, as if the very trees were whispering among themselves, waiting for something. Whatever lay ahead, it wasn't just an ordinary base.

And he had a feeling that entering Grauzauberer's territory was only the beginning.

After what felt like an eternity of walking through the eerie, silent forest, they finally stumbled upon something.

Leonardo was ready for anything—a grand castle hidden in a mystical valley, an underground labyrinth glowing with arcane runes, hell, even a floating fortress in the sky. But instead…

It was an old, rickety wooden hut.

Leonardo stopped dead in his tracks, staring at the pathetic structure before him. It looked like something straight out of a fairy tale—the kind where the protagonist knocks on the door and gets turned into a frog by a cackling old witch. The wood was dark and aged, covered in moss, with a crooked chimney barely holding itself together. A dim lantern flickered by the entrance, the only sign of life.

Leonardo slowly turned to Lavinia. "Okay. What the actual hell is this?"

Lavinia, for once, didn't have an immediate answer. She tilted her head, staring at the hut with the same confused expression. "Umm… this isn't what I was expecting."

"You think?" Leonardo deadpanned. He crossed his arms. "Is Grauzauberer running low on funds? Because I feel like I'm about to get scammed by an old lady selling fake potions."

Lavinia pouted. "No way! Grauzauberer is super prestigious! Maybe this is a test or… or a trick!"

Leonardo sighed, rubbing his temples. "Great. First, the endless trip, then the creepy forest, and now this." He gestured toward the hut. "Well, since you're the one dragging me here, go ahead. Knock."

Lavinia hesitated for a moment before stepping up to the door and raising her hand. Just as she was about to knock—

CREEEAAAAAK.

The door swung open on its own.

The inside was pitch black.

A cold breeze drifted out from within, carrying the scent of damp wood and something faintly metallic.

Leonardo and Lavinia exchanged glances.

Lavinia forced a nervous chuckle. "Haha… uh, maybe we should—"

Before she could finish, the ground beneath them suddenly shifted. The air rippled, and the hut vanished like an illusion, revealing something far, far different behind it.

And this time, Leonardo's expectations were actually met.

In front of him was a sight that could give Hogwarts a run for its money.

No—it already surpassed that.

What stood before Leonardo and Lavinia was nothing short of breathtaking. A palace so massive that its towering spires pierced the very clouds. The structure shimmered with an ethereal glow, its dark stonework carved with intricate golden runes pulsing faintly like a living thing. Arcane energy flowed through the very air, crackling in unseen currents, making the space feel both surreal and overwhelmingly powerful.

The palace stretched far beyond what the eye could see, with grand archways, floating platforms, and spiraling towers that twisted in ways that defied logic. The entrance alone was an enormous, beautifully adorned gate, its surface shifting between solid metal and translucent light, as if existing in two states at once.

Leonardo slowly exhaled, taking it all in.

"Okay. Now this is what I was expecting."

Lavinia, for once, was equally stunned, her blue eyes sparkling in amazement. "Wooooow… It's like something out of a fairy tale!"

Leonardo smirked. "A fairy tale where witches and warlocks mess with space-time like it's a toy."

Looking around, he noticed that the eerie forest they had been walking through was no longer visible. It was as if they had stepped into an entirely different dimension. The sky above was a deep, endless blue, illuminated by floating, star-like orbs that lazily drifted around the palace. The air was thick with magic, a sensation that tingled against his skin.

Then, without warning—

The palace doors began to open.

A low hum resonated through the ground, and the massive gates slowly parted, revealing a glowing pathway leading inside.

Leonardo took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders. "Well, no turning back now."

Lavinia grabbed his hand excitedly. "Come on! We're finally here!"

With that, they stepped forward, crossing the threshold into the heart of Grauzauberer.

As they finally entered the palace, a grand hallway awaited them. Towering marble pillars lined the path, their surfaces carved with intricate runes that pulsed softly with an eerie blue light. The air was thick with an almost tangible magical presence, humming with an energy that made Leonardo's skin tingle.

However, what immediately drew his attention wasn't the palace's beauty but the figure waiting for them.

Standing in the center of the hallway was a white-scaled lizardman with striking blue accents along his body. He was tall, well over six feet, with a lean yet powerful build. His eyes gleamed with intelligence—sharp, calculating. He was clad in a flowing white mage's robe, adorned with blue sigils that shifted and glowed as if alive. His long tail flicked once as he scrutinized the newcomers with an unreadable expression.

For a moment, silence filled the air.

Then, in a deep, refined voice, the lizardman spoke.

"Welcome to Grauzauberer. You are expected."

Leonardo blinked, tilting his head. "Huh. Didn't think our welcoming committee would be a talking lizard."

Lavinia gasped and smacked his arm. "Leonardo! That's rude!"

The lizardman's expression remained unreadable, though his tail flicked slightly. "I am Seath, one of the high-ranking magi of Grauzauberer." His piercing gaze then shifted. "And you must be Lavinia Reni, I presume."

Lavinia smiled and nodded. "Yes!"

Seath's eyes then landed on Leonardo, and before he could say anything, Lavinia quickly interjected. "He's with me."

For a brief moment, Seath simply stared at Leonardo before giving a small nod.

Without another word, he turned smoothly, gesturing for them to follow. "Come. The chairman is waiting."

As they walked deeper into the palace, Leonardo couldn't shake the feeling that Seath's gaze never truly left him—as if the lizardman was already dissecting his very existence.

Now, they stood before a massive door.

The long, nerve-wracking walk through the palace had been tense—not because of any threats, but because of the magicians they had passed along the way.

They weren't stopped, questioned, or even acknowledged. The robed figures merely glanced at them before turning away, continuing in hushed conversations. Their voices barely carried, their expressions serious, calculating. It was as if something far more important was occupying their minds.

Even Lavinia, usually bubbly and full of energy, had grown quieter, sticking closer to Leonardo as they approached their destination.

Now, with the towering doors looming before them—engraved with golden sigils pulsing softly, exuding an overwhelming magical pressure—it was clear.

Whatever lay beyond this door… was something truly significant.

Seath turned to them, his piercing gaze landing on Leonardo. "Beyond this door is the chairman. Make sure to mind your words."

Leonardo raised a brow but smirked. "No promises."

With a wave of Seath's hand, the doors began to creak open.

Inside the room sat a middle-aged man behind an ornate desk, his presence instantly commanding attention.

His slicked-back hair was a striking mixture of red and blue, blending seamlessly in a way that almost seemed unnatural—like fire and ice coexisting. His beard followed the same pattern, a perfect balance between the two colors.

But what stood out the most were his eyes.

Heterochromatic—his left eye a deep, piercing blue, while the right glowed with a vivid crimson. The contrast was mesmerizing, weird yet strangely elegant.

The man exuded an air of mystery, the kind that made it impossible to tell what he was thinking. He wasn't just sitting—he was observing and analyzing. His very presence felt like an enigma wrapped in power.

Leonardo met his gaze, already knowing this man was not to be underestimated.

"I was expecting you a little earlier today, Miss Reni, but it looks like you were occupied with something," the man spoke in a quiet tone—yet one that commanded attention.

His gaze briefly shifted from Lavinia to Leonardo, lingering for only a second before returning to her.

"I am Mephisto Pheles, the acting chairman of this fine establishment," he continued, a proud smile gracing his lips as he gestured vaguely around them.

There was a certain playfulness in his expression, yet underneath it lay an undeniable authority. He was someone who saw and knew more than he let on.

"You wait outside, Seath, while I have a nice chat with these young magi," Mephisto said casually, waving his hand in dismissal. 

Seath gave a small nod, and without hesitation and a word, he turned and exited the room, the door shutting behind him with an eerie finality.

Leonardo's eyes followed the lizardman's departure before shifting back to Mephisto, who was now fully focused on them, his heterochromatic gaze brimming with amusement.

"So," Mephisto leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "Why don't you tell me about your journey till here? I bet it was an interesting one," he spoke to Lavinia while eyeing Leonardo.

Lavinia perked up at the question, her usual bright smile returning. "Oh! It was amazing! Well, a little creepy at first—since the forest was super quiet—but then we found this weird hut that turned out to be an illusion! And then—"

As she excitedly recounted their journey, Leonardo remained silent, watching Mephisto carefully. He could tell the man was more interested in observing than listening. His eyes flicked between them, analyzing, calculating.

Leonardo wasn't an idiot—he knew when someone was sizing him up.

Mephisto chuckled, clearly amused. "Ah, yes. The entrance illusion. It has been a long time since anyone used it. It was once a test for young magicians—there were even monsters to fight—but we stopped using it ages ago. Still, I'm glad you enjoyed the experience."

Leonardo and Lavinia exchanged confused looks.

Lavinia's jaw dropped. "Glenda did what?!"

Mephisto chuckled again, clearly amused by her reaction. "She was rather insistent. Said something about 'experiencing the old ways' and 'building character.'" He rested his chin on his hand. "I must admit, I was curious to see how you'd react."

Lavinia groaned, slumping forward. "She always does this! And she didn't even tell me why!"

Leonardo, on the other hand, just scoffed. "Figures. I should've known there was no real reason for that long trek."

Lavinia pouted. "I should have known… She always does things like this without explaining anything!"

Mephisto's eyes gleamed with amusement, but then, his gaze shifted, sharpening ever so slightly as he regarded Leonardo. "Now, while Lavinia's presence here is expected…" He clasped his hands together, tilting his head. "Yours, on the other hand, is rather intriguing."

Leonardo felt the weight of Mephisto's stare. It wasn't openly hostile, but there was an undeniable sense of scrutiny behind those heterochromatic eyes—like the man was peeling back layers of his existence just by observing him.

Lavinia, ever the optimist, quickly spoke up. "Oh! Leonardo's really talented! He's super strong, and I know he'll be a great addition to Grauzauberer!" She beamed at Leonardo as if she had just given the best possible endorsement.

Mephisto raised an eyebrow, his smile never wavering. "Is that so?"

Leonardo smirked, resting his chin on his hand. "I don't know about a great addition, but I'll admit—I'm not exactly weak."

Mephisto leaned forward slightly, studying him with interest. "Confidence is good." Then, his tone shifted, just a bit more serious. "But tell me, young man—why do you wish to join Grauzauberer?"