DxD : Emiya Shirou

It is the light that continues to shines in the darkest of nights. Our defiance at those who will try to extinguish the good in us all. Our honor that will never be stained.

Though forged by inhuman hand, by the will of the planet itself, it was crafted from the desires of mankind, the crystallization of our wishes. Born from our very hearts and it is the greatest of mankind's fantasy given form.

"Hahahaha, look at you! You've grown into an old Granny, Griselda!"

"Shut up Luka" She muttered at the apparitions before her though the fondness in her voice was unmistakable as she gazed into the forms of her three lost friends.

Once they were four and they traveled the globe, going on adventure after adventure. Rescuing innocents, battle monsters and defying Evil before partying the night away after every battle. They were Heroes in every meaning of the word. Such was their adventures that their tales have been made legend.

But even legends must end sometime.

"Truly time has taken its toll on you oh fair Griselda." The well well-dressed man in a green tunic with a pair of old specs adoring his face gave her a bow. Even as he bent his body forward he never released the old leather-bound book from his ink-stained hands.

"Are you two sure that's really Griselda? She looks so old with all of those wrinkles, there is no way it can be her." Though the teasing smile on the raven haired beautify belied her words. Her long curled tresses ran down her back down to her waist where a pair of swords hung off her belt.

"It's been 40 years since you guys died. Of course I've grown old." Though her voice was gruff, she wore a fragile smile on her face as she stared up at them. A pair of old callused fingers rubbed against her tear filled eyes.

"Hahahaha, yeah well sorry about that." A brown haired youth laughed out, as if their death was only a mere inconvenience. Dressed up in an old pilot jacket, with a pair of goggle on his head. Over his back he strapped a large claymore that was almost as long as he was tall. 

"Well, we're here right now, all together again at last." He stretched a hand "Well come on, let's go, another adventure awaits. It's been too long since we've been on our last one."

She smiled forlornly back up at him but didn't take his hands "I'm old Luka, my Adventure is long over."

"What are you talking about?" he shot her a perplexed look before throwing his arms in the air. "The Adventure is NEVER OVER! As long as we keep on fighting, it will never end. Because even when we have completed this one, what awaits us at our journey's end is merely the start of another!"

"So stop your complaining Griselda and let's GO!" He thrusts his hand out towards her again, "Let's return to our high sea of adventure. The start of our new journey has just begun."

Exasperated laughter escaped her lips, while a far younger Griselda smiled fondly up at the idiot before her. "Still an idiot I see." But still, this time she did not hesitate to reach out and clasped her hand with his.

...

It was the blade of mankind's most beloved Lord, the greatest of all Kings. The actualization of her ideals and the symbol of her heroism, it was, and still is her greatest and most powerful Noble Phantasm.

To look upon its light is to gaze upon the Glory that mankind can achieve. And so long as it shines, we shall remember and never forget what we had once achieved, so that we can strive for it again.

As Kiba looked upon the sword, its light bathing his form in a warm gold, his face held a look of utter in incomprehension. "Was that… was that what I wanted to destroy?"

"Live."

He looked down at the scene before him, as the ghost of his old friends laughed with innocent joy and played in the fields of grass, chasing the golden fireflies in some game of tag.

One of them, Lillian, the oldest and big sister of his old group of friends, had walked out of the throng of playing children and approached him. And now as she stood before him, she repeated her words.

"Live," she urged as she smiled kindly at his kneeling form, "Kiba- Live. Please for us, you must live."

He stared dumbly at her, as comprehension dawned on him while tears continued to fall down his face.

"What…what have I been doing?" He asked himself, looking down at his empty palms. "Have I… Have I really been living? Have what I been doing can really be called living?"

...

Kokabiel looked on in wonderment at the boy that stood with a sword crafted from the light of the human soul in his hands, a light that he had only seen the like of come from one other individual before.

"You claim to seek the spirit of Man. Then rejoice for you're gazing upon it.

"Here in my very hands, I hold what you have been searching a millennia for." The red-haired boy called out as he looked into the eyes of the Fallen before him. "It was what God saw in us, the very pinnacle of the man's spirit. Now, hear its name-"

He raised the sword over his head and he yelled out,

"EX-

It pierced the heavens, clearing the very skies from clouds. The light that shot out of the blade was incomparable to what it was before, unmatched by anything else the Fallen had seen before as it brushed the very end of sky with its light.

And as Kokabiel looked upon it, the nostalgic light that reminded him so much of his father, an old memory from long ago came unbidden.

"You've taken their form again." A melodically voice echoed through a roofless Hall that exposed itself to the clear blue skies overhead.

An inhumanly beautiful man walked from around one of the marble columns that decorated these hallowed halls. He had an ageless appearance though anyone can tell he was young with a single glance. 

With such clear innocent blue eyes that adorned his face, unknowing of the worst of life's hardships, ones that belong only on the most of guileless of children, assured that.

"Are they really that interesting?" He asked as he approached a figure of an older man. He sat crossed legged near an edge of pool located in the heart of the hall. "Those humans of yours. Are they really that interesting that you never get bored watching them, Father?"

The elder man gave a clearly exaggerated sigh of exasperation before turning to look at his son. "Kokabiel, how many times must I tell you? When we are alone you're to call me Dad. Really, what did I do to deserve such an overly respectful son?"

The young Kokabiel shook his head in amused as he answered, "Right, right Dad. Another one of your human expression that you've picked up?"

Kokabiel walked up to the edge of the pool and looked down at the milling villagers that were reflected upon its surface before he shook his head.

"I don't understand, what do you find so fascinating about such beings?" He tilted his head to one side as he squinted down at the reflected image, as if by doing so he'll see something he couldn't before. 

"Even when you're needed elsewhere, I know that you always leave a part of you behind to watch over them. I've tried to look for what you see in them but I can't find anything remarkable enough for you to give more than a passing interest, let alone all the attention you've given them."

"That because you don't know that to look for." His Father didn't look up from the lake. "Give it time and you'll see, I'm sure of it. And if you give it even more time, one day these little humans that everyone keeps overlooking will outshine even myself. You'll see."

"Outshine you? Impossible." He spoke with all the surety of the young.

God let loose a small chuckle of laughter, "So naive, sometimes with all your wisdom I forget how young you really are Kokabiel." He held a hand out over the lake, fingers outstretched. "I am only one my son, while they are many. The sun may outshine a candle's flame but gather enough of them together and they will surely outshine the sun."

He lowered his hand, his expression and voice taking an oddly somber tone as he turned to look up to his son that stood dutifully beside him. "Hey, Kokabiel. These little children, they may grow strong one day but right now they're still weak. Until they're fully grown they're bound to get into a lot of trouble. When that happens be sure to watch out for them, ok?"

Kokabiel shrugged, "I don't see why I need to watch over them with you here." But when he looked down to see his Father still looking up to him he smiled.

"But sure Dad, I'll watch out for them. I'd have done so even if you hadn't asked." His cheeks flushed red as he blushed and his smile turned oddly embarrassed. 

"After all, just like me they're your child too. That makes them my little brothers and sisters right?" He thumped a fist to his chest, the wide yet embarrassed smile never leaving his face. 

"Then as their big brother there is no way I'm ever going to let them get hurt."

-CALIBUR!

The sword descend, sending a colossal beam of light straight at him.

Instead of dodging Kokabiel stared at it, his eyes gleaming with unshed tears. "Can you see them Father? Look at how they shine, brighter than you ever did." His voice almost disbelieving despite himself. Then laughter spilled from his lips.

"You were right!" He laughed with pure unadulterated joy and threw his arms out in welcome as if embracing the approaching light. He yelled out just as it enveloped his form, with tears spilling from his eyes. "Father! You were right!"

And then he was gone.

Disappearing within the light he spent most of his life seeking.

And at long last the loyal Son returns to his beloved Father's side.

It may have been but a trick of the light, nothing but a wishful illusion. But just for a moment before the light enveloped him it appeared that Kokabiel's raven wings had maybe, just maybe, flickered to the colour of purest white.

...

The air above the empty courtyard of the prestigious Kuoh Academy began to distort, twisting as if space was being folded into itself before, with a bright flash of light, the Devils, humans and the small handful of Fallen remaining were dumped into the ground.

Unseen by all, there was one other person that appeared along with them.

Standing on the rooftop from where they were deposited stood a slim-figured grey haired youth. The youth was dressed up in a new and immaculate male Kaou Academy uniform and had a long black hilted Nodachi attached at the waist.

A gust of wind blew over the rooftop causing the long ponytailed grey hair to drift in the wind and shimmer like silver under the moon-light.

"Well…" grey-eyes wide with surprise stared down at the red-haired Devil bellow before they narrowed to thin slits and a wicked smile came over the youth's face. "Wasn't that something?"

On the back of the figure's left arm, a small emerald jewel flashed twice in apparent agreement from where it was embedded in a crimson red gauntlet.

...

Hey guys I really need you to throw some power Stones ;)

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