For Terra in Excelsior

Awakening to a new world full of the unexpected.

There must come a moment when the soul knows: this far, and no further. But we are cursed never to hear that warning until it is too late.

Attributed to the Remembrancer Ignace Karkasy M 31

Terra circa unknown. 'Guessed to be 785 M -1 by later scholars.'

Malta

The ritual circle was finally complete. It had been painstaking work for the shamans and their apprentices. Fifteen cycles of the sun and moon over the heads of the humans who had drawn it. The circles gleamed with symbols in many languages each written with one singular purpose for the ceremony that was to come. It had been a struggle for the head shaman, a struggle that had caused much grief for those who would participate in its conclusion on this day. They were waiting for the final few members of the coven to arrive from far distant lands to the east of the landmass that was to be the site of this undertaking. The head nodded to several other shamans who were sitting outside their great work. They could see the fear on their faces of what was to come if they did not carry out this ritual. The visions of that dark future that had shown itself to all the shamans.

It had caused many of the weaker-willed members of the coven to end their own lives even though it was clear what would be their fate should they do such an act. The stronger ones had met psychically many times and discussed the options available to them when a course of action had been finally agreed upon. It had been to meet in person and perform this ritual. They were going to prevent that lingering nightmare from ever forming even if would be their individual ends. They had been the silent watchmen of their species attending to the ills inflicted upon them physically and spiritually. It was still early in the day with the sun rising in the west showering the land around the hill they stood on in beautiful golden light.

Just like the one they had foreseen. The last straggling members of the coven

made their way up the hill in that light. They brought the needed last numbers

for the great work. As the sun continued to rise, lighting up the hill, the

project began. Words chanted in many tongues were sung pouring the collective

psychic essences into the ground powering up the written words drawn upon it.

When the sun reached midday, the grim task began. The head shaman moved from their position at the center of the circle and reached the first of her comrades

at what would be the twelve on a clock. She draws a wicked-looking bone knife before she brought the blade up to the throat of the first sacrifice.

With only a single cut straight and clean across the head shaman started their bloody work. The body of the first dropped to the ground inside the circle. A look of extreme sadness crossed the face of the leader before moving to the next one. So, it continued each shaman falling to the ground unceremoniously as their throat was cut. No one to remember their names, faces, or legacies and deeds that had been given to the communities of humanity from which they had come. They had all agreed that this was preferable to what was to come. That future had to never occur.

The bodies continued dropping and the ceremony did not falter in its purpose.

As the last shaman fell to the ground the head stepped into the middle of the

circle again. She raised the blood-stained knife to her own throat and just

before the cut was made shouted out a sentence that was their collective plea

to the one who would save them all. The knife made the cut straight and clean

just like all the others, her body fell and joined the nine hundred and ninety-nine

others in death's embrace. Thus passed the shaman coven of ancient Terra disappearing into the abyss never to reemerge spiritually or physically again.

The ritual had also been designed to forcefully suppress the psychic potential of the species for a time until it was ready to join the golden one in protecting their species from a harsh and uncaring galaxy. The shamans however had not considered one important thing. What if the vision they had seen of that dark and depressing future was not of their own reality? What if it was the ghost of another whose future was already determined brought to them on the skeins of

fate through a broken hole in the fabric of reality by the fickle and unpredictable nature of the immaterium's branching influences through this cluster of the multiverse? That thought had never crossed their minds and

probably would have never crossed the participants' thoughts for they were a

young species not yet knowledgeable in the understanding of the warp.

This ritual and its consequences would lead to something that no one could have

predicted. Not the other side that would remain in the dark with its strange

and unusual beings that would begin to populate the world alongside humanity. Not even the Gods themselves could have seen or even have stopped the outcome. No one could see what would be the results that were to come.

City of Kuoh Japan M 2 1995

General hospital room 195. 7:00 am

The sun was slowly rising over the city of Kuoh, its gold, and red beams of solar light were truly a sight to behold by anyone awake and moving. The first beams of that life were hitting a large somewhat dated white building that had a sign reading

Kuoh General Hospital in Kanji. On the second floor of the five-floor building

was a room and in said room was a small group of people who were not able to

enjoy the start of this new day. In fact, for two of the occupants of the room it would either lead to great joy or to more heartbreak. The first of the duo was holding his wife's hand showering her with love and support as she was lying on a maternity hospital bed screaming her lungs out as the contractions

continued. The man's name is Gorou Hyoudou and today he was to become a father again. Gorou was a man making the transition from being a young man to a man beginning to reach middle age. He had short brown hair that was cut close to his head with the only strange or unusual thing about his hair being two small strands that were downwards in an almost v-like shape. He wore glasses thatcovered his warm brown eyes that gazed at his wife with distinct worry.

He winced slightly as his hand was being crushed by his wife as another round of

pain hit. His eyes met hers an unspoken word of I love you I'm here passed

between them. Before wincing more openly as his hand was again crushed by the

strength of his wife as another contraction came. Laying on the bed was one

Miki Hyoudou. The also brown-haired and brown eyes happily married wife of

Gorou. She was like her husband beginning the move from young adult to middle

age. That move however had not diminished her beauty and kindness. No, it had

started to refine both into showing to the world that here was a person who was

a shining example of a good person. The couple were just that good people,

their neighbors never had a single dreadful thing to say about them. They were

pillars of the community in which they both lived but they had long carried in

their hearts a silent pain. Miki had been pregnant before. Twice in fact, but

both times the child that was to be had not come into the world breathing. Miscarriages that had made this couple's otherwise amazing lives feel hollow and empty.

The reason for the tragedies was that Miki had a medical condition that made it harder for her to have children. It was something that had led to countless nights of her weeping into the early hours of the morning while being held by her husband who never blamed her for anything that had happened. When she discovered nine months ago that she was pregnant again the overwhelming joy of the news had been tempered by the harsh remembrance of the past. However, they were certain that this time instead of tragedy this time it would be the start of something new and beautiful. They had read up on ways to help ensure that this time would be different, done step-by-step exercises, eaten healthier than ever before,and had in a rare moment of their mostly secular lives prayed to the Shinto for a safe delivery. The moment of truth was about to be foretold. The screaming

increased in intensity, Miki's voice was beginning to crack, and with the

doctor's calm and collected urging. A little body came into the world. For a

moment, the tiny baby did not cry. The couple saw this and their hearts fell

close to the abyss of despair. However, that moment of silence had ended as

quickly as it began as the baby took its first breath and let out a cry that was for the parents wondrous to behold.

"It's a handsome boy Mr. and Mrs. Hyoudou."

 The doctor said an extremely happy smile crossing his face, one that was shared by the newly minted parents. A choked wet greatly reduced voice came from Miki.

 "May I please hold him?"

The doctor smiled wide.

"Of course, Mrs. Hyoudou, I was just about to bring him to you."

 The still wailing baby was passed to his mother's arms her face tired and tearstained. Her hazel eyes looked at her son, the one who had now completed her world.

"He's so handsome Gorou. Just like you."

The words made the new father start weeping in pure joy along with his wife. This was the single happiest moment in his entire life. They had triumphed against the odds, and it would only get better from here on out. The man gazed upon his son and noticed the little tuffs of hair brown as freshly tilled soil on the boy's head.

"He has your hair, Miki."

 The baby continued his wailing and when he opened his eyes staring into that of his parents, they noticed with surprise that instead of their eye color of a brown similar to their hair, it was instead a brown that was in truth closer to golden in its hue. The crying stopped as the baby continued to glance at his parents.

For a moment, the two new parents could have sworn that his eye color turned completely golden before it returned to its original color. It was just a trick of the eye both parents decided almost instantaneously. A result of their exhaustion that had come from the delivery and relief of their child's entrance into the world. Miki began rocking the baby and within a few moments, their son fell asleep.

"What should we name him Gorou? We could never agree on a name, and we did want it to be a surprise on what gender they would be."

The parents sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes deep in contemplation. "How about Asahi?"

Miki shook her head at the name.

"It's a good name, but I don't think it feels right. Maybe Juzo after your father?"

This time it was Gorou's turn to shake his head.

 "As much as my father would like that I'm not sure that it would fit him. Maybe Issei?"

 Something seemed to sing in the new parents' souls with the name.

"Issei... Issei, that's his name I love it dear; hello Issei I am your mommy."

Gorou smiled at the baby too.

 "And I'm your father son."

Both parents gazed at the sleeping baby boy as he snoozed afraid that if they looked away this tiny miracle would disappear, and they would wake up from this to see that it was nothing but a dream. This was no dream, and reality would show itself soon enough.

City Of Kuoh 1996

The first year of Issei Hyoudou's life on earth was a turbulent journey of the

highs and lows of a typical baby. He wet his diaper often, giggled frequently at the antics that occurred inside the Hyoudou residence, and was a happy baby who made his folks treasure every moment with their miracle child. He had surprised his parents with how quiet he was rarely crying or making a fuss. It had made the lives of his parents' calmer than what the parenting books had said was normal for a baby. They had been worried, wondering if there was something wrong with him but that fear had never materialized. Issei did fulfill the part of curiosity and then blasted past it. He was always watching the adults never taking his eyes off of them. SometimesMiki and Gorou almost felt like their child would watch them with a hyperintense focus that they could have sworn was like that of a full-grown

adult. There were a few other strange things about their child that they began

noticing as time went on. Miki had been in the kitchen preparing food for Issei

when the sound of a plate smashing on the kitchen floor was heard. Miki turned

around quickly and saw that the plate that she had bought out of the cupboard

and placed on the table had fallen to the floor. She didn't know how that

happened and just assumed that she had placed the plate too close to the edge.

She would have considered that a one-time incident had it not happened several

more times. Issei had also shown that he was a very quick learner. Saying his

first word at 7 months. It had warmed his parents' hearts hearing that word,

momma. He would use that word many times and it had been a great day for Miki

and Gorou. That had seemed to unlock something in their son and soon was learning other words at an increasingly fast rate. He learned potty training quickly too along with many other things that the books had stated would take time such as crawling and then walking which Issei managed at 8 months and 9 months,

respectively. It wasn't long before Issei became a little always curious terror

asking a million questions per minute determined to learn everything and anything he could. It was an exhausting experience, but his parents wouldn't change anything.

 City of Kuoh 1997-2001

The Hyoudou family's lives had continued without pause in the years following 1996. Issei continued to surprise his parents at every turn. His inclination to ask questions constantly had transformed him into a mini scholar. He had become a studious boy never not found without a book in his hand after learning how to read at an incredibly early age. This had finally made his folks coin him as a genius and soon Issei's room was filled with bookshelves upon bookshelves of books that ranged from the first books for young children to later books on fantasy and science fiction.

Issei enjoyed science fiction the most. Fantasy was alright but didn't

seem to hold or completely capture his attention. He would often talk his

parents' ears off about space and its many wonders. He would describe the many

places that his mind had cooked up in great detail. Many of these descriptions were incredibly strange however such as worlds that were covered in megacities or worlds that were filled with primal tribes of disparate humans, to worlds that

were still in the medieval age. Issei insisted that they were real places filled with real people, and Issei's parents indulged him with his tales.

When Issei had started school in 1999 it was quickly very apparent that he was far ahead of his peers. However, Issei never spoke down to his classmates despite this and was one of the most sociable kids that many of the schools' minders and teachers had seen. However, Issei had few real friends only two in fact. The first was a young boy who had been incredibly shy and withdrawn from his peers. Issei had marched over to him grabbed some building blocks and had set to work making a tower that had finally caught the interest of the shy boy. The two of them had played with those blocks for half an hour before the boys' parents had picked him up from school. The once shy boy had been babbling eagerly to Issei and when he had finally left with his parents Issei had asked.

"What's your name?"

The other boy had quickly turned and said loudly.

"I'm Akio Watanabe, let's be friends forever!"

 Akio had become a fast staple of Issei's life and become the friend that he would trust with everything. Akio had also been the one who had instigated an event that

brought Issei and Akio's other friend into their lives. One day at school Issei

and Akio had been playing with a bouncy ball passing it back and forth to each other when Akio noticed that a small group of the boys that were in the year ahead of them were gathering around another child who looked like they were in the two boys' year. It was hard to tell if the kid was a boy or a girl and when they began shaking from whatever the group of boys was saying, Akio poked Issei. With one look the two of them made their way over to the bullies before shouting.

"Hey! Leave that kid alone!"

 The bullies had been surprised with the words before their leader looked at the two boys who had come over.

"Get lost Pipsqueaks. This doesn't concern you."

That had not deterred the two younger boys and when they didn't leave one of the bullies suddenly charged them and punched Akio in the stomach. Akio groaned and fell to his knees. Something clicked within Issei and seeing his friend hurt pushed the brown-haired boy into action.

In less than a few seconds, Issei had attacked the instigators with a quick

punch that sent one of the bullies flying backward. A second and then third

punches hit two of the other bullies throwing them away and making the other

two aggressors look at Issei with wide eyes. One broke and ran from the group

while the leader had looked on impressed before he went on the attack. Issei

took multiple hits from the leader and those hits that should have put down a

boy Issei's age didn't seem to faze him. With a single powerful punch, Issei

decked the leader, breaking his nose and knocking one of his teeth out as the

older boy fell to the floor and didn't get up.

"What is going on here?!!!"

That was the voice of the minder that was assigned to the schoolyard that day, her eyes looking at the violence that had occurred on their watch. She turned to Issei and Akio who had by now gotten back on his feet and the minder narrowed her eyes at the scene before her. Five older children were on the ground around a child who looked to have been crying and what looked to be two boys from the crying child's year. It wasn't hard to piece together what had happened.

"You three are coming with me."

 The minder gathered the children up and with the blow of a whistle another of the

minders came over this time a young man seeing the situation at hand began

gathering up the five bullies who were moaning in pain. The first minder

marched the children inside the school building before having them sit in

chairs in front of the office of the principal.

"Stay here and don't move a muscle."

 The minder had said before entering the office. And so the three had sat and waited until after what seemed to be an eternity later for the kids, three groups of adults were hurrying their way down the hall over to their children.

Issei knew who four of them were and had correctly guessed that the last pair of adults were the crying kid's parents. Five minutes later the door to the office opened and the minder appeared and gestured for the nine to come in. Chairs had been placed before an oaken desk and behind the desk was a stern-faced woman with dark black hair that was beginning to show the tiniest hints of sliver. Her eyes were looking at the assembly of children and adults with a grimace. The principal looked to the minder and gave the slightest nod of her head when the cacophony of voices from the six parents had ceased after demanding to know what had happened.

The minder went on to describe the events in the courtyard and Issei and Akio's parents were both amazed and dismayed by what was told to them. The two unknown parents had been angry and had demanded to know what would be done to the bullies who had started this. The principal has assured them that the five older boys would receive harsh punishments. The older woman's gaze had

then fallen on Issei and Akio. For a moment Issei could have sworn that he heard a whisper of a voice that sounded like the principal's saying that the two younger boys in front of her were giant brave idiots who were doing the right thing but idiots, nevertheless. The punishment had been harsh Akio and Issei would be forced to stay inside the school during outdoor breaks for two weeks helping the janitors clean up the school. The boys held their heads in

shame and took the walk with their parents after the meeting ended.

The car ride home had been cold and silent for Issei. His parents did not say a single word to him for the rest of the day. It was when Issei had been about to head to sleep that his father and mother had finally said something.

"We are disappointed in you Ise. Violence is not always the answer."

A moment passed before a small smile passed onto their faces.

 "However, you did do a good thing today. Standing up for someone even though you didn't know their name for that we are proud of you."

 When Issei showed up to the point where he and Akio had been told to come to for the start of the two's punishment. He was very surprised to see the kid that they had stood up for there and waiting for them with a small broom in their hands.

Now that Issei could get a proper look at them he noticed now that it was a

girl with such short brown hair that she could have passed for a boy done up in

the beginnings of twin tails. She looked at Akio and then Issei before saying.

"Thank you. For what you both did yesterday."

She glanced nervously to the ground before looking back at the two boys and seemingly finding her steel, she said.

"I'm Irina Shidou. Please take care of me!"

 She then bowed low to them. Issei shook his head at the display before he gently took Irina's hand.

"Friends don't have to bow so low to each other."

 Irina's face now level with Issei's and Akko's again lit up with a smile that could blind a lesser person.

"You really consider me a friend?!!!!"

 Akio spoke this time.

"Yeah! Friends look out for each other no matter what!"

 Thus the dyad became a triad that was a brother/sisterhood of the closest of friends. Issei was the bedrock and glue of the three the unofficial leader even though they were all equal in each other's eyes. However, Irina's addition to Issei's life brought with it several strange encounters and feelings over the next two years.

 The first was a strong feeling of disgust whenever the girl or her parents brought

up the topic of religion. Irina's family were very devout Protestants. They did

amazingly good things brought forth by their faith such as when the family volunteered at the local shelters and soup kitchens in Kuoh. Or when they gave their money to charities in good faith that it would be used to better the world. Issei, however, could see the sometimes extremely judgmental attitude that would overcome his friend's parents over things that his parents and Akio's would let slide. The feelings of disgust were muted but always there in a small piece of his mind that was never not present. Issei had followed in his parents' footsteps and believed in the Shinto. He wasn't super devout just like them but every so often he would see the hint of a sneer cross the faces of Irina's parents when his or Akio's would talk with them. He did hear a few times Irina's parents call his own filthy pagans. However, that was never verbally spoken rather just a feeling.

The second incident that happened was when he was with his friend and her folks walking down a street when a feeling of unease swept through Issei. A color of black so deep, and dark was caught out of the corner of his eye on what appeared to be wings on the back of a man that had not been there a moment ago the whisper of a voice caught his ear.

"Found him."

 Before the voice disappeared as fast as it had come.

Another incident that happened was when the trio were at a local park playing in the playground.

Issei felt a slightly uncomfortable presence looking at him. He turned and there sitting on a bench near the playground was a man. His hair was a windswept silver and his one eye a gold while the other was hidden behind an

eyepatch that looked rough and leathery. He met the eye of the man, and he smiled good-naturedly at Issei. Before the eye swept itself over to where several moms and younger women who were talking together adamantly about something.

Issei when had looked into the man's eye had felt like he was being chased by

an apex predator like the ones that he had read of in humanity's ancient past.

The trio had been leaving the park when Issei had seen the old man explaining

something excitedly to two boys who looked his age. One of the boys had glasses

and pointy black hair while the other had a buzz-cut head. The only word from

the loud exchanges Issei could catch was something called Oppai. When he had

gotten home, he had looked up the term on his computer that his parents had

gotten for him last year. The terms search results made him confused deeply

intrigued and somewhat disgusted as it seemed to be viewed solely through a

singular lens. That had been reinforced when he asked his parents about the

term and if people really found it to be that interesting. His mother had

gapped at what had been asked and in the incredibly rare case of physical

punishment, he had ever received. He was slapped across the face by her

demanding to know where he had learned that term. Issei had replied that he had

heard it at the park from a strange old man with an eyepatch. His mom had then

said angered beyond belief to never say that term again until he was much older.

Issei had nodded furiously and then ran back up the stairs to his room. He deleted his search history from his computer and made a vow to not ask about this Oppai ever again. He could have sworn that some part of him was deeply fascinated with the term, but a bigger part was not. A faint ghost of a sound had reached his ears just like when he had been with Irina's parents and again with the principal at school.

 "Good Job."

 The final incident of note was when Issei had been at Irina's home playing a game of make the weirdest animal which he would usually win. His descriptions of the animals that came from his imagination were so fantastical that Irina could not outplay his creativity. Irina's mom had called them down for lunch and when the two had arrived in the family room that was in front of the kitchen.

Issei felt something giving off an aura that many would call holy, but Issei would have called it something completely different. He turned his head to the fireplace

and on the mantle was what looked like a sword. It was masterfully made though

Issei didn't know how he knew that. When he really looks at it the sword was

not a Japanese type of sword but rather a Western-style long sword. So focused

on the weapon was Issei that he didn't notice or hear Irina's father come up right next to him. Instead of saying anything Irina's father merely watched his daughter's friend.

 "It's a beautiful weapon isn't it lad."

 The words made Issei jump. The man noted that while he had jumped it had not been as high as one would expect from a six-year-old caught by surprise.

"Sorry sir. I didn't hear you and yeah, it's a pretty nice sword."

The two stood in silence before the man spoke softly.

"Would you like to hold it? It's a replica weapon. Something I picked up in a trashy tourist spot when we went to Italy last year."

 Issei didn't answer for a moment before he nodded. Irina's father went up to the

sword and gently removed it from the rack holding it, He drew the blade from its scabbard. It was a truly beautiful weapon and Issei could now tell that it was truly a masterly crafted weapon.

"Be careful. Issei it's sharp."

 Issei gently took the sword and without noticing settled into a stance that only

someone who had wielded a blade like a long sword would know of. Irina's father

watched with interest at the stance. Issei could feel the weight of the blade was only a little bit too heavy for him. His dedication to leading a healthy lifestyle as a result of his parents made the boy somewhat of a bigger anomaly at the school. Most of the children didn't exercise outside of the breaks the school allocated them. Issei was so in tune with moving the blade that he was shocked out of the trance-like state by a shout that came from the kitchen.

Issei dropped the blade and accidentally cut himself. The pain was sharp, and Issei yelped a cut being seen on his right arm. Irina's father jumped straight into

action and began to put pressure on the wound. What he saw next amazed him. The cut quickly began closing at an incredibly fast rate before less than a minute

later the injury was gone as it had never been there at all. Irina's father looked at it in amazement before asking Issei.

"You healed fast. Why?"

Issei simply had his eyes closed and his breathing a little heavy.

"I don't know. I have always been like that. My parents and I don't understand it."

The man looked up and down the boy's face searching for the hint of a lie. When he could find none, he nodded.

"I see."

There was a pause before Issei's friend's father gently took the sword back from him. Placing it back on its rack. He gently guided the boy to the kitchen to clean up the blood. Issei and Akio left about two hours later and when night fell on the Shidou house Irina's father made a call to his work.

"I found something amazing today your worship."

The voice on the other end of the telephone was very intrigued by the sheer excitement that she could hear in the agent's voice.

"What did you find?"

 The man pushed on.

"I think I have found an excellent recruit for the cause."

That surprised the woman recruits from where her agent was stationed were incredibly rare with most of the population of Japan believing not in the one true god but rather the backward simulacrum that they took for gods. Her agent continued.

"Yes, a recruit. There is a young boy who is friends with my daughter. He caught my attention when earlier this year he single-handedly stopped five boys in the year above him from bullying her at the school they attend. He injured all of them with but a single punch. I thought that maybe he had one of the gears that increases a person's strength but now I'm convinced that his gear is something else entirely. He was here today and noticed my sword. He was gazing at it so intently that he didn't hear when I approached him. On a whim, I offered to let him hold the blade and when he held the blade something within him jump-started and he held that blade in a way that spoke of experience."

That was definitely something that the woman would have never believed if it had been from any other but Touji. Her agent continued,however.

"The boy was so invested in the sword moving it so well that I was about to ask him if he had had lessons before, but a shout broke his concentration, and the blade nicked his right arm."

The woman winced at that confession but before she could ask if the boy was ok Touji continued to talk.

 "I was moving forward with some cloth ready to put pressure on the wound when I watched as a miracle from the lord took place. The wound closed completely in

less than a minute the bleeding after 25 seconds. I think that this boy might

have two gears, perhaps sword birth and maybe one of the regeneration ones that must be powerful enough to do that."

The woman's mouth had now completely dropped to the floor. A human with two of the lord's gears was so incredibly rare that the number of recorded instances of that happening was less than fifty in all of history.

 "How old is the child Touji?"

 The eagerness in her voice tempered with that of the philosophy of the 12-winged one she served.

"Five going on six, madam do I have permission to approach the parents and inquire if he and they would like to convert and begin serving the lord!"

The woman could hear how eager and ready her agent was waiting for the answer wit bated breath. She hesitated and considered her options. This child could be the next advantage that the church and Heaven had been looking for. The Cold War between the big three had continued to drag onward with no hint of cooling down. It was why things such as the creation of the Siegfried Institute and the new holy sword project had been approved by the leaders of the Christian faiths. The other two factions had also been stepping up their own efforts to match and then outpace the church and Heaven. This would be a decision that she alone could not make. Kangelia, a four-winged angel of heaven finally answers her subordinate.

"I can't give you a go-ahead Toiji. I'll have a full discussion with my superiors and will call back in an hour."

The silence that followed was tangible, but Toiji finally spoke his disappointment the answer he wanted right away notable in his response.

 "Of course, madam, I eagerly await the response."

With those words, the call ended. Kangelia sighed her agent was sometimes too zealous for his own good. Seeing only the short-term gains which was good for an exorcist was not conducive to more serious work higher up the chain. Setting the phone down the four-winged angel opened a magical communication to her superior up in Heaven. The call rang for but a moment before it was answered.

"Hello, Kangelia. What can I help you with?"

The four-winger swallowed and then began her report. When she finished the stillness of the other end was telling of the shock they probably felt and after what seemed to be an hour, her boss spoke.

"This child sounds as if he truly is blessed by father. His recruiting would be fortuitous and very well could be the thing that could help in our struggle. I, however, do not think we should move forward with this plan. Not yet anyway."

 The order was as Kangelia expected. Her mistress was the head of a small but

growing peace faction that was getting tired of the fighting that had continued on after the end of the Great War. Kangelia was also a member of the faction, however she was mostly on the fence about peace. She was tired of losing field agents to the other two and even more tired of all the pointless back-and-forth fighting in small skirmishes in the field and behind closed doors. The wounds of the war, the physical mental, and ever-present spiritual have not yet left her.

"What should we do my lady?"

Gabriel, one of the four Great Seraphs of Heaven replied with a sadness in her voice that all that heard it would have joined in with its grief.

"The child is too young. We will recruit him when he reaches the age of 7. Let him enjoy a little bit of peace before we drag him into the mud and grime of our problems. I also want you to assign one of our brothers or sisters to watch him at this time so that no one should threaten that peace. Can you do that for me Kangelia?"

 "Of course, my lady I am as loyal to you as I am to Michael and father. I obey."

 The voice of Gabriel took a happier tone.

"Thank you, sister. I'll let you go for the night may father bless you in all that you do."

"May Father bless you too my lady."

 The line was cut and Kangelia made another call before reaching to the phone to her agent about his next orders. The future that seemed clear for young Issei was laid out now certain as stone however the skeins of fate were always in motion never stopping ceasing, a single crack would change everything.

City of Kuoh Japan Hyoudou residence 9:00 pm

Mekinia a two-winged angel of heaven was quietly relaxing at her watchpoint that was in view of the front part of the home of a human that had somehow caught the attention of the church and Heaven. The assignment had been boring to the extreme. Melkinia understood why it had been given. The target was supposed to be someone who was incredibly special and with the Cold War between the big three still ongoing they needed to watch and protect potential assets. Thankfully, this snore fest was almost over. The asset's birthday was in a day then an exorcist agent that was in the area would make the offer, and the asset would finally join the forces of light. Melkinia was the best watcher from the angels of heaven that was deployed to the eastwhere the Abrahamic faiths were the minority instead of a majority like in most of the rest of the world. However, Melkinia had made a mistake today that would be a breaker of the branch. She had gone to a restaurant in the nearby district that she had come to enjoy greatly and there had been served a delicious meal of pocky and rice not noticing that the food had contained an ingredient that was making her extra sleepy and sluggish tonight. It had been at around 10.15 that Melkinia finally passed from reality to the world of dreams.

She would never wake up again. The ingredient ingested by the angel was not just making her sleepy it had been killing her slowly but steadily. In the forest that was behind the residential district that contained the Hyoudou home a magic circle

opened and out from it came three individuals. The first was a tall woman with

pale skin, green eyes, and snow-white hair that was cut short. She was the leader of this operation and quickly took to the skies on with jet-black wings.

She did a thorough search in the air around their quarry. The woman easily spotted her at the moment still-living counterpart. The fallen one threw a fireball at the helpless woman. The flames ate at the body cooking it quickly down to its bones before all that was left of the pure angel had been a single feather blown away from the pile of ash.

'Satisfying.'

Thought the fallen angel and with that done she descended to the ground to where her two comrades had been busy putting up wards that would keep the normals away long enough for their mission's completion.

Landing at the entry point the fallen looked to the main builder of the wards a magician that went by the code name Argus. The man had a short and slightly fat figure that would lead you to believe he was out of shape and overweight. That was the key to his many victories the form he wore for the

world to see was a lie a well-crafted lie that made Argus a dangerous opponent

to fight. He was a master warder, and few people could crack the products he

made making him an incredible asset for Grigori.

Next to him was the last member of the team a grim-faced satyr who was the melee specialist of the team. His name was Pantier, and he was one of only a hundred satyrs left in the world outside Mount Olympus's protective reach. The satyr carried a massive bronze war scythe enchanted with long-forgotten Greek runes that made the weapon abane for any who challenged him. He had joined Grigori because it was the faction most open to the recruitment of those not of the Abrahamic faiths. The Governor-General had long made use of those from other mythologies to help compensate for the core fallen angels' few numbers. Pantier had been with Grigori since the second half of the Great War and its end had brought up disgust within the satyr which was how he had joined the faction that was waiting within Grigori. The one that they were a part of and all who were waiting for the day that was to come very eager to follow through with his vision. Anavie looked at the magician.

"It's done, Argus?"

The human let his hands drop the wards finally done.

"Of course, Vie. Have I ever given reason for doubt?"

 The human's voice was full of giddy anticipation. He was a high-functioning

psychopath, and it always made his illusion fade on his face for but a moment reveling skin that was sandpaper-like before the lie returned. A tick in the magic he used that had never been fixed.

"You have not."

She replied before looking at Pantier. The unasked question was immediately answered,

"The gas main is damaged and will explode with the right amount of fire."

The satyr's smile was made worse by the shark-like teeth in his mouth that he had serrated to fine points.

 "Want to watch Vie? I bet we will take out a good number of the homes in the neighborhood."

Anavie was shockingly the most stable member of the team, not because of being normal no. It was because she was a sociopath who could not feel a hint of emotion and had never felt empathy for anyone or anything. She was the leader because of her uncaring analytical mind not beset with the weakness that was empathy. This team was a match made in hell. Each feeding the others with their cruelty and their evil thoughts springboarded off each other.

"I'll pass Pantier we have 9 more kill missions tonight and I don't want to waste time on this one."

Pantier and Argus sighed they had been hoping for a show that would make their evil hearts jump up and down in glee. The boss was indeed heartless. But that is what both loved about her, she fed their desires for death, destruction, and chaos. The fallen angel lit a small flame and placed it on a strange contraption that was almost like a regular grenade.

Once it was ready she hurled the object into one of the windows of the house. A loud crack of the glass breaking, and the very faint sound of the device landing was enough for the fallen one.

 "We are done."

She said and with a small gesture from her hand a magic circle appeared beneath them and the three vanished from view. An easy job. They would continue with their lives of evil yet the three had just made the greatest mistake of their long lives.

They should have stopped.