Harbinger of Ruin: Ch.20

“Are you sure the rest of your peerage is not needed?” I heard Rias asked as I gave the final blade to Momo, who gave a thankful smile before responding in Sona's stead.

“While we do appreciate you wanting to include us, Lady Rias, Tsubaki, Issei and Saji are our heaviest hitters along with Lady Sona as the rest of us will be nothing more than a nuisance that needs to be protected.”

“Momo speaks harshly, but she does speak the truth.” Sona spoke with a nod and Rias gave a soft smile before nodding as she turned to me.

“And you're sure that your swords can make the barrier strong enough?”

“It was a bit hard mix-matching some of the blades, but the one they have should give us somewhat of an advantage.”

“What blades did you mix together, then?” Akeno asked as we watched Sona's peerage fly off to their designated points, to which I simply smirked before responding.

“Lilith's Lullaby and Holy Devourer. It should help give us a bit of a boost in our stats while also weakening their powers somewhat, but the only drawback…”

“Is that we're weakened in turn.” Xenovia spoke with a frown as she, Irina and Nero stood besides us, the three of them having abandoned their white cloaks and dressed in their battle outfits.

On Nero, the lower half of the black skintight bodysuit was covered by a pair of baggy pants, but it appears that the girls decided to stick with the original product, a sight that Issei and Saji were definitely enjoying.

“I still want to know why you guys call us sinful creatures when you walk around in that.” Mittelt spoke with a smirk and Irina blinked as she looked down at her outfit before crossing her arms with a huff.

“It is so we can tempt you sinful creatures back to the path of holy righteousness by cleansing your souls with our blades.”

“Bitch, you look like a stripper.” Raynare spoke with a smirk and Irina grumbled before I turned to Xenovia as she spoke.

“How certain are you that this plan of yours will work?”

“Not in the slightest, but if it doesn't, our fate won't be worse than what would have happened to us had we done nothing.” I answered with a shrug and she hummed before I blinked as she walked over and patted my shoulder.

“You are a tolerable being, devil, despite how sinful you are.”

“Thank you and the name's Kiba or Yuuto, whichever one you want to use.”

“And he's in a loving relationship so don't try and steal him from me.” Rias chimed in while wrapping her arms around me and I just looked on as Xenovia raised an eyebrow.

“Do not worry, Gremory. Your relationship with Kiba is safe even if it would be child's play to bring him back to the light.”

“Let's focus less on this little argument before it grows out of hand and more on the coming battle. Have you contacted your brother?” I cut in before they could start arguing and Rias turned her gaze to me before crossing her arms with a snort.

“Of course. I may hesitate in involving my brother in my own manners, but I am not arrogant to believe that we are capable of taking on two Cadres. One, perhaps but two?”

“I concur, which is why I decided to send a message to him as well.”

“Wait, not your sister?” Rias asked and Sona grimaced as she shook her head, with me raising an eyebrow as Rias nodded in agreement.

“That's a good thing.”

“I don't see how.”

“Serafall believes in the phrase 'If you're going too overkill on something, you're not doing enough.' She would turn the entirety of Kuoh Town into an arctic wasteland before I could even talk to her.”

“Just the town or…?” I trailed off before wincing as Sona gave a slow nod.

“Everything that is not named Sona Sitri would be encased in ice and shattered into a trillion pieces before I could even think of telling her what to do. If you think Lord Lucifer is over-protective of Rias, my sister is the very reason the word 'over-obsessed' exists.”

“…I feel bad for whatever guy wants to date you if that's the case.”

“How did you turn it to that?” She asked with a frown and Rias giggled as I shrugged.

“My mind naturally does that. Anyway, is everyone ready for battle?”

“Not really./ No/ Can't I stay with the barrier people?” That last sentence came from Saji and I smirked as I saw the hesitant look in his eyes before snickering as Issei patted him on the back.

I couldn't exactly hear what he whispered to him as Rias and Sona went over the plan one last time with the group, but it seemed to work as both shared a perverse grin before I turned to Rias as she looked at me.

“You ready to make this plan work?” She asked and I smiled before surprising both her and myself as I leaned down and laid a soft kiss on her lips.

“Are you?” I asked as I pulled back and she looked at me before giving a confident smile.

“Let's go kick that Cadre's ass.”

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“Ah, you all actually decided to come, but…where is your siblings? The three hours was to give you all time to contact them.” Kokabiel spoke with a disgruntled frown while seated on a throne that was floating in the air.

Satanael barely gave the group a glance before he turned back to where Valper Galilei and Freed were hidden in the forests surrounding Kuoh Academy, wanting to have seen the ritual they were conducting to fuse the blades into one.

“Our siblings will take a while so you'll have to settle for us until they come.” Rias spoke with a smirk as she and Sona stood at the front, everyone except for Kiba and the exorcists gathered behind them as the Cadre rose an eyebrow.

“…Hah, very well. I suppose one always enjoys the appetisers before the main course. Satanael, brother, do you wish to join me?”

“I am merely here to see the results of the experiment, brother, and will be heading over to see the results.” Satanael spoke with a hum as he began walking away, not even caring for the sheet of light that appeared besides him and blocked off the pale blue vine that tried to ensnare him.

“Damn, he's pretty quick.” Saji grunted as he pulled Absorption Line's vine back, Kokabiel amused at the boy's efforts before he snapped his fingers and formed a large orange magic circle on the floor below him.

“I first wish to see if you all are truly worth the effort. Defeat my-!” Before he could finish speaking, the Cadre frowned as a large water serpent wrapped around the three-headed beasts appearing from the crest.

A second later, holy lightning flew across the battlefield and turned the beasts to ashes as another lightning bolt was shot at him, to which he quickly raised a hand and snuffed it out while staring at the amused smile Akeno gave him.

“Oh, I'm sorry. Was that too much for you?”

“I see your father did not have you long enough to teach you to respect your betters.” Kokabiel spoke with a smirk and Akeno's smirk waned slightly before it returned as Sona spoke up.

“Then let us see if you are worthy of our respect.”

“Gladly.” The Cadre growled as a light spear appeared in his grasp and the group readied themselves as his wings flared wide open before he shot down.

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“Fascinare…Restituo…Incantare…Fi unus…Fascinare…(Enchant…Repair…Enchant…Become one…Enchant…)” Kiba frowned as he heard Valper's voice echoing throughout the forest, quickly rushing past the treeline with Xenovia, Irina and Nero right behind him.

“Woah…” Nero muttered as they all slid to a stop, Kiba staring at the pillar of holy energy in front of Valper, Freed standing off to the side and Satanael standing in their way.

While the Cadre had his back to them while staring at the holy energy, Kiba was not arrogant to believe that the Fallen Angel did not know they were there as a Succubus appeared in his hand.

Reinforcement!

Sandanzuki

Without wasting a second, the ground under him cracked as he shot forward, demonic energy flooded his body thanks to the new spell he had made and the world around him came to a slow as he rushed past Satanael towards Valper.

However, his eyes widened as he felt something grabbing the back of his neck, wheezing as he was forced face first into the ground before kicked off to the side with a grunt.

“Hmm, not bad there. That secondary acceleration showed that it was a spell you activated consciously and from the feel of your demonic energy…a body enhancement spell? My, my~ Colour me impressed.” Satanael spoke with a smirk as he looked to Kiba.

'Of course he got me.' Kiba grunted as he sliced apart the tree on top of him, forcing the pieces to the side while sitting upright to stare at the Cadre waiting with a light sword.

“Your friends may stop Freed and Valper, but you and I are going to be having a little discussion of our own.”

“Death-Dealing.” Kiba didn't waste time talking as a cage of demonic blades surrounded the two of them before Satanael swung his sword outwards, shattering the cage only to hum at the secondary layer of blades on top of it.

The fragments of the first cage did not vanish either as they fell down, Kiba creating a Rho Aias above his head to block the fragments while watching as Satanael simply unleashed a pulse of holy energy that burned the fragments falling onto him away.

“I've been studying your blades ever since the Rating Game your master had against Riser Phenex and I must say that your mind truly works in fascinating ways.”

“…How so?” Kiba asked after he noted that the man was not letting him leave, frowning as Satanael smirked before the two fighters slowly circled around each other.

“Most users of Sword Birth that I have seen in my lifetime always focuses either too much on the power of their Sacred Gear or how fast they can create their blades, but you…you decided to take the shortest route that brings you to the most power by focusing on the numerous abilities you could recreate.”

“That sounds like every sane person that would have this Sacred Gear.”

“Ha! You would think so, but most don't care for the ability aspect of Sword Birth and Blade Blacksmith as much as they care for the power and speed aspect of them. I'm willing to bet that you've already started on ways to counter the light ability of a Cadre, haven't you?”

'Right, he's supposed to be a genius on par with Azazel according to Rias.' Kiba thought with a frown as he kept silent, looking down at the Succubus in his grasp and grimacing at the fractures lining the blade.

“Oh, don't worry for your blade's durability. You have done a good job on their durability considering I was aiming to shatter the blade itself, but there's only so much everyone can do to something before it hits its limit.”

“Why are we doing this whole talking thing? If you were allied with your brother, you would be trying to kill a potential threat.” Kiba spoke before his frown deepened as Satanael smirked and shrugged.

“That's the thing. To the average Fallen Angel, you would be a threat, but to a being such as my brother and I…you're nothing more than a toy to pass the time with.”

'There's that arrogance. No matter how wise or intelligent an ancient being is, every boss has that arrogance to them because no one has come close to killing them.' Kiba thought with a smirk as his frown faded away, surprising Satanael as the Knight destroyed his blade before two steel blades with violet edges appeared in both his hands.

“So, you think you can stall me long enough for your friends to create a new Excalibur?” Kiba asked as he slowly swung the blades in his hands, Satanael taking a quick glance at its glowing edges before chuckling as he nodded.

“I believe I can.”

Reinforcement!

“Then, let's see you try.” With a grunt, the ground under him shot up as he dashed to the side, rushing in and watching as Satanael easily followed after him.

However, the Cadre blinked as he heard footsteps besides him, turning his head to see another Kiba running on his other side with a smirk.

“Which am I?” The one he first chased after spoke before both shot towards Valper, to which Satanael frowned as he turned and blitzed towards them.

Freed grunted as he barely blocked Nero's fist with the Light Sword he had, his eyes widening at the sight of two of that wretched Knight devil rushing towards him before blinking as both had their heads cut off.

Xenovia and Irina gagged as they both got a solid kick to their sides that sent them flying away while Nero gasped as a punch slipped through his guard and sent him ragdolling backwards across the ground.

All three exorcists were quick to their feet right as Satanael appeared from thin air in front of Freed, but the Cadre was more focused on the dead bodies of Kiba lying in front of him before humming when he saw both slowly fading away like mirages.

'I see. Quite the clever boy.' The man thought with a smirk as he closed his eyes, focusing all of his senses as he heard the whistling of air as well as Kiba's scent rapidly dashing across the battlefield.

With a grunt, the Cadre spun around and blocked the slash aimed at his scent, raising an eyebrow and quickly flaring his holy energy as the blade was purposely shattered and the shards thrown at him while Kiba rushed to the side with a hiss when he felt the holy energy try to burn him.

“The speed of Rapidly, the invisibility of Transparency and the illusions of Nightmare. You are truly a wonder, Yuuto Kiba.” Satanael spoke with a smile as his light sword vanished, Kiba's eyes widening as a portal appeared besides the Cadre and he reached into it.

“No…way…” Irina whispered in shock, Xenovia, Nero and Valper looking just as shocked while Kiba frowned when the fallen angel pulled out a pitch black longsword with dark grey edges and simmering black flames constantly surrounding the blade.

“This is Arondight, the very first Holy-Demonic sword, but unfortunately, its demonic side is far stronger than its holy side.”

'…That's the sister sword of Lancelot to Excalibur, right? Why does everyone get all the cool toys?' Kiba thought with a grimace as Satanael swung the sword, the flames around it making the air crackle as the Cadre looked at Kiba with a smirk.

The next, Satanael hummed as he rushed past Kiba, who had barely managed to duck under his attack while watching as the black flames came very close to cutting through his neck.

However, as the Cadre went to attack once again, he quickly swung the sword in a wide arc right as Xenovia swung hers, the holy energy of the her Excalibur Destruction lasting long enough to push the flames away before it was devoured right as she leapt towards Kiba.

“You not going to help the others?” Kiba asked as he created a Succubus and smirked as Xenovia scoffed while they watched the Cadre staring at them.

“You think you can handle Satanael on your own?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“Then let us not waste anymore time.” She spoke and Kiba rolled his eyes as they both turned right as Satanael shifted into a stance with the blade held in both hands and parallel to his head with the tip pointed downwards slightly.

A tense silence hung in the air as all three fighters stayed still, none daring to move as Xenovia and Kiba kept a keen eye on Satanael before both the exorcist and the Cadre shot at each other and all hell broke loose.

Their blades clashed with bright sparks and the ground under them cratered as they pushed against each other, Xenovia gritting her teeth while Satanael's smile never waned.

His attention was quickly taken away from the exorcist as Kiba appeared behind him, his blade glowing and unleashing a pulse of energy that swiftly absorbed some of the flames before Satanael pushed Xenovia back.

Spinning around with a slash, Satanael smirked as Kiba duck under his attack, Xenovia quickly catching herself and rushing back in with a downwards slash right as the knight lunged to the side and watched her attack came down.

However, it met mystical steel instead of flesh, Satanael grunting as the force of it made him sink into the ground before he quickly spun and let her attack slide along his blade.

Leaping into the air with a spin as Kiba came from below with a slash, the Knight frowned as Satanael flipped through the air and landed with a smirk.

“You're struggling a bit to keep up, but not bad.” The Cadre spoke and Kiba frowned before creating another demonic blade in his left hand while shattering the one in his right.

“Xenovia, you keep attacking. I'll follow your lead.”

“Can you keep up?” She asked and Kiba smirked as he held his blade with both hands before demonic energy flowed through his body as his eyes shone with a dim red glow.

Reinforcement.

“Let's find out.”

A/N: Cliffhanger~!! The battles have kicked off and next chapter, we end off Satanael's fight before turning to the Kokabiel fight and for those waiting, this is the battle he gets his Balance Breaker…kind of.

It's not Sword of the Betrayer fully but it's based on it as I've been trying to figure out for the better part of the past week just how the Blade Blacksmith Sacred Gear was still in the Light Container when Sacred Gears are supposed to return to the system in Heaven.

I'll figure that part out when I get to it. Anyway, next week: Breaking the Balance.

As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…

Ba-Bye~!!