High School Dxd: Word of Creation

Hiyama's Mansion, Kuoh town –

POV: Shiori Oreki –

The following days were given to Rias and her peerage to train for the Rating Game. Rias had invited me, but frankly, I didn't have the time, nor did I really need to.

I was relative to Rias and Akeno in strength as far as I could tell, and I had a holy sword. Riser wasn't a concern for me; it was shortsighted of him to even try and include me in the Rating Game at all. I guess I should expect nothing less from an arrogant prick.

So, I devoted my time for the remainder of the week to continuing the research into Kokabiel with Raynare. Akeno had gone with Rias to train with them, so I decided to get Asia to help out considering she wasn't doing anything. Raynare had gone off with Azazel to do some things, so it was just me and Asia.

I hadn't even properly introduced myself or anything; none of us had really paid her any attention since arriving. Everything had just happened too fast… I decided to focus on just the most pressing things; introductions and stuff could happen once Hiyama was back.

Papers were laid out across the room in neatly stacked piles based on location this Saturday morning. The odor of paper had filled the air so completely it became a stench. Yet despite our vigorous search, nothing could be found.

All the hideouts Kokabiel had were either already occupied, raided, or destroyed by Azazel. Any contacts he had were either dead or had already been questioned. I began to wonder if there was any point in this at all…

Had Azazel set me about this pointless task just to get me out of the way? Was I really such a liability to the search?

I felt anger swell in me as lightning formed in my core, but I quickly suppressed it. Where the lightning once was, a gaping hole was all that remained. I could feel Clarent at the edge of my consciousness, calling me to take it up and hunt Kokabiel myself.

It whispered that Azazel was incapable of finding Hiyama or didn't actually want to. After all, where were Mittelt and Kalawarner? What were they doing to help?

I hadn't seen them in days; they never left the basement, always working on some machine down there.

Could that be their plan? They must be doing something down there they know I wouldn't approve of. They're fallen, after all; they can't be trusted—

The lightning rose in my core again, this time more violent—

"Shiori?" Asia called. I looked towards her; she held a book in her hands as she sat on the floor. Her eyes were filled with worry.

"You were staring off into space. I was wondering if you were alright—no, of course, you're not fine—rather, if you wanted to talk to someone about it." She really was a kind and perceptive girl. She had an innocence in her demeanor that made her seem like a saint.

"I-I'm fine, Asia…" I said tiredly. "I just have a lot of stuff to worry about."

"I know, and I'm sorry I'm not much help." She looked as though it was all her fault.

"It isn't your fault. You just so happened to enter the situation at an inopportune time." It really was only that; she just happened along at the exact time something went wrong. Hiyama was insistent on bringing her into our household, and now that I'm really paying attention, I can understand why.

Asia was gentle and had an immense desire to be useful to those around her. I imagine being ignored ever since Hiyama had been taken sucked for her, but it also seemed she was used to it.

Asia fidgeted for a moment before speaking again, her voice quiet but determined. "Raynare told me… about why Hiyama wanted to bring me here. She said he knew about what I went through-about the way the Church treated me after I healed a devil. He wanted to give me a place where I could be safe… a family."

I froze, my heart twisting painfully at her words. I could hear the raw emotion in her voice-the gratitude, the hope, and the lingering hurt from her past.

"I just… I want to help find him because he tried to help me," Asia continued. "He wanted to give me a home. And now he's in trouble because of his nature. I feel like… I owe him that much. But it's not just that."

She looked up at me, her green eyes shining with sincerity. "I want to help you, Shiori. Not just because of Hiyama. Because I saw the hurt in your eyes when you realized Hiyama wasn't with us. And I understand what it feels like to have your heart ripped out. My heart was the church but yours was Hiyama."

Something inside me cracked. I didn't even realize how much I needed to hear that. That someone cared, really cared, without ulterior motives or expectations. My throat tightened as I fought the lump in it.

"Thank you, Asia," I said, my voice quiet but earnest. "I needed that."

Asia gave me a warm smile—one that seemed to melt away a bit of the darkness I'd been carrying since Hiyama's capture. "You're welcome. We're family now, right?"

I blinked, feeling my chest tighten at the word 'family.' It was a word I hadn't dared to attach to anyone other than Hiyama since he was taken. But hearing Asia say it, with such warmth and certainty…

Maybe I could let her in.

"Yeah," I whispered. "We are."

She beamed, and I realized something else: I wanted to protect her. Not because I had to, but because she deserved it.

"Hey," I said after a pause. "How about we train together? I need to keep my strength up for when we find Hiyama, and you could use some practice with your Twilight Healing, right?"

Asia's eyes widened in surprise before lighting up with excitement. "Really? You'd train with me?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I need someone to patch me up when I push too hard, and you need to get better at healing under pressure. Seems like a win-win."

Her smile was radiant. "I'll do my best!"

We spent the next few days in the training room beneath the mansion. I pushed my body to the limit, practicing sword strikes with Clarent and honing my lightning manipulation. Asia stood by my side, using her Twilight Healing whenever I pushed myself too far or suffered minor burns from my own magic. Each time she healed me, I noticed her technique improving—her energy flowing smoother and faster with every session.

We developed a rhythm. I would train, she would heal. We worked in sync, slowly building trust and understanding. In those moments, we weren't just two girls thrown together by circumstance. We were becoming partners—becoming family.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unknown Location –

POV: Hiyama Oreki –

Pain.

That was the first sensation I registered when I awoke. A searing, unrelenting agony that burned through my nerves like molten iron. My vision was blurry, my head throbbing as I slowly adjusted to my surroundings.

I was strapped to a reinforced chair, thick chains binding my wrists and ankles. Runes were etched into the metal, glowing faintly with dark energy. Holy and corrupted elements combined-a cruel design to suppress and weaken me. My shirt was gone, my upper body exposed, revealing burns, cuts, and bruises decorating my skin like battle scars.

The room was dimly lit, a single hanging bulb casting harsh shadows across cold concrete walls. The air was thick with the scent of blood and despair. And standing before me, his dark wings unfurled and his crimson eyes gleaming with malice, was Kokabiel.

"Good morning, little prophet," he sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "I trust you slept well?" He didn't wait for a response. His hand crackled with dark lightning as he drove it into my chest.

"Aaaagh!" I screamed through gritted teeth, the energy tearing through my body like razors.

Kokabiel laughed. "Oh, what's the matter? No clever words to save you? No storm to smite your enemies? Poor little Hiyama. You thought you were untouchable, didn't you?"

I glared up at him, blood trickling from the corner of my mouth. "Go to hell."

He smirked. "Oh, I intend to. But not before I burn this world to the ground. And you—you are going to watch it happen."

He circled me like a predator, eyes gleaming with a twisted satisfaction. "You thought you were clever, warning Azazel about my plans. You cost me time—set me back months. You thought that would stop me? No. It merely forced me to evolve."

He leaned in, his breath hot against my ear. "You want to know what I've been working on while you were playing house with those fallen sluts? I have something far greater than a simple Excalibur heist now. That was merely the beginning."

I said nothing, but I listened.

Kokabiel continued, his voice growing darker with every word. "The Excaliburs are still part of the plan, of course. I've made arrangements. Some will disappear soon, and Heaven won't know what hit them. But that's not the true masterpiece. That's just the bait."

He stepped back, his eyes narrowing with cold fury. "The real prize is the gathering. Sirzechs Lucifer, Azazel, Michael-the leaders of the three factions. I will lure them to Kuoh. That foolish Gremory princess is perfect bait for Lucifer. Once she is in danger he will drop everything to be there. And the Excaliburs? Oh, they will ensure Michael's presence. Then, of course, Azazel will feel inclined to deal with me himself."

He was planning on destroying Kuoh, not too different from canon but it was still a big problem. I already knew that Azazel was in Kuoh and Sirzechs was definitely gonna show up if Rias was in danger.

Michael might not show, but even still Shiori, Raynare, Kala, and Mittelt were there. Their lives were in danger if Kokabiel succeeded. If he was going to do something that he believed could kill the three faction's leaders, collateral was assured.

Kokabiel's grin widened, sensing my understanding. "Yes, you see it now, don't you? When those three gather in one place, I will detonate the weapon I've created. A weapon capable of obliterating all of them in a single instant. Without their leadership, the delicate balance will shatter. The peace will crumble. The war will reignite."

I clenched my fists, the chains rattling. "You're insane."

He chuckled. "Insane? No, I am a visionary. The peace they cling to is a lie. The strong are meant to rule, the weak to perish. That is the law of the heavens. And you?" He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. "You are nothing but an obstacle. A nuisance who dared meddle in my plans."

I closed my eyes, summoning the Voice. I needed to escape. Now.

"Release me!" I commanded with Logos Reverie. The words rang out, power surging from my lips.

For a moment, I thought it worked. The chains vibrated, the runes flickering—but then, everything twisted.

A sharp pain tore through my body as Kokabiel smirked, his hand raised, manipulating the Holy Element around me. "Did you really think you could use the Voice in my presence? You may have been blessed with your sacred gear, but I am one of the Cadre, a former seraph—I have dominion over the very elements you call upon." His voice dripped with arrogance as he took delight in the power imbalance.

I gasped in agony as he twisted my own power against me, the Holy Element constricting around my limbs like searing bands.

"I can feel it within you," Kokabiel murmured. "Your so-called Logos Reverie. A power derived from the voice of God himself. It's impressive… but it will not save you."

He drove his fist into my ribs. A sickening crack followed as pain exploded through my chest.

"Agh!"

I wheezed, trying to force my mind to focus. Through the haze of pain, I rasped out, "How… did you know… where I was?" I might as well ask if I'm in this situation, once I find a way out it will be useful information. Maybe he had figured how to track Logos Reverie? Or 

Kokabiel's smirk widened into a malicious grin. "Ah… that. Your precious household has a rat. Mittelt. She's been mine from the beginning."

My heart went cold. "That bitch..."

"She's far more than you ever realized. You thought she was weaker than the others after your little enhancement ritual, didn't you? That was a lie. She's been hiding her true strength. Playing the role of the loyal servant while feeding me every detail. How else did I know exactly when and where to snatch you up?"

The pieces clicked in my mind. Her subdued growth after the ritual, her quiet compliance… it was all an act. Rage and betrayal boiled within me, but beneath that, a far greater fear gripped me.

Shiori. She's still with her.

If Mittelt was stronger than she looked that means Shiori was in eminent danger.

I grit my teeth, forcing back the wave of despair. "I'll kill you and her. I swear to God Almighty that I will kill you"

Kokabiel laughed, his eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. He struck me again, and darkness claimed me once more.