Eldritch 41

When Rias arrived at the shoreline, she had to admit.....

It kind of did look like Godzilla?

There was a giant, wingless, draconic creature that was coming out of the waters. Thankfully far offshore still. Granted, it was bigger than any version of Godzilla she recalled, standing at thousands of feet tall as it lurked out in the water. But it had the wrong shape for the head, a different texture of scales, and it definitely didn't have the dorsal fins on the back! 

Luckily, it wasn't trying to come ashore. Instead, it looked like it was trying to swat some small flying enemy out of the sky, snarling in rage at the unseen foe.

"Rias."

The red-haired devil turned to see Sona approaching her. "Sona. Any good news?"

"We got up a barrier fairly quickly. I would say we were keeping a tab on anyone trying to spread information about this," Sona mused as she joined her at the edge of the pier. "But it seems no one is. Which I assume to mean the Eldritch are already covering this up."

"More importantly, it looks like this one was provoked," Rias said before frowning as she watched the creature let loose a mighty roar, one that shook the barrier around the shoreline. "Sona, am I imagining it or...?"

"His enemy feels like a devil," Sona confirmed with a frown. "Who was this stupid, to provoke a powerful Eldritch?"

"We should- watch out!" Rias exclaimed as something came barreling towards them. Both of them threw up a barrier to protect themselves. It held, but only for an instance as the force and speed overwhelmed the shields.

It was long enough for both of them to move away, taking to the sky as their wings emerged from their sides. The object struck into a warehouse behind them, dust clouding the area as the building nearly collapsed from the kinetic energy.

There was a moment of silence before a figure bolted out of the smoke and soared up into the air, ready to keep doing combat with the creature.

"Who is.....?" Rias paused as she saw the figure in white draconic armor. "Isn't that the...?"

"White Dragon Emperor," Sona confirmed as she watched him soar into the distance. "Well, now we know who this is, in a sense."

The dragon roared as his foe approached again, the very sound creating a shockwave that rushed over the shore and broke every window in the area. Vali pushed past the attack and slammed a fist into the snout of the creature, who snarled at the force of the impact.

"I didn't know the sacred gear of the White Dragon Emperor had been found, let alone converted into a devil," Rias said with a frown.

Sona nodded in agreement. That kind of information normally wouldn't stay secret long. Especially to them, sisters to two of the Satans. How had this gone under the radar?

"Rias."

"Hmm? Rias pressed a finger to a spell circle that formed near her ear. "Akeno, is everyone here?"

"Yes, we're across at the other side of the pier," Akeno answered. Rias paused to look in that direction, seeing her queen with the rest of the peerage and waving to her. She soared over to them with Sona following her. "What should we do?"

"And what are we actually dealing with?" Kiba asked curiously as he watched the distant fight.

"Apparently the White Dragon Emperor picked a fight with an eldritch," Rias answered bluntly. "....I don't know if there is anything we can reasonably do in this fight."

"The only reason my peerage and I can keep a barrier up against this is because of how far away they are," Sona said with a frown. "If the battle comes towards the shore, I'm not sure how long it'll last."

Koneko started and glared to the side as-

"You are correct, Spawns of the Underworld."

They turned sharply as they saw a fairly familiar eldritch in human sin. "Oh, it's you," Rias recognized, somewhat relieved. "I believe your name was Gact?"

"Call me as you wish, Ruinous One," Gactha said before her blank eyes looked at the thunder witch. "Akeno."

"Gacthy," Akeno greeted with a smile. "Would you mind explaining the situation to us?"

Gactha grunted and looked to the fight. "That is Uftangshasut. He should not be awake."

"Why? Does that cause something horrible, like with the Dreamer of R'lyeh?" Sona asked with a scowl.

"No. He normally sleeps for no less than what you would call a decade," Gactha informed. "But he is a Great Old One. His might is comparable to an unbound and free Cthulhu."

A bit of dread came over the devils.

"He's holding back," Koneko pointed out. "Why?"

"I hear he is fond of this island and its people," Gactha answered before looking at the devils again. "Is his enemy of any importance to you?"

"Not exactly," Rias answered. "He has the sacred gear of the White Dragon Emperor."

"...." Gactha paused. Realization struck her and something squirmed under her skin. "The counterpart and rival to my master's own."

"We didn't even know a devil had it," Sona explained.

"You desire him alive for answers if possible. Very well. Then you must assist in restraining him," Gactha informed, tilting her head. 

"Is Issei going to be joining us?" Akeno asked with a head tilt.

"I would prefer we handle this before my Mistress and Master take notice. She will grow displeased if they are disturbed."

Koneko shivered, prompting Rias to put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Do you have a plan?" Sona asked with a raised eyebrow.

Gactha looked at her. "The devils shielding this conflict from sight belong to you, correct?"

"They are my peerage, yes," Sona confirmed.

Gactha raised a lanky arm and pointed a finger at Sona. The Sitri heir watched with a grimace as the digit twisted, mutating and mutilating itself into something horrific and gut-wrenching. The tip of the bone was shone and it was black.

Eldritch magic leaped from the digit to Sona, in the form of black lightning.

Sona and Rias both tried to put barriers up on instinct, but it went right through the shield, ignoring the defensive entirely without breaking them. It went right towards Sona's head before vanishing, a dark aura covering her.

"I am not your enemy," Gactha reminded, even as Kiba tensely held a sword and all others shot her weary look. "My sisters are also shielding this area from across the cosmos. It will be best to join our efforts. To that end, I have given you a momentary blessing that will transfer to your servants, so that we may work in tandem."

Sona scowled. "And are there any side effects we will have to suffer for this blessing?"

"Days of unpleasant dreams," Gactha answered simply. "I presumed such to be a poultry cost for this."

Sona didn't disagree. "Very well. Rias, you and yours be careful," Sona said as she left to join her peerage.

"Gacthy, it would have been better to just offer that first," Akeno informed as if she was helpfully lecturing a child.

"I am aware," Gactha remarked as her finger returned to normal. "I will tell Uftang to send this White Dragon to us once more. I will help defeat this nuisance. If sparing him is not too troublesome, I will leave him in your hands."

Rias nodded while looking to the others who readied themselves for whatever came next. "We're ready," she said.

Gactha nodded as she looked out to the sea, her eyes turning pitch black.

The dragon suddenly looked at her.

Moving faster than a beast of his size should, Uftang backhanded Vali and sent him flying to the pier once more, cracking the white dragon armor heavily.

"Well, you are a tough one," Vali said with a bit of relish to his voice as he stopped himself, preparing to charge again.

"Vali! Look out!" Albion's voice rang out in alarm.

The half-devil's eyes shot up, sensing where Albion had been looking, and saw a dark and pale figure blur at him. He dodged, but one of his wings was partially shattered.

He turned to see....he wasn't sure what she was. Extremely pale grey skin of a feminine form, covered in a black carapace-like armor that seemed to be fused into her being. An eyeless horned helmet gazed at him with eerie focus.

"Who might you be?" Vali asked with interest.

"Careful. This one is dangerous," Albion cautioned.

"You shall not disturb the All-Mother or her King," Gactha said simply.

"What-?" Vali tried to ask, only for her to already be upon him, her armored hand slamming into his armor and throwing him down to the pier. "Shit," he cursed just before he crashed.

He was quick to try to stand until he felt others around him.

Vali cocked an eyebrow beneath his mask as a sword was pointed at his neck while a small white hair girl was trying to keep his unbroken wing pinned with surprising strength. Beside them were two more girls, pointing spells of red devil magic and lightning magic at him with rather pointed stares.

All the while, the pale female creature hovered overhead.

"Rias Gremory," he recognized offhandedly. "May I ask what this is about? I don't believe I've stepped on any devil's toes yet."

Rais frowned. "Perhaps, until you started a fight with an eldritch god in the bay."

Vali was silent for a moment. "....Wait, that's a god?" he asked in surprise.

"I believe there is a misunderstanding here," Albion remarked from within the armor.

"A misunderstanding," Rias repeated skeptically, not lowering her guard. "Right."

Gactha lowered to the ground as her form rippled and the human disguise reemerged.

"While I'm not one to turn down a fight, I didn't come here to fight any of you," Vali remarked evenly.

"Huh. Guess Sona didn't need the help after all," Kiba mused absently but didn't remove his sword.

"I'm afraid that your intent is no longer of any consequence," Gactha said with a frown as she looked up to Rias. "I am sorry."

Rias frowned. "What?"

Akeno stiffened. "Gactha, is...?" she asked in concern.

"I have failed," Gactha said solemnly as she fell to her knees and bowed her head.

The devils fell silent, uncertain of her meaning. After all, the White Dragon Emperor appeared to have given up, rather easily at that, and the dragon at sea...

Was groaning in alarm? And....bowing its head?

Rias inhaled as she realized the meaning.

Gactha hadn't come here just to stop this fight, she had come to stop it before it disturbed Aza.

So by failed, she meant...

"....No."

Rias looked to Koneko sharply, who had an ashen complex as she trembled. "Koneko, what...." Rias paused as she noticed something. A trail of piss coming down Kneko's leg. "Oh."

"What's wrong with her?" Vali asked with a frown.

Everyone looked up as they saw the barrier around the pier become visible for a moment, a ripple of horrid colors moving across it.

Akeno sighed with a frown. "We're about to have some royal company."

Vali was silent as he began to understand the implication. None tried to stop him as they all looked down the pier.

It would have been simple if the shadows just got deeper and darker, but they didn't. No, the shadows began to move and stretch unnaturally. Fish in the water began to leap out of the water and onto the dock, trying to cause their own death as a mercy to themselves. Birds dive-bombed to smash their own heads into the pavement. Stray cats and dogs turned rabid, and rats turned ravenous as they all began to kill each other.

These sights and sounds filled the air as they watched with terror in the pit of their souls. Everyone trembled at the light yet very unrelenting pressure mountain on their shoulders. Konkeo crouched down and clutched her head as the sounds of footsteps echoed over the commotion.

And suddenly, at the other end of the dock, there she was.

"Now, now, just what do we have here?"

Aza approached them with darkened hair and darkened eyes, her hair moving like snakes and scorpion tails.

"Y-your majesty," Rias tried to speak. "We-"

"I apologize for letting my power slip right now. But I can't seem to contain my displeasure," Aza said without looking at the other devils, her eyes only on Vali. "Vali Lucifer."

"Lucifer?" Kiba whispered in surprise, glancing at Rias who was equally confused.

The Eldritch Queen studied the half-devil briefly. "I sense you will be a nuisance, an unwanted distraction for me and Issei."

Vali smiled despite everything as he gazed at her. "I was trying to avoid you, honest, but still.....I'm glad that, if nothing else, I get a glimpse at the gap between us."

"You think you have glimpsed something meaningful?" Aza asked tonelessly.

"Great Sultana," Albion spoke up carefully. "I apologize to my host. We-"

"Albion. Ddraig's playmate. Or rival, or whatever you two call each other," Aza mused dismissively with frigid indifference. "You know, I was planning a peaceful day with my beloved on Uftan's backside. Then I'd surprise him by introducing them to each other. The others think they'll hit it off well. I was going to do that today, actually, until a certain Vizer of mine said to put it off. But, you see, I know when Yog changes the timeline. I know what would have happened if I didn't put it off," Aza said, her eyes like black holes yet infinitely more terrible. "Aborted future or not, I'm rather.....upset that you were going to be responsible for Issei coming the closest to dying since he joined the ranks of the Eldritch."

Rias winced as the ire of the Eldritch Queen radiated in such a way that reality itself seemed to cry out for a merciful death around her.

"He might actually have died, and then well...."

There was a flash, a pulse from Aza that sank over Vali.

He saw the world turned into a hellscape of unimaginable nightmares. The sea turned to blood as acid rain eroded the building and pavement, which gave way to reveal the very land had become a twisted and enormous creature of flesh, with endless mouths gnashing at anything and everyone near them. Great leviathans swam in the distances, and the sky was filled with headless vultures who drank by carving their iron wings into the living ground to absorb the blood and meat.

Vali, however, trembled as he looked down at himself. He was not just witnessing this, he was a part of this vision. His armor was rusted and corroded, yet also as still as stone, as if it had been filled with cement with him inside it.

But there was no cement. If there was, it would have protected him from the...creatures he could feel tearing through his body and feasting on his flesh, even as his body healed endlessly beyond what he should be able to endure. He could see them at the joints, terrible and twisted worms of astounding length that were covered in teeth like barbs alike their bodies.

"You love to fight," Aza whispered in his ear. "To grow stronger. I'd leave you as nothing more than eternal food for the lowest wretches to survive the death of this world's sanity. You would remain here until you forgot what the concept of power even was, let alone ever recalling you had it."

Vali trembled and he could hear...no, he could feel Albion silently screaming as well.

"That's enough, Aza."

The Eldritch Queen inhaled sharply, as she turned to-

Iangu.

Vali suddenly fell forward as his armor disappeared, his ears and nose bleeding heavily.

"Vali!? ValiQ? Are you alright?! What happened?!" Albion called out.

"Do you have to ask?" Vali asked as he pushed himself up from the....rubble?

He blinked as he looked around. He was in the ruins of some warehouse instead of out on the docks.

"Vali, you weren't that hurt by the dragon's attack. What happened just now? I didn't sense a delayed effect," Albion questioned in bewilderment and concern.

"Hey!"

Vali looked up as he saw Rias Gremory and...that was the Leviathan's sister, right? THe Sitri Heir?

"Is there a reason you're fighting an eldritch dragon in the bay?" Rias asked with a frown as if this was the first time seeing him.

"What's going on....?" Vali muttered.

"What's going on, is you kind of stepped in it big this time, Vali."

The devils stiffened, and Vali looked over his shoulder to see another figure coming down into the broken building. One he recognized well. "Azazel? What are you doing here?" Vali asked, spitting out another bit of blood.

"Oh, just coming to make sure you don't get killed or worse," Azazel answered as he looked at the devil princesses, his six black wings making it obvious what and who he was.

"Azazel. The leader of the fallen angels," Sona realized with a scowl.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to cause trouble," Azazel said with a smile. "Our tentacled friends say there might have been a....misunderstanding, of sorts."

“A misunderstanding,” Rias said skeptically. “Right.”

Vali frowned, still confused by what was going on. He looked back to the she-devils and-

Everything turned grey.

Everything grew still.

Everything...stopped.

Vali couldn't move, couldn't sense Albion or even his own power, and could barely think at all.

Just in front of Rias and Sona, the air sliced open to reveal a portal. From it came a woman. She wore a sailor's uniform while holding a katana.

Vali knew who this was. He knew the mortal guises of all the Eldritch gods frequently around Issei Hyoudou, Azazel made sure of that.

Yog-Sothoth, the Outer God of Time.

She smiled an unfriendly smile at Vali as she walked forward and crouched down to his level.

"Congrats. This Is the first time Issei asked me to undo a timeline. You caused quite a bit of problems with this stunt. Well, Aza did, because of you," Yog admitted with a hum. "Koneko's poor mind just wouldn't be put back together again, and after our dear queen passed through their shield with her ire unchecked? Whatever nightmares Sona and her peerage would have endured would be too much to bear. It was all going to get just too messy if I didn't step in."

Vali barely understood what she was saying, but he got the gist.

"Oh, don't worry, I know it's not...entirely your fault. You just can't help being a battle junkie," she said with a hollow chuckle. "But you're going to have to live with those memories. King's orders. Now, I'm going to leave, you're going to cooperate, and we'll get this all sorted out. Okay?"

Vali would have nodded if he could. He wasn't stupid, and he was very confused about where this had gone wrong on his end.

"Good," Yog said as she rose up. "For the record? This is the second time I've saved you from Aza. There won't be a third time."

With that final warning, she left just like she came, and the world slowly came back into color.

"What kind of misunderstanding?" Rias asked doubtfully.

Vali sighed as he sat up, ignoring the pair. "Don't worry, I'll explain. I'm guessing that dragon doesn't actually want to fight after all?"

Sona tilted her head. "You thought it wanted a battle?"

Vali wiped the blood from his mouth and began to explain...