The Abyssal Lord (DxD)

[Pleasure Devils’ Territory - Lili POV - Flashback]

Despite what I showed on the outside, I didn't believe my mother when she came and informed us of the ‘reason’ of her sudden disappearance.

How could I? And more importantly, how could the mother of all devils utter frivolous statements.

Beings more powerful than the dragon of infinity, endless demons capable of destroying worlds and a single being whose strength is incomprehensible. What a load of bullshit!

I honestly thought that my mother was mentally tired from ruling, and the countless problems that she faced over the years have finally caught up to her.

And these weren't only my views on the matter, my brother shared a similar opinion to mine, and while he may not be the smartest in the family, his words nonetheless carry weight to them.

I saw my brother criticize my mother about her words, and to my surprise, she didn't reprimand him so I was about to take the chance to voice my opinion as well, when we heard a loud roar approaching the city.

It was obviously a dragon, quite a powerful one at that, they weren't common, the last one I ever saw was in the great war long ago, but powerful or not, coming here in the middle of our territory was akin to suicide, so, me along with brother and mother prepared ourselves, and went out to confront it.

My mother looked pretty shaken, I assumed it's about that ‘He’ she kept talking about, but didn't pay it much attention, I decided to figure out more after we took care of the dragon.

It was huge, the biggest dragon I ever saw, all others I saw before were about half this one's size.

And it talks! I thought only the dragon of infinity and two heavenly dragons and dragon lords talked, but all the above were either dead or not the underworld, this one obviously isn't one of the above, his mana is so astonishingly low, it shouldn't even be a dragon in the first place.

I figured it was afraid, so I didn't pay it much attention, and looked at the human? That came with the dragon

He didn't have anything, didn't speak much, and just kept smiling…He looked quite handsome, but the smile that never left his face since he arrived…was quite unnerving.

I shook my head a bit and cleared out the ridiculous thoughts in it and continued watching in silence, and things went on as expected. 

The instant Lilim deemed the new arrival to be lower than him, he began gloating and showing off and after he was finally done, he ordered the guards to apprehend the duo of man and dragon, and I thought that this stupid show was finally over.

…I didn't see my mother's face then, I wish I would've seen it, maybe I would've tried to convince Lilim in some way.

But alas, the guards heard their Prince's orders and immediately rushed to see them…and they immediately fell to the ground.

Every single one that dared to approach the man called Xeron was instantly brought to the ground, without any resistance whatsoever.

It was like a divine decree, it was as if they were sentenced to die, and they did just that. And while I now know that they didn't die, at the time, I didn't have such luxury.

I thought my mother will immediately fight, she was known to be arrogant after all, she wouldn't allow anyone to harm any of her people after all.

…But, she didn't. She tried to beg, I was the closest to her at the time, so I was the one who knew her feelings at the time the most, and while I said ‘feelings’, there was only one I truly saw at the time.

….Despair

Complete and after dread, she was terrified, and begged the man called Xeron with her all to spare her son, which he now holds by the head.

The warm smile he wore since he arrived was no more, it warped into something grotesque…something terrifying, it chilled me to the core, I didn't even register what happened to my mother after, I didn't even see what happened to my brother, I couldn't…because the instant the man turned his eyes on me.

I felt the world go black.

……

[A Random Inn - Kuoh - Third Person POV]

“....W-What h-happened? W-Where a-am I?”

Asia Argento for the first time in quite a while, woke up on a bed, and it took her a while to actually process what's happening.

She brought her hands up to her head and rubbed both her eyes, half expecting that what she now sees is just an illusion.

But when she opened her eyes again, she was still on the small but comfy bed, dressed in simple pyjamas, with her body fully cleaned and her golden hair shining in the sunlight that illuminated the entire room.

What happend? She thought to herself again, the last she remembered was when she woke up in that burned house. But this clearly wasn't burned, do was that a dream?

She slowly rose from the bed and sat on the edge, deciding to first collect her thoughts, because god knows, she's very confused at the moment.

…..God…..right, I remember now.

And as if flipping a switch, her bright and naturally serene expression turned pained, and the blonde clenched her small fists until they shook.

She remembered now, she remembered her pain, her suffering, how she almost killed herself because of grief, because every thing she believed in all her entire life was just a lie, a false reality that wrapped itself around her until it became part of who she was.

So much so that when it was forcibly taken from her…she broke.

‘Good morning saintess Asia’

A voice much like herself echoed in Asia's head, and it would have been heartwarming, if not for it practically dripping with sarcasm.

That's right, there was her too, that voice, it was the voice she first started hearing since she arrived into this wretched place, and it had only gotten louder ever since.

It sounded annoying.

“Who are you?”

Asia said with surprising hostility in her voice, the Saint Asia Argento, the nun with a heart of gold, whose said to encompass all matter if creatures, be it good or evil…was scowling.

It was honestly quite jarring, the expression didn't suite her at all, her beautiful green eyes were narrowed sharply, and her petite mouth was scowling in hatred, it certainly wasn't a look befitting of a nun, or any young woman for that matter.

'Wow! you look quite intense there miss nun, oh! sorry 'ex-nun’, I honestly didn't think you were capable of more than crying or smiling’

The voice said in sarcastic tone, you can practically see the sneer she would've had on her face if she even possessed even

Asia didn't reply, just continued glaring in front of her absentmindedly, she decided to first solve the problem about this annoying voice in her head, then leave the rest for later.

‘Well, atleast you're not crying yourself to death anymore, maybe you aren't as pathetic as I first thought’

Asia decided to ignore the insults, it wasn't like she could do anything to stop them anyway, but one look at her quivering clenched hand was all it took to know that they were affecting her to some extent.

‘Simply put, I am you'

…What?

…….

[Pleasure Devils’ Territory - Royal Throne]

The throne room looked the same as always, beautiful white ceramic, golden streaks scattered across the halls and a huge throne in the middle of it all, it had the most gold in it which symbolised the mother devil, and her unbounded kindness and benevolence.

…But the one currently sitting on the throne wasn't Lilith.

“Quite a nice place you've got there Lilith”

Xeron, in his full body armour, had a nasty smile on his handsome face, his eyes were glowing intensely, his monstrous teeth were visible due to the sneer he's currently wearing on his face, he didn't have a helmet on, so there was a pair of jet-black horns coming out of head, further enhancing his demonic image.

“What happend? Why aren't you saying anything, I wonder?”

He shifted a little on the throne, bringing his elbow futher up the handle and raising his hand to rest his head on it, as if bored.

“Come on now, don't be shy~”

He smiled sweetly and addressed the devilish beauty standing in front of him, which was looking at the ground as if avoiding his gaze like her life depended on it…which it partially did.

“Raise your head dear~”

Immediately after the words were uttered, Lilith's head snapped upwards, and she stared face to face with the demon.

“You're too stiff, relax~ I wouldn't destroy your little gathering over some insignificant pebble, especially when he's just so amusing, right boy?”

Xeron turned to the man standing next to Lilith was her son Lilim, his injuries now fully healed along with his shredded and torn clothes now fully restored, he looked as handsome as before, but certainly not as charismatic, especially when he's staring at the ground and shivering.

Which is understandable, Lilim's looks might have been restored, but his pride was a different matter, it was completely and utterly crushed, beaten out of him again and again, along with the race of pleasure devils, either male or female with no casualties whatsoever…except their mentality.

It was terrifying, so terrifying in fact that Lilim doesn't even remember some parts due to his memory blocking out some of the most painful memories. 

He dreaded his own unfounded arrogance, and honestly wished he could bring back time to force his past self to listen to his mother's warning, but that was foolish at worst, and didn't matter right now, what mattered was surviving this monster before it swallows them whole.

He forced himself to look up, and like his mother, he was now face to face with the source of the future of his own nightmares.

“Yes lord! Thank you again for your mercy lord!”

He immediately bowed nighty degrees, and screamed on top of his lungs with the most respectful tone he could muster.

One might wonder how can such an exalted figure like the prince of pleasure devils be able to flawlessly execute such a humiliating gesture, which is a valid concern, considering that Lilim was known to have fully inherited his father's arrogance.

Ironically enough, it was how one of the servants once addressed Lilim himself, after the prince expressed his intent on sparing said servant after he made a mistake, now Lilim was simply copying the servant, which again, is quite ironic.

“See~”

Xeron spoke with a small sneer on his lips, that while looking quite disturbing, didn't look overly malicious.

Lilith sighed, now she partially guaranteed the safety of her people, and having felt the suppression Xeron posed on her since he arrived partially lifted, she decided to clear her doubts.

“...What will happen to us?”

By us, she meant all of her race, including her own family, and Xeron knew that, which is why he dropped the playful act and replied with a cold and serious tone.

“They will remain as is, If I had the desire to rule, this dimension would've been up in flames by now”

He spoke with unnerving certainly, it's as if what he says is but a simple fact, quite disturbing when you consider that he's talking about the destruction of an entire planet.

The words caused a shiver down the spine of every one in the room, including Ddraig, who was in his human form and is sitting further away on one of stands, and he again thanked his past self for the siding with Xeron, because honestly, the mere thought of something other than that terrified him to no end.

“But…What will happen to mother? From what she said before, you're here for her”

Lili, who stood by her mother and brother, spoke suddenly, her voice lower than whispers, and she like the rest of her family, was staring at the ground.

Xeron glanced at the other beauty that was present, and the moment the succubus felt his gaze on her body, she shivered.

“Interesting, quite the smart one you are Lili Morningstar, I like smart people so I'll answer plainly, I'll be taking your mother with me”

The moment the words registered in the sibling pair heads, they dropped onto the ground and pleaded.

“Please have mercy lord Xeron!”

With no regards to their own dignity, the pair or royal sibling groveled in front of the demon, which only served to show how much they truly love and care for their own mother, it was quite a heartwarming scene to be honest, but it was ruined by the exasperated sigh that Xeron let out.

“I just said that I would be taking her, meaning that she will be accompanying me, I obviously wouldn't harm my servants”

Seeing the Xeron was quite surprised, and to avoid him becoming increasingly annoyed, Lilith decided to step in.

“Lilim, Lili, both of you get up, accept it or not, I truly have become his servant”

She chided her children, and one look from the mother devil was all it took for the sibling pair to rise again.

“...I know I'm not qualified to ask this….But I beg of you to at least treat our mother well”

Lilim bowed his head again, with fists clenched and years threating to spill down from his eyes, and Lili soon followed close by, similarly bowing besides her brother.

The demon just sighed, silently wondering why did his entertainment suddenly switch from an action movie to a soap opera and clicked his finger, materializing a portal by his side, which slowly revealed the fimiliar figure of a silver haired maid.

Yes! Grayfia Lucifdge joined the scene! And which caused the Lucifer family eyes to widen and jaws to drop!

The maid entered through the portal with unmatched grace, her footsteps echoing throughout the silent room, until finally stopping by the side of the throne.

She took one look at each individual currently present in the throne room even Ddraig, her gaze lingered a bit on Lilith, but she ultimately didn't keep staring at her for long and she turned her head back to her master.

“Lord Xeron, is there something that you require of me?”

She said with the utmost devotion, as it is natural, after all, Grayfia Lucifdge took her job as a maid very seriously.

“I gave Lilith a drop of my blood, thus she became my servant, I came here to take her with me, but your uncle and aunt were crying too loud about it”

He said plainly, as he shifted in his seat again, but, this time, it was to look at his side, to see his beautiful maid in all her glory.

….And he was met with the flat stare miss Grayfia Lucifdge was so famous for, but unlike ever other one that was one the receiving end of said stare, Xeron just smiled at her.

She eventually relented, and sighed to herself as she turned to look at her uncle and aunt respectively.

Her eyes flashed with a hint of appreciation, it wasn't everyday that you get to see these pair in such a situation, and Grayfia was going to admit, it was quite refreshing.

So, she decided to fully take advantage of the situation, that's why her lord brought her here after all.

“Grow up”

“W-What!”

“You lost…no, you didn't even stand a chance since the beginning, but the point still stands, you lost, so like every devil there is and was, accept the truth, those with might get to decide the fate of those without”

The sibling pair looked quite insulted, and as usual, it was Lilim who was the first to lash out.

“How da-!!”

He didn't even finish starting the sentence, when he was instantly silenced and brought to the ground by a presence that made his skin crawl.

<Know your place>

Along with a voice that sounded like it came from the deepest pits of Tartarus.

Grayfia just glanced back at her master, appreciation silently in her gaze, then looked back at he uncle.

“I guess centuries of false peace accompanied by always looking down on people like they’re all nothing but ants, even your own niece, dulled your senses ‘uncle’”

Her cold robotic voice carried no emotions in it, but the sneer on her face was quite noticeable, it carried all the ridicule in the world, and was quite the sight for Xeron, who wasn't expecting soup operas to be this fun.

“Isn't that right my dear ‘aunt’? Not like you were any wiser. I'm pretty sure all that's on

your mind is how to get a new boy-toy to add to the collection”

Grayfia looked at her aunt in the eye, and Lili felt her niece, which she always saw as a servant, ridicule her. Because while her expression showed nothing of her inner emotions, her gaze carried endless contempt, and a not so small amount of gloating, which was quite infuriating to the succubi princess.

And after finally finishing her reven- tasks given to her my her master, Grayfia turned to look at her grandmother, and her cold and stoic expression instantly softened, and she bowed a little, expressing her respect.

“Good day to you, lady Lilith, I'm sorry for the unsightly display”

Lilith started at her granddaughter silently for a while, and after sighing, she approached the maid and grapped her in a hug.

“My lovely granddaughter I missed you, it's good to see that you're as petty as ever”

Grayfia didn't resist her grandmother's hug, and the two beauties warmly embraced each other, entirely ignoring the tense atmosphere that surrounds them, and they stayed there, until they finally let go, with Grayfia being the first one to speak.

“It's good to see you too grandmother, and don't worry about lord Xeron, I'm sure he won't do anything too drastic, right?”

Grayfia turned to look at her master, and when she saw him give her a thumbs up, she sighed again for the no-one-knows how many times since meeting that guy, and turned to look back at her grandmother, which was similarly sighing with a defeated expression.

“I guess this is it then”

“Excellent! Now let's get back to Kuoh, and Grayfia, prepare for tomorrow, we'll be attending Rias's rating game”

“Yes, lord Xeron”

Xeron stood up and walked towards a portal he already prepared and entered, followed by Grayfia, Ddraig.

Lilith didn't follow them however, instead, she turned to her children and addressed them both.

“I assume you both already know what I'm to say, but I'll still say it nonetheless. Please do keep looking after our people in my absence”

“...Yes, mother”

After nodding slightly in appreciation, Lilith turned to the portal and entered with no hesitation. 

Leaving the sibling pair behind to think about the what just happened and the new circumstances they found themselves in.

……..

[A Random Inn - Kuoh - Third Person POV]

‘Simply put, I am you'

….What?

What do mean me? The blonde thought to herself. Of course, the voice does indeed sound exactly like the blonde, but she just assumed it was because it was coming from her own head.

But now it was saying that it was her, then if that was her, then who is she? Has she finally gone crazy?

'And before you keep on going down the spiral of insanity. No, I'm not you you, I'm a different you, or I should say, a different me'

…..Again what?

That didn't make any sense, and it was further frustrating the blonde who's already quite frustrated as is.

“Quit the games and answer! Who are you!?”

She screamed out loud in the air, completely disregarding how insane she may look right now, due to how incredibly fed up she is.

‘I am you, or more accurately, a second personality your mind developed to help with the ‘circumstances’ it found it itself in’

….A second personality?

‘I’m what you yourself consider the ideal version of yourself’

….Ideal version of myself?

‘I embody the things you believe you should've done, when faced with your situation all over again'

My brain developed a second personality…. because I thought that I should've things differently?…..What nonsen-!

‘And as you continued to doubt yourself further and further, our sick and twisted mind demanded things change more and more, until finally, I was born'

There was a pause after the sentence finished, it was as if the voice was deciding something, until it finally reached a conclusion, and it was heard again.

‘I am nearly your exact opposite, Asia Argento’