The Abyssal Lord (DxD)

“May I ask a question, lord Xeron”

Inside the now silent hall, the soft voice of the mother of devils echoed gently.

She had remained silent until now, merely observing the changes around her but never actually voicing out anything.

“Oh? Are you finally going to speak? It's about time then, ask away”

The demon said with a small smile, his rows of sharp teeth were visible even in the dim light that barely illuminated the hall.

The eeriness of the scene was deeply unsettling, those glowing eyes that seemed to peer directly into her soul were greatly disturbing.

But Lilith decided to ask anyway, she had nothing to lose after all, she already secured what she wanted, made a contract to protect her people in exchange of her own self, so there's nothing else left for her.

But most importantly she was curious, despite ultimately not caring for what befalls her for as long as her people are safe, she still found the demon's actions quite puzzling.

Possessing immense power, capable of forcing the entire world to bend the knee, being in command of an army that's capable of tearing the literal fabric of reality.

But still doing nothing, no conquest, no fight, no chaos, nothing.

But that can't be right, how could a being created for chaos refuse to live in it? How could the demon crowned his kind's king be so passive? It simply didn't make sense.

At least that's what Lilith thought, and for a good reason too, that's what she had witnessed in her long life, that's the literal law of the world.

The strong ate the weak, those in power demand more of it, every being no matter what race abides by this rule, even her.

Which made her even more puzzled by the demon's strange behavior.

“What is the truth?”

The silence stretched beyond her words, the sound of the wood burning in the fireplace became the only one resounding amongst them.

She wasn't expecting an answer honestly, for he had no obligation to entertain her thoughts, there was nothing binding him to her.

But suddenly, she saw him tilting his head towards her direction, his expression as neutral as it always has been, the small smile hanging on his face as non expressive as it always has been.

“What truth are you talking about, Lilith?”

He asked with a slightly amused voice, his eyes feigning innocence as he stared back at her own.

And while it is true that the demon amusement wasn't something that he particularly hid before, this time however, Lilith felt something else was behind that smile of his.

Something she felt deep curiosity towards.

“Demons aren't beings with much tolerance, they rip and tear civilizations from limb to limb, they sow chaos and destruction with their mere presence, blood and violence is practically synonyms with their existence”

She spoke with no strong emotions in her voice, for it was simply a fact of life, an absolute rule that bound the reality they all live in.

“Unlike the goddess of the sun, I was there. I was there when the demons invaded this world and nearly split it in half, I saw the terror on the faces of gods and dragons alike, I saw the world tremble by your and your kind's mere presence”

She felt the demon's eyes on her as she spoke, he hadn't moved much from her seat and was just quietly looking at her speaking in silence.

But as always, she couldn't find out his thoughts, as those hollow reddish eyes and that sickening smile spoke no words of his inner emotions.

“I may have been nothing but a powerless human back then, but I still remember it like it was yesterday, the fear in my ‘father’s’ eyes as he led the angels into battle, it was the first time I have ever seen the bastard feel anything other than the bullshit he calls compassion”

She spat out the word ‘father’ like it was the most disgusting thing she had ever said, which made the vindictiveness in her voice in the next sentence even more noticeable.

“The demon lords were practically beings of the apocalypse, the fear of every entity alive no matter its status in the hierarchy of the world”

Her tone lost the venom she held for her father and retained its previous calm and collected state, she looked back at the demon and spoke with part curiosity and part wonder.

“The most demonic of all demons, the demon lord of despair Xeron Kezgenoth that brought terror to even his own kin…is suddenly not interested in what his own nature thrives on?”

She may haven't been in contact with the outside world for a few centuries now, but she did occasionally inquire about the world from time to time, especially when she was forced to do so recently, as a last ditch effort to her previous ‘conundrum’.

And color her surprised when she heard from her sources that the Satans were approached by someone who calls himself a demon, and not just any demon mind you, but one of their literal lords.

The despair lord, one of four other lords that nearly spilled the end of their world centuries ago, Xeron Kezgenoth may have been an enigma for the young Satans of today, but not her.

Or that's what she thought, because instead of immediately sowing chaos, immediately unleashing the legions of the Abyss and unleashing an all out war on the entirety of the Draconic Deus until eventually decimating them all…but instead, he did nothing.

So she stared at him in silence, her eyes conveying the question as she awaited a response, or at least hoped for one.

She knew he wouldn't answer her, he had no need to really, she was but a servant of his after all.

But…as she was about to turn away, a shiver ran down her spine.

“You ask what is it that I'm after?”

His voice wasn't at all his usual calm one, nor was it the amusing tone she saw him usually speaking with from time to time.

No, his voice was musky, heavy, suffocating even. She felt the weight of his gaze on her body even with more than thirty meters separating them.

“What I'm after is the simplest thing one could want, my lovely Lilith”

He spoke with his gaze hovering over her entire body, his eyes peering into hers, then slowly descending to her lips, lingering for a moment before continuing their journey down the curve of her neck.

“A-and w-what is t-that thing exactly, l-lord Xeron?”

Her voice was drawn out with a stutter, her mind finally comprehending the gaze that he casted on her body as she squirmed at its intensity.

There was a tension in the air, the silence between them heavy, as if the weight of his question hung in the space between them, waiting to be answered.

She shuddered, having felt this gaze from countless men countless times already, she was accustomed to its nasty undertone.

In the back of her mind, she had known this would happen sooner or later, it was inevitable based on their first meeting, the way he looked at her back then wasn't at all lost to the queen of the pleasure devils.

“It’s something so basic it should be laughable that I somehow lost it over the eons of which I existed”

He suddenly stood up from his seat and started walking in her direction, his eyes glowing a brighter red glow as he stared her straight in the eyes.

“Well, I guess it isn't something exclusive to me personally, because from what I could see, all the supernatural suffers from the same ailment one way or another”

The sound of his shoes clicking on the floor got louder and louder as he made his way towards her seat, which she felt glued to, incapable of escaping or even remotely budging from.

She felt terrified, having mentally prepared herself and actually facing the situation were totally different things after all. And ironically, despite being the literal queen of succubi, she never actually actively flaunted her title once in her entire life.

She was a married woman since her fall from heaven, she wasn't some loose succubus that'll prey on anything with the capacity to feel lust, and she certainly wasn't like her daughter, who had a literal harem of ‘husbands’.

She may be a succubus, a pleasure devil that's supposed to embody the literal concept of lust and desire, but the human mentality that was ingrained to her by her ‘father’ was still deep inside her, which she unconsciously acts on to this day, to her immense displeasure that is.

So her views contradicted careless sleeping around, she also had immense pride which abhorred being in the same bed with an insect who was unworthy of her and the addition of her time being consumed by caring for her people and helping them establish themselves outside the influence of the current Satans society, all that naturally resulted in her being alone, which until now, she didn't mind.

But as she's about to unconsciously discover shortly from now, a human she was no longer, she was a pure blooded succubus, their literal queen even.

And what all devils crave remains a constant, the emotions a succubus feels when faced with such immense might lay in even the literal first female devil. 

“I have achieved all my goals, became what I was destined for and brought destruction to all who stood in my way” The demon said as he itched ever so closer, his presence growing heavier and heavier, becoming so domineering it could be physically felt in the air around them.

He stopped right in front of her seat, looking down at her with a small wolfish smile that made her entire body shudder.

“What I'm looking for is excitement, the thrill that was lost to me centuries ago” He grabbed her chin and lifted her face, his eyes staring into her own in a tense silence as her body refused to even move an inch.

She felt like a deer caught in headlights, feeling dread that seeped into her very soul, casting fear into the core of her being, being stared at with such intense emotions from such a powerful being was akin to suffocating.

“I’m bored Lilith, the stale reality that we live in offers me nothing but unbearable boredom”

He lowered his head to her level, his warm breath brushing past her ears caused delicious goosebumps to crawl across her entire body.

“Your helplessness and hopelessness as you threw yourself at me with no other options, my lovely maid who's still in blissful ignorance, the devils and the small ploy they try to deceive themselves with”

His excitement was practically spilling from his every action, he's displaying more emotion than all the time she saw him before combined.

“Izanami and her simple mind that still clings to the past, Amaterasu who loves her mother so very much, she's unconsciously leading herself down the same path as her mother's own…and many, many more”

 

She felt her body ignite, the fear she felt only served to fuel her excitement as her breath grew ragged each passing moment.

He backed away from beside her head and grabbed her face, holding her by the cheeks and forcing her closer to him until she's inches away from his face.

“Lilith my dear, my newest possession. Your small world is truly, incredibly exciting” Was the last thing she heard, before the light surrounding her suddenly went out.

And when it did come back moments later, she suddenly found herself being thrown on what appeared to be a bed.

…….

It was dark, I felt myself drowning in an endless void, my body refused to move as I lay on my back and stared upwards, towards the endless black sky.

'What happened? Where am I? Who am I?’ I asked myself countless times, and each time there followed only silence, a void that I felt mirrored the situation my mind was currently in.

I tried to remember, tried to recall what happened before, what made me come to this place, who I was before, and most importantly.

‘Why am I sad?’

I felt it deep inside me but didn't understand its reason. 

I felt my chest tighten and tears were threatening to spill from my eyes for no apparent reason. 

I felt sad but didn't know why, and no matter how much I tried to recall why, I couldn't.

'Okay…Let's take it step by step…who am I?’

I took a deep breath trying to calm myself, I drove back the sadness and ignored the situation I'm currently in, and after another deep breath, I tried my hardest to recall.

‘I’m a…huma- no, a devil. A reincarnated devil…yes, I'm a devil…why am I a devil exactly?’

I tried to remember the reason for me being a devil despite being born a human, but every time I try to recall, nothing comes to mind.

'Well, it doesn't matter now. I'm a devil, I was born in Japan, I went to Kuoh academy…my name is…is…what was it again?’

I stopped thinking for a while and tried to remember, my mind pieced together the shards that made up my memories, however slow it may be.

Until eventually, I remembered.

'Oh!! It was Issei! Issei Hyoudou!! I remember now! That fallen was about to kill me, and I made a deal with a devil to help me protect them, in exchange for joining her peerage'

The moment I recalled my name, memories started flooding my mind, the events that happened prior to me becoming a devil all returned to me in an instant.

But what happened after my transformation still remained hazy.

‘But who was the devil that transformed me? I remember she was a girl and had big boobs, but I don't remember her name'

The hazy thoughts grew hazier everytime I tried to recall, it was as if my mind was actively preventing me from trying to remember, as if it was against me remembering this specific devil's name.

And of course, I wasn't going to let it.

‘Come on brain! Don't be like that!’ I furiously screamed in my mind, now pouring all my will power into this one specific task, putting even more effort than when I tried to recall my own name.

‘Come on, come on, come on! Any second now….Ha! I remember! Her name was Rias Gremory, the president of the occult research club at school. Honestly, how could I forget such a beau-!!’

A flood of anguish…a heavy rain of regret, the moment I recalled her name, I felt the dam that held back all the sadness and sorrow crumble to dust.

I remembered them all…Akeno-san, Kiba, Koneko-chan and even Gasper, all my friends, my peerage teammates.

I remembered how we laughed together, the constant pickering that happened between me and Koneko-chan, I remembered the chill that ran down my spine everytime Akeno-san smiled at me, the unbearable annoyance that seeped into my head every time I saw Kiba smile and Gasper and how much of a trap he is.

The memories should bring me happiness, and it truly did. I confess that the days I spent with my new family, no matter how scarce they may be, were one of the happiest times I've been in during my life.

But…I also remembered how I betrayed them all…stabbed them in the back when they needed me the most, made a reckless promise and spiraled out of control when they needed me the most…when the president needed me the most.

‘p…’ 

She needed me…she depended on me, they all did, it was a match that was supposed to decide the fate of her life. She seeked my help to get herself rid of a marriage that was forced on her, against her will.

‘p…president’

And what did I do? I betrayed her trust, I betrayed all their trust, lost control of my powers and like some sort of animal, I indiscriminately destroyed everything, killed everyone.

‘president’

I could still vividly remember the look that Kiba had on his face as he stared up at me, that look of absolute shock as he yelled for me to regain my senses…but I didn't.

‘President’

But I didn't regain my senses, I didn't snap out of it, I didn't control my power but let it consume me, and after eliminating the boy I called a friend in the most gruesome way possible…I did the same for the others…all the others.

‘President’

I don't deserve to be her family, I don't deserve to be their friend, I ruined her life, I betrayed their trust…I truly am a useless, despicable good-for-nothing.

I…..I'm sorry, I knew I didn't deserve any pardon, but I can't bring myself to not say, even if she doesn't hear me, even if she hears me and despises me…I'll still say it.

“PRESIDENT” I screamed on top of lungs, hurling my voice across the void despite knowing that it would be to no avail.

“PRESIDENT”

But I still did it, part of me hoping she never ever hears me, part of me scoffing at the foolishness of my attempts, part of me surrendering to the current situation, knowing that there was no need to resist the inevitable.

“RIAS! RIAS GREMORY!”

But there was still another part of me, the part that still didn't give up, that wanted to speak to her one last time, to beg her for forgiveness and promise that he would do better.

But…it seems that fate was a cruel mistress…the void grew even darker. It was imminent I got swallowed; darkness soon prevented me from even speaking, I was reduced to only a few parting thoughts, my last before I eventually black out.

'I….I'm sorry…president…president…Rias’ Were the last things that came to my head, before ultimately feeling my consciousness start slipping away from me.

“I…..!”

It was faint at first, nothing but a whisper throughout the endless silence, something I didn't even hear at first.

“Is….wa-....up!”

It got louder, I couldn't tell what it really was saying, I also couldn't tell who was really speaking, but the longer I listened, the more I felt the pain in their voice.

“Issei!...I’m-!”

But…the moment I heard my name, I instantly knew who it was, the owner of the voice that called out to me, the person behind the cry that pained me to even hear.

I tried to reply to her, tried to say something back, but no matter how much I struggled, I couldn't let a word out.

“Issei! My Issei!! Please!”

Her pained shouts deeply scarred me, it pained me to a degree I didn't think was even possible.

And when she started crying…I felt my heart shatter.

‘president’

My mind regained its clearness, I fought with all my might to regain control of my body.

“pr…esident”

My voice rang muffled. It hurt so much to even speak, but I persevered, fought to comfort her, to stop the tears from flowing down her beautiful face.

“President!”

My voice grew back to its previous intensity, I fought with all my might to regain control of my body, to free myself and run to where she was…to where my friends were…to my family.

And finally, after what felt like an eternity, after what felt like a struggle that appeared only in nightmares, I was in control of myself.

*Crack*

The darkness around me immediately started to crack, the void that surrounded my every direction started to tear apart like glass.

And with one final shout, it all crumpled to nothingness.

*Crack*

I wasn't in an endless void anymore, what surrounded me wasn't darkness anymore. And I felt myself laying on my back all the same, but instead of looking upwards at black nothingness, I could see the ceiling of a regular room.

“A…ahhh”

My body hurt just attempting to get up, I unconsciously let out a sigh while trying to move my arms and failing to do so.

But as I was about to try again, a sudden shout from my side stopped me dead in my tracks.

“I-ISSEI!!”

It was her voice, it was her, the person at least and most wanted to see at the moment, the subject of my admiration and regret.

She dashed to the bed I was laying on, I saw her staring down at me with tears streaming down her eyes, with her body shivering and shaking in what looked like the millionth time.

She lowered herself and hugged me, the force of her grip pained me so much that I wanted to yell in pain…but, nothing came out of my mouth, I couldn't bring myself to speak.

“I-Issei…you're a-awake…I'm s-sorry…I'm so sorry”

She laid by my side and buried her face in my neck and sobbed, a gesture that deeply hurt me even more than I already am.

But I couldn't find any words to say, my mind constantly tried to find a solution but found nothing.

So I just lifted my hand and rested it on her head, gritting through the pain I felt from merely moving and rubbing her head to try to offer her some form of comfort.

But all I got in return was more of her wails

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