As Elros pa.s.sed through the portcullis, he looked down on his right ring finger and smiled.

'This might be blasphemous, but G.o.d bless Saint Walker. This baby worked like a charm. Should probably get something nice for Constantine as well. That little bit of training and advice turned this into something even better than I could think of. And of course, you too Scorn. I have a feeling we're going to get along extremely well,' Elros though, thinking fondly of his phoenix familiar. He was most helpful during the training and creating his newest attack.

Looking ahead, he saw bright smiles on the guards that were going to escort him to the reception area where his celebration would be held. No doubt there would be more questions for him once he met with everyone again, especially in regards to the transformation.

'I still haven't had a chance to use my Demonic Powers, though. Could probably pa.s.s this off as such, but no reason to do that. Wonder if I'll ever get to use them?' Elros thought with a sigh before plastering a smile as he greeted the guards.

"Gentlemen, h.e.l.lo. Enjoy the fight?" he asked.

"A wonderful job yet again, Elros! If you'll just follow us, we'll lead you to the auditorium where the celebration is already underway. The people are filing in as we speak and will likely be done as we arrive," one guard said.

"Lead on, my good men. If we could avoid the ruckus for now, though, I'd really appreciate it. Just want a bit of time to mull over the match," Elros said cheerfully as he followed. They paused before leaving the stadium; the guards wanted to make sure that Elros wouldn't be beset by any fans or reporters until he was good and ready. Making sure the coast was clear took another long hour before they began walking again, making easy and light conversation the whole time.

"Your powers are really something else!" one said excitedly.

"Glad you thought so. I did take a beating in the earlier the moments, though. My opponents certainly weren't slouches," Elros replied.

"True enough, but the victor is the victor regardless," the guard replied.

It was a short five-minute jaunt to the auditorium, a ma.s.sive cathedral type built in a Palladian style. It had a ma.s.sive domed roof that stretched as long and wide as the stadium where the fight was held. A ma.s.sive staircase led all the way up to the two ma.s.sive, wooden and gold embossed doors that stood sentinel to the building. In front of them were multiple ma.s.sive white columns, supporting a long triangular awning that offered a significant amount of shade. As they climbed the stairs, the doors began to slowly swing outwards to allow them pa.s.sage. The guards stopped and took their positions with several other guardsmen lined throughout the entry room. Looking around, Elros saw beautiful Renaissance-style paintings, sculptures, and other pieces of art. He was greeted by two men - the announcer and the judge.

"Mr. Eärendil! MARVELOUS! ABSOLUTELY MARVELOUS! You did it yet again, good child - you made history yet again! I doubt many announcers have lived through an event once in their life! You've allowed me to live through it twice before I even digested the first time!" the announcer said as he wrung Elros's hand happily.

"Indeed. That was quite a tremendous bout - one that the Devil community will be talking about for a long while to come, I think. You've done in two duels what most Devils won't in their lifetime. Not only are you a ranked duelist, but you're now in the Top Five - the youngest Devil to ever achieve such a feat, as well as the only Low-Cla.s.s Devil to do so. I must say, I didn't think much of your chances in this fight - however, it appears as though I was sorely mistaken. You dominated the match after… being dominated for a while, shall I say. You've certainly earned your position," the judge said with a light smile as he also shook Elros's hand. Elros returned it before turning back to the announcer who was jumping for joy.

"Indeed, indeed, indeed! This is quite the exciting time for us. Now, as per last time, I shall announce you. Of course, the Devil world already knows your name, but a little build up never goes amiss! The judge shall escort you backstage while I get out there. See in you a bit, lad!" the announcer said as he bounced off. The judge let out a sigh before leading Elros to where he had to be.

"I must say, I thought that those three had for a while there. You were on the receiving end of quite a beatdown. Yet you managed to pull off a surprise reversal. I've hardly ever seen anything like it," the judge said as he walked with Elros.

"I'd say I hope you got good odds, but that'd probably be unbecoming with your position," Elros said with a chuckle.

"Quite. But the match itself is reward enough for me. It's rare to witness the next legend in the making, yet that appears to be the case here," the judge said.

"You might be overestimating me, judge. I'm just doing this because I had no other choice," Elros said.

"We know that's not true, child. You could've refused," the judge said.

"That wouldn't reflect well on Rias or her household. I don't want them to be on the receiving end of the humiliation because of me," Elros said.

"I see. So you don't enjoy fighting? At all?" the judge asked.

"Avoiding it is the best solution, in my opinion," Elros said.

"That might work on others, Mr. Eärendil - but I'm afraid it won't work on me," the judge said grimly.

"Meaning?" Elros asked, stopping and frowning.

"No man can do what you did if they didn't enjoy the fight or if they weren't in quite a few scuffles previously. Perhaps more naive minds will accept such an answer, but I'm afraid that I know better. I know a warrior when I see one. And you have the bearing of one. That scar on your face isn't something that a man who seeks peace receives," the judge said.

"Perhaps it's because of the scar that I seek peace," Elros offered.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. But a man who seeks peace doesn't take such a… violent approach to deal with his enemies. The chair. The gun. The knife. I a.s.sume you used them to convey the message you spoke with me about earlier. You have a ferocity about you that I've rarely seen," the judge said.

Elros pierced the eyes of the judge with his own. They were both silent for a moment, regarding each other in full before Elros finally smiled again.

"Something tells me that you have some interesting stories to tell, judge," Elros said as they began walking again. The judge let out a short laugh before breathing deep and sighing.

"Too many of my own, child. Too many," he said tiredly. Elros narrowed his eyes as he looked sideways at the judge, taking him in again anew. He noted the wizened face and the sunken black eyes - cold but reverent; he noted the short goatee, adding a few years to his already old features. He was well to do, wearing a bespoke black tuxedo. His gait was long, arms swinging powerfully at his sides - yet each step was somehow still measured. His presence wasn't staggering - in fact, it was quite forgettable; but close to him, Elros could feel the authority he held.

"I'm curious about what you did to Bastion during the negotiations. He fell to the ground in pain. I can't be 100% certain, but I'm sure it was you who did that," Elros said. The judge turned to him, giving him an acerbic smile.

"As you said, I've some interesting stories to tell, child. Let us continue and perhaps you may hear them another day," the judge said. Elros paused but nodded, his interest piqued.

-o-

"Ladies and gentlemen, Devils of all nature - welcome. Welcome again to a ceremony held in the honor of what I - and I daresay many - consider to be of the finest duelists that have ever deigned to grace us with their presence. He first exploded onto the scene not too long ago in what is already considered a cla.s.sic clash against one of the most powerful scions in the Underworld - Riser Phoenix! Mr. Phoenix was ranked 18th amongst all Devils in Duels, yet this newcomer wrested that rank from him in a spectacular fas.h.i.+on. He took on an ENTIRE PEERAGE by HIMSELF - and walked away victorious! I am, of course, talking about ELROS EÄRENDIL!" the judge roared to one excited and loud crowd.

"GO ELROS!" a gaggle of beautiful women yelled, cheering for their favorite duelist. With his second win, Elros's name was on the lips of every Devil a.s.sembled - either in good or bad taste.

"Mr. Eärendil negotiated this battle not too long ago, but the date was changed on him with little knowledge. This duel, as you all know, was initially scheduled to take place in a few more weeks. However, Lord Anders, Lord Bastion, and Lady Elizaveta thought it advantageous to move it up, giving them a better chance and cutting Mr. Eärendil's training time significantly. The good man took it all in stride, however! Perhaps the challengers should've thought their plan through a bit more carefully, especially where it concerns this young man!" the announcer yelled, pausing as cheers erupted for Elros, while the other three were jeered.

"He came out without his weapons, staring down three powerful contestants. Lord Anders, with his Demonic Transformation; Lord Bastion, with his Flying Weaponry; and Lady Elizaveta, the Queen of Thunder! All three stared down the man with no t.i.tle - although I daresay we have to give him one now! They took control early in the match, and for a while, even I thought that Mr. Eärendil would lose! After all, how could he not?! His challengers were amongst the most powerful duelists that our world has to offer!" the announcer roared. He was met entirely with jeers as he praised the contestants.

"But no! Mr. Eärendil came back in a spectacular fas.h.i.+on! We all heard the jibe Lord Anders intended against the Lady Rias Gremory - and that appeared to be what Elros needed for the fight to come back to him! He WRENCHED the control back viciously and simply refused to give up - giving the two lords and the good lady a thras.h.i.+ng that I doubt they'll ever forget! I daresay that it was one of the most ruthless displays of power I've ever seen - I can still see Lord Bastions teeth in my head! h.e.l.l, Mr. Eärendil didn't even have to knock him out - HE FORFEITED!" the announcer barked. A loud laugh went throughout the crowd as they remembered.

"I couldn't believe it when Bastion gave up," one Devil said, shaking his head and sighing audibly.

"Seriously. How embarra.s.sing that has to be. Losing to a Lowborn, especially when you were so c.o.c.ky about it. I mean they even had the d.a.m.n advantage!" his friend said with a derisive laugh.

"How the h.e.l.l is the kid gonna top that, though? I've never seen anything like those fights before! I mean come on… we saw the trouble he had during the beginning. Any of the Top Five could've taken the others on easily. I don't think we'll see any more handicaps like that from him," a man noted.

"Mmm, good point. Unless someone wants to knock him down a peg," a woman answered, looking around at several Devils that were focusing intensely on the podium.

"Huh. Seems like he has challengers already lining up to face him," the man said with a chuckle.

"They're getting ahead of themselves," the woman said with a chuckle of her own.

"Once Mr. Eärendil had control back, it was a done deal folks. Lord Bastion fell, followed by Lord Anders - remember the pain that Bastion felt as he sat in the chair? The torture felt by Anders as the bullets ripped his body apart?!" the announcer asked. A collective shudder went through the crowd as they remembered; several potential challengers began to second guess their chances as they heard the screams of Bastion inside their head, as they saw the bloodied Anders.

"And that stunning attack from the Lady Elizaveta… I thought that was it for Elros at the time, good people! How wrong I was! Eärendil came back with… h.e.l.l, I won't even say it! YOU ALL REMEMBER! THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR THINGS I'VE EVER SEEN! THOSE BEAUTIFUL BLUE WINGS COURSING FROM HIS BODY! I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT!" the announcer yelled, his loudest yet. The people - especially the female population - erupted into another cheer as a blown up picture was thrown up behind the announcer. Several others gulped as they saw it.

Elros was standing, reared to attack with his head slightly lowered. A sardonic and vicious smile played on his lips while his arms had transformed into the wings of blue fire. His right cheek, his left eye, part of his neck, his chest, his stomach, and both legs were erupting blue as the fires healed him, as a phoenix would.

-o-

"Beautiful," Venelana sighed pleasantly as she saw the picture of the man that defended her daughter yet again.

"GO ELROS!" Gasper yelled happily, cheering with his arms raised as Rias picked him up to give him a better view. She was smiling wide as she saw the picture of Elros, although the smile that the picture showed filled her with a sense of unease. It wasn't the smile that she had grown to know and love; it was cruel and vicious, one that forewarned that the end of the fight had come. Looking around, she saw the confidence of many would-be challengers falter. If they challenged Elros, this was the man they would see in battle; not the one that kissed her constantly, but the one that would put them through h.e.l.l for her.

"So pretty," Koneko whispered in awe as she held on to Rias's leg, eliciting a bitter smile from her sister. Kuroka soon turned to the picture as well, biting her lip as she saw Elros's larger than life form looming over everyone. She felt a flurry of emotions upon seeing it - from dread and fear to reverence and admiration.

"I still can't believe it. Is that his Demonic Power? Transformation?" Akeno wondered, looking at the picture with a sense of wonder and amazement. His wings were the most beautiful she had ever seen in her life - even including Michael's - yet there was so much that was unknown about them. She remembered that Elros didn't use them - or even talk about them - much.

"It might be. If so, it's quite stunning. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. It certainly has a lot more grace that Anders transformation," Azazel said, grinning as he saw it. He had to remember to hang out with him soon - there was a lot to discuss.

"For a man as reserved as he is, Elros knows better than most how to put on quite a show," Michael remarked with a light smile.

"What a remarkable man," Yubelluna said dreamily as she smiled at him. The other girls did so as well, agreeing and adding their own words to him in their minds. Marion and Bürent were both grinning wide as they thought of how to celebrate while Mihae did her best to restrain herself from jumping up and down with glee, regardless of how much she wanted to. Xuelan loudly cheered while Isabela clapped loudly, although she - like Yubelluna - felt a certain fear go through them as they saw the fiery wings. Both remembered what Riser had done to them and gulped as they remembered the fire he had used on them, but they pushed such thoughts out of their minds.

'Elros IS NOT Riser. Not even sort of,' Isabela thought viciously. Elros would never do such a thing to her, regardless of how potent his fire was.

-o-

"He's going to kill me with kindness before I even go up there," Elros chuckled.

"The man has a way with words. One of the best announcers we've ever had. Enjoys what he does, which is more than what could be said for many. Most importantly, he's impartial regardless of his proclivity towards excitement," the judge said, with a light chuckle of his own.

-o-

"I'm sure you're all bored of me talking by now, so why don't I just get right down to it, huh? People, please put your hands together for ELROS EÄRENDIL!" the announcer roared to the loudest cheer yet.

-o-

"That's our cue," the judge said. He walked through first, with Elros right behind him. Plastering on a wide smile, Elros waved to the people who were cheering for him, flas.h.i.+ng a few charming smiles at the women in particular before scanning the crowd for the faces he was most intent on seeing.

It wasn't long before he connected eyes with Rias. She grinned wider than ever as she waved at him along with Gasper. Elros winked in response before doing the same for Akeno, Sona, and Tsubaki. He walked over to the announcer who gave him another vigorous handshake. The cheers continued for minutes, booming and thundering so loudly Elros could feel them in his heartbeat. As they finally died down, the announcer spoke again.

"We've seen some tremendous things in the history of our Duels. We've seen handicapped matchups before, but they usually end in the favor of the many heads as opposed to the one. We've seen men and women fight with blindfolds on, with their hands tied behind their backs; we've seen duels where neither contestant was allowed to use any powers. We've seen fortunes, companies - even lives! - be traded. But never have I seen such displays of strength from a single man within such a short period! Elros Eärendil burst onto the scene in a spectacular fas.h.i.+on. Many of the organizers of the event that I've spoken to today consider his two matches to be amongst the greatest that we've ever seen. In both cases, Mr. Eärendil was outnumbered; and in both cases, Mr. Eärendil won in a resounding fas.h.i.+on! To you, good sir, I say CONGRATULATIONS!" the announcer yelled as he grabbed Elros's hand and raised it in the air in victory to another thunderous applause.

"Despite being thrown here and there during the nascent moments of the match, you quickly regained the upper hand, Elros. And as soon as you did, you held onto it with a vice grip. Again the underdog - again the victor. With your resplendent wings of blue flame, you put the finis.h.i.+ng touches on an already cla.s.sic match and clinched the victory. Again, congratulations," the announcer said, albeit quieter. As the applause began and died down, he spoke again.

"Mr. Eärendil, you stepped into the ring as the eighteenth ranked duelist in the Underworld - no small feat to begin with I a.s.sure you! But now - a month later, you pulled off the impossible. By beating Lord Bastion you became the 12th ranked duelist. And then, once you eliminated Lady Elizaveta, you officially entered the Top Five! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE - ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO THE YOUNGEST DUELIST TO EVER MAKE THE TOP FIVE!" the announcer roared to a ma.s.sive cheer.

"I'm sure the Gremory Household, in particular, is quite happy for such a successful addition. A beautiful and powerful heiress, one of the Four Great Satans, and now Elros Eärendil - a legend in the making! Although, as I've said before, I'm sure Mr. Eärendil doesn't care about something as ba.n.a.l as ranking. No, no, he accepted this match - as he did with Lord Riser - for one reason and one reason only: for the love of his life, the beautiful Lady Gremory," the announcer said in a gentle voice. Instead of cheers, however, there were boos - with the females drowning out the males this time.

-o-

"Careful sweetheart. I think Elros got even more popular with the ladies just now," Venelana teased her daughter.

"He's mine," Rias said fiercely, eyes narrowing as she observed the women in the crowd, many of them observing her with a great distaste.

"Ours," Akeno corrected her, also looking at the women with narrowed eyes, joined by Sona and Tsubaki.

-o-

"Last time I told you to be careful, Mr. Eärendil - several young Devils might be quite envious of what you achieved in such a short time. However, I daresay you have little to worry about now. I certainly pity anyone that thinks they might have a chance against you!" the announcer said with a good-natured laugh before continuing.

"With his win, Mr. Eärendil will also be receiving some corporeal winnings. Mr. Eärendil is hereby awarded the fortunes of both Lord Anders and Lord Bastion. With his stake in the Phoenix Company, Mr. Eärendil has shot up multiple s.p.a.ces on another list. He is not only the wealthiest Low-Cla.s.s Devil but easily one of the wealthiest men in the Underworld bar none!" the announcer yelled to a ma.s.sive cheer, especially from the women. They and quite a few men stared at Elros with intense l.u.s.t.

"In addition to that, Lord Anders and Lord Bastion are hereby banned from partic.i.p.ating in any further Duels or Rating Games - ever. I'm sorry gentlemen, but I think you may have made a costly mistake in accepting such terms. Lady Elizaveta, however, wagered only one thing as I am told. If she won, Mr. Eärendil would have to marry her. Needless to say, that will no longer happen. She might've been the luckiest of the three - for all she lost was her pride and rank," the announcer said solemnly. The crowd didn't agree with his mood; they jeered Elizaveta, Anders, and Bastion eagerly - they had the upper hand and still couldn't pull off a win.

"And of course, his greatest prize - which I'm sure he would agree with - is that he and the beautiful heiress to the Gremory Household will remain happily together. I'm certain many more gentlemen will try for her hand, however - which is why the judge would like to have a word with any such contenders. My good man," the announcer said, allowing the judge to come up.

"Thank you for those wonderful words on Mr. Eärendil's behalf. Before the match began, Mr. Eärendil pulled me aside to speak to me about future challengers he would have in the event of his win. He ascertained that many Devils would likely be displeased with his win and continued relations.h.i.+p with Lady Rias Gremory. I believe he is correct - some High-Cla.s.s Devils and other Highborns likely will be displeased at that. He thinks that many of them believe that Lady Rias should be with them simply due to their status. Suffice it to say, Mr. Eärendil does not share those views. He is a man who believes that such things must be earned, not freely given - and on that, I agree with him. He does not wish to dishonor the Gremory Household - or, as I believe he meant, Rias Gremory - by denying a match. Such an action would be looked down upon. So he asked me to come up with a solution - after all, he has other responsibilities to adhere to. He simply cannot accept every match that comes his way, regardless of how easy or difficult the win may be. So I've done some thinking and I believe I have a solution," the judge said. The audience went quiet as their ears perked, wondering what the judge was talking about. Elros also looked at him with interest - he did indeed ask that, but he didn't know what the judge was going to say.

"Perhaps Mr. Eärendil will disagree with my solution, but I believe it to be the best in a case such as this. So to all Devils, listen and listen closely. You will be allowed to challenge Mr. Eärendil whenever, wherever you wish. However - for all matches where you ask that Mr. Eärendil wagers Lady Rias Gremory - you must accept one and one condition only. All such matches will be a Death Match, with all wealth, possessions, and property as the wager. No exceptions," the judge said, ending with a slight smile as he saw the looks of shock wash over the faces of the a.s.sembled Devils.

-o-

As Rias heard him finish, she had a look of surprise on her face. She looked to her mother, father, and brother - all of whom shared the same look. Looking to her side, she found the same - looks of shock, surprise, a bit of fear, and plenty of terror. The same was the case for everyone a.s.sembled there. It was a moment before several men started shouting angrily at the judge for suggesting such a thing.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" one Highborn asked. He was obviously planning on challenging Elros, but never under such a condition.

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" another roared.

"THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!" a senior Devil yelled.

"SHE SHOULDN'T BE WITH HIM! HE'S A d.a.m.n LOWBORN!" another screamed.

-o-

"Interesting…," the second-ranked duelist, Yama, observed keenly.

"Interesting indeed. When was the last time a Death Match was even considered?" Lillian, ranked third, asked aloud as she stood with the rest of the Top Four.

"Decades ago," Cimerias, number four, noted.

Luke, ranked first, simply smiled as he looked at Elros.

'Good show,' he thought.

-o-

"Of course, it is up to Elros Eärendil to accept an old man's opinion," the judge said, looking at Elros. As their eyes met, Elros thought he saw a flash of something in the judge's eyes. It didn't give him a feeling of unease; quite the opposite. He saw something kindred in them, something relatable. Pausing for a moment, he finally nodded and spoke.

"I accept," Elros said, without having to raise his voice. When he talked, everyone seemed to listen.

"It is done. If you wish to challenge Mr. Eärendil otherwise, you can negotiate the terms and conditions. If you would have him stake Rias Gremory, you will in exchange stake your own life and everything you have," the judge said. There were some audible gulps but no one pressed the issue further. Stepping back, the announcer paused before stepping forward, just as stunned.

"Ah. Well… Yes. Well, the good judge and I will stop hogging Mr. Eärendils time. I'm sure he'd love to be given a chance to celebrate after the ringer he just went through! ENJOY!" the announcer roared. As though the news of the Death Match never happened, the people erupted again as Elros went down the podium and began making a beeline for Rias, shaking hands and signing autographs here and there.

-o-

As he got to where he wanted to be, he saw Rias running at him with a wide smile on her face. She leaped and jumped onto him, hugging him tightly as she happily buried her face into his chest. Elros smiled and held her tight, ignoring the distasteful looks they received from several Devils around them.

"You did it! You won!" Rias said as she leaned back and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a deep and pa.s.sionate kiss in full view of everyone. Venelana and Zeo exchanged smiles with each other as they saw the public display of affection, as did Grayfia and Sirzechs. Akeno smiled warmly as well, letting them enjoy the moment.

"I know. What'd you think?" Elros asked as he broke the kiss and brought a hand to her cheek, taking in her beautiful features as he caressed her lip with his thumb. Rias rested her hand on his and smiling warmly as she pressed herself closer to him.

"I'm so happy. I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," Elros replied, kissing her again to her delight. As they broke it again, he saw a look of worry on Rias's face as she caressed him.

"What is it?" Elros asked.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Of course. I won, didn't I?" Elros asked.

"I know. You just seemed a bit… I dunno," Rias said uncomfortably. She couldn't say too much right now, especially with so many eyes on them, but she wanted to make sure that Elros was feeling alright.

"I would've preferred it if the whole shebang could've been avoided, but I guess not. I'm fine with how things turned out," Elros said.

"What about the Death Match, though? I… you… please don't. Not for me," Rias said, her lips trembling. Elros smiled and pulled her in for a tight hug, enveloping her in his warmth. Rias let out a pleasurable sigh as he did that. It was enough to make her forget everything else and focus solely on the love they had for each other.

"You're worth everything," Elros whispered, sending a s.h.i.+ver down her spine as his hand trailed down her side and locked hands with her. Deciding to drop it for the moment, Rias nodded and led him to the others.

"Elros! You did it! You won!" Gasper said happily as he ran at Elros who scooped him up and rested him on his shoulders.

"d.a.m.n right, buddy. What'd you think? You like?" Elros asked with a smile.

"YEAH! YOUR WINGS ARE SO COOL!" Gasper said excitedly.

"Glad you think so," Elros said as Koneko rushed him as well. He scooped her up as well, carrying her with an arm as she hugged him.

"Congrats," she said softly.

"Thanks, Koneko," Elros as he kissed her forehead, eliciting several sighs and aww's from the women around them. He greeted Akeno with a pa.s.sionate kiss before giving the rest of the girls a hug as well.

"Wonderful job, dear," Venelana said, hugging Elros tightly as well - smiling at how red her daughter was as she winked in her direction.

"Thank you, Lady-," Elros began before she put a finger to her lips.

"What have I said? Venelana or mother, sweetheart," she giggled. Elros gave her a goofy grin before shaking hands with Sirzechs and Zeo, both of whom were br.i.m.m.i.n.g with pride and happiness at his victory.

"Marvelous. It appears that we were worried for no reason, Elros my son. You did a stupendous job - yet again," Zeo said happily.

"Agreed. Thank you for helping us - again," Sirzechs said.

"Not at all. Anything for Rias," Elros said as he slung an arm around her waist and pulled her close, eliciting wide smiles from the household.

"How're you feeling? You took a lot of damage that. Much more than when you went up against us," Yubelluna said worriedly as she hugged him again, running a hand across his chest. Elros smiled and brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.

"I'm fine. Just a bit sore, but nothing terrible," Elros said. He grinned wide as he saw Azazel and Michael standing there, light smiles on their faces.

"Mikey! Zaz! What're you two doing here?!" Elros asked as he set Koneko and Gasper down and put his arms around the Angel and Fallen Angel, grinning wide while they groaned as he addressed them by their nicknames.

"Ugh. I'll give you literally anything if you stop calling me that," Azazel said.

"Dunno if you heard, but I can afford pretty much whatever now. I can't buy the embarra.s.sment I cause you by calling you Zaz, though. That's priceless, I'm afraid," Elros said cheerfully.

"You're definitely a Devil," Azazel grumbled, although he was smiling.

"Elros - Jason Blood was here during the match. He finished before it ended, but he asked me to congratulate you on your win - as well as to inform you that he needs to speak with you regarding something important later," Michael said.

"Jason?! Why didn't he stick around? Wait, nevermind. He probably has to go be broody somewhere else. Thanks, Mikey. I'll speak with him later," Elros said before he went over to Sona and Tsubaki, putting his arms around them.

"So? What did you think? Was I striking and handsome?" Elros asked with a grin.

"Indeed. Also beaten to a b.l.o.o.d.y pulp for a while," Tsubaki said with a smirk.

"Women love a guy who's covered in blood and sweat," Elros said with a chuckle.

"I prefer you like this, I think," Sona said. She turned red as she saw all eyes on her and buried her face in Elros's shoulder, eliciting a chuckle and tight hug from him.

"Regardless, you did a wonderful job. Congratulations," Tsubaki said.

"Thank you," Elros said, swooping in and kissing her on the cheek. As she turned red, Elros gave Issei, Saji, and Kiba and high five and hugged the girls in Sona's peerage before heading back to Rias. That's when he noticed Kuroka standing off to the side.

"Hey, Kuroka! You're here too?!" he said excitedly, embracing her. Kuroka turned bright red as he did that, caught completely off guard. Her hands flailed around for a second, wondering where they should go, before she returned the embrace, smiling as she felt how warm he was. Rias and Akeno watched carefully, making sure she wouldn't try anything.

"Hey. Congrats," she said as she leaned back and looked up at him.

"Thanks. You saw the match, then?" Elros asked, arms still around her.

"Mhm. You did well. Pretty hot, if you ask me," she said, slightly seductive as she traced his chest with a finger.

"See? Blood and sweat," Elros told the others. He swooped in and kissed her on the cheek as well before heading over to Rias, who smiled as he pa.s.sionately locked lips with her again. Kuroka watched with a bitter smile but stayed. Soon, she felt a small pressure on her leg. Koneko was standing at her side, smiling at Elros.

"I'm so proud of you," Rias said as she leaned back, lips still an inch from his in case she wanted to taste him again.

"I'm happy to hear it, sweetheart," Elros replied with a warm smile.

"Thank you. You've helped me… again," Rias said.

"Like I said, I'm always gonna be here," Elros told her.

"You've no idea how happy it makes me hearing you say that," she said as she tightly hugged him, tears of joy wringing loose. Elros smiled and returned the embrace - not a moment to soon as he was suddenly beset by reporters. His eyes went wide in surprise as he was a.s.saulted with questions.

"Mr. Eärendil! How do you feel about this win?" one asked, shoving a camera in his face and snapping some pictures.

"Pretty f.u.c.king good," Elros replied.

"You're now in the Top Five. Do you plan on challenging the others anytime soon?" another asked.

"I dunno. Probably not. Only fought Riser, Anders, and Bastion because they couldn't understand that Rias is a person, not an object," Elros said as he hugged her close. She smiled wide and leaned up to kiss him again. The cameras clicked even faster as they took pictures of the pa.s.sionate liplock. Elros leaned heavily into it, ignoring the cameras as his tongue entered her mouth and elicited a squeak of pleasure from her. As they separated, Elros smirked at the smoldering look she gave him before turning his attention back to the cameras.

"If we could hurry this up, fellas. As you can see, I've still got some important business to take care of," he said, eliciting some raucous laughs.

"What's next for you?" another asked.

"I dunno. I think we have some Rating Games coming up soon, so that I suppose," Elros shrugged.

"What can you tell us about your wings?" another inquired.

"I'm afraid I don't know much about them, beyond the fact that they're bada.s.s. I haven't really researched them. I prefer to go with the flow," Elros said with a grin.

"How serious are you regarding the Death Matches?" one asked.

"Very. It's not fair to Rias or her family to go through this every time I have a Duel," Elros said seriously.

"Do you love him, Lady Rias?" one asked, turning his attention to Rias. Everyone was silent as they waited for her answer.

"I do. I love Elros very much. I can't imagine anyone else I'd rather spend my life with, in fact," Rias said proudly and without hesitation, smiling wide at the camera. Elros smiled as he heard that, bringing her in for another kiss which was widely doc.u.mented by the reporters.

"Also, any further questions you have for Elros, you can direct to my brother who will act as his liaison from here on out," Rias announced to the reporters. They turned their attention to Sirzechs, who was suddenly beset by them.

"Thank you for that," Elros said with a sigh.

"Don't mention it. I'm afraid you still have some glad-handing to do before we can head home," Rias said.

"Works for me. I look forward to what you have planned for me," Elros said with a grin. Rias gave him a sly smile before giving him one more kiss and falling into an easy conversation with Akeno.

"Hey, Isabela - got a second?" Elros asked, surprising her.

"Hmm? Sure," Isabela said, following him to a secluded corner, away from the din of the crowd.

"What's up?" she asked, tucking her hands into her back pockets.

"I wanted to make sure that you're alright. I know how Riser caused your injury. And with my wings… well, I just wanted to make sure that you're with that. You know that I'm never going to hurt you like that. I'd die before even thinking about it. If it makes you uncomfortable, I can limit it so that you never have to see them," Elros said.

Isabela looked at him with an expression of surprise and shock. To think that he cared so much about what she felt that he pulled her aside to simply make sure that it was ok with her was more consideration than she had ever been offered before - by anyone. She smiled wide and quickly hugged him. Elros smiled and returned the hug, holding her tightly. He felt a few teardrops on his neck but didn't say anything, simply holding her just a bit more.

"I… Yes, Elros. I'm fine with them. I… you didn't have to check with me, you know. They're your powers," she whispered as she wrapped his hair around a finger.

"I know, but I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable. Something like that leaves trauma behind, and I don't want you to think that I'm insensitive to that," Elros replied.

"You're too kind," Isabela said with a wide smile.

"One can never be too kind," Elros said with a chuckle. As she leaned back, she kissed him on the cheek before looking at him.

"You are definitely not Riser. Your wings are… beautiful. It's not fire that I have a problem with; it's the man behind it. You're a very good man. I know you would never do such a thing to me, so I've no problem with it. But… thank you. Thank you so much for asking," Isabela said.

"Not at all," Elros said, caressing her cheek gently.

"I'll rejoin the party. I daresay you've more important things to do," Isabela said.

"Nothing is more important to me than my friends," Elros said pa.s.sionately. Isabela smiled wide as she heard that and kissed him on the cheek again.

"If you don't mind, could you ask Yubelluna to come here as well? I'd go but we barely got this place the first time and I don't want to be seen until after I talk with her," Elros said sheepishly.

"Of course," Isabela said before leaving. She now also had to speak to Rias about something.

-o-

"Hey. Isabela said you wanted to see me?" Yubelluna asked as she hugged Elros, gently pus.h.i.+ng him against a well as she leaned in a bit closer. She enjoyed being this way with him. He wasn't at all like Riser. His touch was warm and refres.h.i.+ng, gentle and loving - as opposed to the rough and terrifying nature of her old master.

"Hey. I just wanted to talk to you really quickly. With what you told me about Riser, I'm sure that he… used his powers to threaten you at least a bit. I wanted to make sure that my wings wouldn't be a problem for you," Elros said.

"Seriously?" Yubelluna asked, surprised.

"Yeah. Are you ok with them? I know that trauma can be far reaching. If they bring up any unpleasant memories, please let me know," Elros said.

Yubelluna looked at him like she had never seen him before. In his eyes, she saw the concern that he had for her - he genuinely cared about how she felt about seeing his powers. It was almost too much for her. She leaned in and hugged him tightly, crying into his chest.

"T-thank you… thank you…," she said. Elros was slightly surprised by the reaction but rolled with it.

"Sure. But… for what?" he asked.

"For caring. You care so much about me. About Rias and Akeno. About all the others. You're… such a good man. I… don't… I…," she shuddered. Elros had an inkling of what she wanted to say.

"You do deserve it, Bella. You deserve that and so much more. Don't ever think otherwise," Elros said, holding her a bit tighter as he ran his hand through her hair. She smiled as he said that to her. Leaning back, she leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"It… you're not Riser. You're nothing like him. I enjoy being with you and around you. He did… threaten me with fire, but yours is nothing like his. Yours is beautiful… and I know that you wouldn't hurt me. I'm fine with it," Yubelluna said. Elros smiled and nodded, bringing her in for another hug. As she leaned back, her hands went up to his face, taking in his handsome features.

"It's alright with Rias for me to do this. So long as we don't move… fast," Yubelluna said.

"I know. But are you alright with it?" Elros asked.

"I am. More than alright. When I'm with you, I feel… safe. Protected. And when we kiss, it's like… nothing I've felt before. I don't feel uncomfortable when I'm intimate with you. Is that… ok?" she asked.

"It is," Elros nodded. Yubelluna leaned up and pressed her lips gently to his. They kept it soft and easy, easing their tongues into motion against the other. After a minute, Yubelluna pulled back, biting her lip as she took in his taste.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Anytime," Elros said as he kissed her hand. With one more smile, she left with Elros right behind her. Yubelluna giggled as she saw the exasperated expression on Elros's face as he signed autographs and took pictures here and there.

"It's quite funny to see you like this," she giggled.

"I'm glad you find it amusing. These people make me wish I was still in the fight," Elros grumbled.

"This is supposed to be relaxing," she told him.

"I know! I wonder when that's gonna actually come, though. Fame is more trouble than its worth, it appears. I just want to be in that theater watching movies," Elros said.

"I'm sure many De-," was all Yubelluna got out before a man cut off their advance. He frowned at Elros before turning his attention to Yubelluna, looking her up and down.

"h.e.l.lo," he greeted her with a smirk.

"Hi," she said, giving him a pleasant smile.

"You're Yubelluna, are you not? Lord Risers former Queen," the man asked.

"I… am," Yubelluna said uneasily. Elros narrowed his eyes as the man asked that. Finally, he looked at Elros again.

"I am a liaison to the Phoenix Family, Mr. Eärendil. Lord Riser would like to come to an… agreement… with you," the man said.

"What?" Yubelluna asked in shock.

"He admits that he was foolish to stake his peerage in retrospect. He understands, however, that a wager is a wager. You already showed him incredible kindness when you offered many of his members a chance to stay - including his sister. However, they cannot function without his Queen. He asks that you give Yubelluna back to him," the man said.

A look of fear was struck across Yubelluna. Elros noted her hand trembling and quickly grabbed it, gently caressing it. He felt his anger increase as he heard her violently shuddering breaths. As she turned to face him, Elros felt his heart break at the look of absolute fear that was etched into her face.

"No! Please no! Please don't let them take me! Please, Elros! I want to stay with you! Please! You promised!" Yubelluna shrieked, tears beginning to fall from her eyes as the horror of what Riser did came back to ahead. Elros quickly hugged her tight not daring to let go as he trained his eyes on the man who stood impa.s.sively before them. The other members of the peerage saw what was going on and approached as well, Rias in tow.

"I'm not letting anyone take you, Bella. Not you. Not the others. Don't worry," Elros said calmingly, feeling her tears on his chest.

"You're aware of what Riser did to her?" Elros asked quietly.

"I am," the man answered.

"And?" Elros asked.

"And… what?" the man asked.

"Why would she want to go back? Why would you even a.s.sume she would?" Elros asked. The man's smile fell at that.

"Whether she - or the others, in fact - likes it or not, Lord Riser was still her first master. He gave them a chance when no one else would. While you did win fair and square, there are… unspoken rules about such matters. You would, of course, be compensated well. We do not wish to resort to violence," the man said.

"The answer is no," Elros said.

"I must implore you to reconsider. Lord Riser is a highborn, whether you like it or not. And you… well, you're aware of your status," the man said.

"I am. The answer is still no," Elros said.

"If you insist upon that, I will have to take it up with the Gremory Family," the man said.

"Rias," Elros said, looking over the man's shoulder. As he turned around, he saw the cold look that Rias gave him.

"The answer is no. Riser made his bet. Elros beat him. He should be thanking Elros on his knees for letting him keep what he could," Rias said viciously.

"Lady Rias. The-," the man said before he was suddenly wrenched around. Elros's ring hand flew to his throat, surprising everyone.

"Enough. Leave now. Before I get violent," Elros said scathingly as he tightened his grip. The man grabbed at it but Elros refused to let go, cutting off circulation. Finally, he tossed him back. The man looked at Elros with fear in his eyes as he paused, wondering what to do.

"I SAID LEAVE!" Elros roared at him. It was enough to send him scrambling for the door. Elros turned his attention back to Yubelluna and held her close to him, not daring to let go. He looked at Rias apologetically. She simply smiled and nodded before returning to her family to inform them of what happened.

"I'm so sorry about that, Bella," Elros said.

"Please let me stay," she cried.

"Of course. Stay with me as long as you want," Elros said.

"Eternity," Yubelluna answered.

"Eternity it is," Elros whispered back. After several minutes, Yubelluna finally lifted her head off his chest. Smiling weakly at her friends, Elros informed them of what happened.

"How dare he?!" Bürent snarled.

"After… what he… I can't believe it!" Mihae seethed. After Yubelluna spent time on the cliff with Elros, she told the others what had happened. They all felt their hearts drop as the horror of her time with Riser struck them with the force of lightning. Their anger at their former master increased significantly.

"Elros…," Xuelan began.

"I'm not letting anyone take any of you away. I promise you that," Elros said defiantly. They smiled and nodded. Locking arms with Yubelluna, Karlamine and Isabela escorted her away and stuck around with her, making sure no one else came close - especially no men.

"If anyone - anyone - tries to pull some bulls.h.i.+t like that on you girls, let me know immediately. I'll take care of them personally," Elros said, a snarl creeping into his voice. They nodded before going back to their friend, keeping her company. It was another minute before Rias approached Elros again, Akeno at her said.

"Hey," she said, greeting him with a kiss and a look of worry.

"Hey," Elros said with a tired look.

"I can't believe Riser would try something like that," Rias said angrily.

"I know. f.u.c.king sc.u.mbag. I should've-," Elros began before Rias put a finger to his lips. He saw the worry in her eyes as she shook her head.

"You're a good man. You don't torture. Remember?" she asked as she laid her head on his chest, followed by Akeno resting hers on his shoulder. Elros gulped as she said that, remembering what he said when referring to the three eyed monster.

"Right," he said before beginning to walk, holding each of their hands in him.

"Elros! Can we get a picture?" a few older women asked as they looked him up and down, the l.u.s.t evident in their eyes.

"Go ahead," Rias sighed. She'd have to get used to his newfound popularity.

"Looks like we're not the most popular in the peerage anymore," Akeno giggled as Elros put his arms around the women and took a few pictures, moving onto selfies soon.

"I know. Kind of relieved, to be honest. Although, I'm going to have to keep a watchful eye. I trust him, but not these hussy's," Rias said, eyes narrowed as she saw one's hand trail down his back.

"Hussy? What is this, the 1800s?" Akeno asked with a laugh as Elros came back to them.

"Have fun?" Rias asked.

"If this goes on for much longer, I'm going to begin blaspheming until I pa.s.s out," Elros grumbled.

"You'll live. Probably. Now you know how I feel when I come to these things," Rias sighed as she leaned in closer to Elros.

"Gotten any marriage proposals?" Akeno wondered.

"Several, in fact. Promises of a large harem, s.e.x every minute, and mighty children. The f.u.c.k is up with people and mighty children?" Elros groaned.

"Continuing the line is important to Devils. And with your powers, I think you just became the pinnacle," Rias said, voice slightly bitter.

"Not tempted?" Akeno asked, her smile faltering a bit.

"Na," Elros said cheerfully.

"Really? Those girls are hot," Akeno pressed.

"Yeah, but I have you two. Nowhere to go but down," Elros said with a grin. Rias and Akeno smiled wide as they leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.

"Elros Eärendil. Wonderful showing today," came a voice from the side. Elros and the others looked over to see who was talking.

"Hi there," Elros said, smiling pleasantly at the tan man who approached him.

"Cimeries. Ranked fourth. I was impressed by your showing against those three," he replied, shaking Elros's hand.

"Thank you," Elros responded, grasping it as he took in the man's figure. He had stark white hair that fell to his shoulders, as well as small red eyes that pierced Elros's brown ones. He was an older man, wrinkles evident on his face, but not frail as one would expect for someone of his age. He wore a white robe that stretched to the round, not a speck of dirt to be seen on it.

"You're welcome. I merely wished to introduce myself in case we meet each other in battle sooner or later. I had a.s.sumed for years that it would be Elizaveta who would eventually challenge me, but with her loss, I daresay she'll be retreating from the scene for a while," Cimeries said.

"You never know, sir. She still has a chance to work her way up, I suppose," Elros responded.

"Indeed. But if she, with the significant advantage you gave her, couldn't beat you then her chances against me are much worse," the man said with a small smile. Elros returned it but didn't say anything.

"You've only four more contestants in front of you before you reach the top. Have you given any thought to that yet?" Cimeries wondered.

"Not yet, I'm afraid. I'd like to digest this win first, plus I have the Rating Games to look forward to during the summer. I expect I won't be devoting much time to Duels until after that," Elros said.

"I see. For a Low-Cla.s.s Devil, you've certainly impressed yourself upon most - in one way or another. Not very many expected you to have such an impact in a short amount of time. As you were being beaten, I confess that I thought the same," Cimeries admitted.

"Understandable, sir. Good thing not everything is decided by lineage," Elros said.

"Quite," the man replied. He was about to speak again when another voice rang out.

"h.e.l.lo, Mr. Eärendil," Lillian, the third-ranked Duelist, said as she approached him, Akeno, and Rias. She wore a simple well fitting black dress that cut off just above the thighs. Her stunning blonde hair fell to her thighs, as long as Tsubaki's but fuller. Her eyes were a striking blue, her full red lips curved into a pleasant smile. She was, in a word, beautiful. Rias and Akeno seemed to be on edge as she approached, holding Elros a bit tighter.

"h.e.l.lo, Miss," Elros responded cheerfully, kissing the hand she offered.

"Marvelous work out there. Your powers are quite dazzling," she said kindly, her hands folded in front of her. Elros was surprised by how nice she seemed; it conflicted mightily with her position. Cimeries noted the look and gave out a low laugh.

"Don't let her fool you, child. As beautiful and gentle as Lillian is, you wouldn't want to cross her. I made that mistake once and I still have the scars to prove it," he said with a laugh. Lillian sighed in embarra.s.sment before smiling at Elros again.

"He's overestimating me, I'm afraid. But I do look forward to seeing you in the stadium again soon. It'd be an honor to fight someone as powerful as you seem to be," she said.

"I a.s.sure you that the honor would be mine, my lady," Elros said, bowing his head slightly.

"Please, call me Lillian," she said.

"Lillian," Elros repeated, nodding.

"What impressed me most were your wings, however. I've never seen such beautiful ones in my life," she said.

"An enigma to me as well as others, I'm afraid. I just know that they look awesome. Enough for me," Elros said with a laugh. Lillian giggled at that, brus.h.i.+ng some loose hair behind her ears. She was about to speak again when another voice came out.

"Lillian. It's been a while," Venelana said, smiling at the woman. Lillian's smile grew wider as she heard her voice.

"Venelana," she said, embracing the matriarch of the Gremory Family.

"You know her, mom?" Rias asked in surprise.

"I do, sweetheart. Lillian's one of my childhood friends," Venelana said, her arms around the woman waist.

"It's been a long time. I don't think I've seen you since Rias was born," Lillian said.

"I know. I apologize. I've just been so busy," Venelana sighed.

"It's fine. I commend you on the newest addition to your family, by the way. I'm certain Elros will go on to achieve many great things," Lillian said, smiling back at him.

"I agree. A wonderful future son-in-law as well," Venelana giggled.

"Mother!" Rias said, turning red.

"I know, sweetheart," Venelana sighed.

"Still a tease, I see," Lillian sighed.

"And still as serious. This is why we get along so well," Venelana giggled.

"I can't believe it! She's always so hard on me!" Rias grumbled.

"She loves you," Elros said, gently rubbing her back.

"Ah! My friend!" came another voice. As Elros heard it, though, a wide grin spread across his face - surprising the others greatly. He disentangled himself from Akeno and Rias and looked around.

"THAT VOICE! It belongs only to one man!" Elros said.

"Elros Eärendil!" cried Luke, the Duelist ranked first as he cut a swath through countless Devils who had suddenly noted his presence. They clamored to him, taking pictures, asking for autographs, showing their private areas - but he ignored it all as he had his arms outstretched as if asking for a hug.

"Lucy?! Is that you?!" Elros asked excitedly as he rushed forward and embraced the man.

"It's good to see you, Elros. Been a while," the man laughed as they clapped each other on the back.

"I can't believe it! How… WHAT?!" Elros asked excitedly, grinning wide.

"T..they know each other?" Lillian asked in shock. Cimeries looked just as surprised at how friendly the two men seemed. Akeno and Rias simply looked surprised, although it stemmed more from the fact that they didn't know how the man was. Elros slung his arm around the man's shoulders and walked him toward the others, grinning wider than he had in a while.

"I can't believe it! How come you didn't tell me you were here?!" Elros asked.

"You know I love my surprises, Elros. When I heard about your battle against Riser Phoenix, I didn't believe it - and you know what it takes to make me surprised. And then hearing you would fight against those three? Why I simply had to see it with my own two eyes," Luke said with a good-natured laugh as he took two martinis from a pa.s.sing waiter. Giving one to Elros, they clinked and sipped.

"Elros. Do… you know this man?" Venelana asked in surprised, shaking her head slightly to come back to her senses.

"I do. He's an old friend of mine," Elros said with a grin.

"Luke Star, at your service," he said, shaking hands with Venelana, Rias, and Akeno before putting his arms around Elros, chuckling at the shocked expressions.

"You… know Elros, Luke?" Lillian asked.

"I do. Two peas in a pod, you could say. I met Elros on Earth. Happy coincidence, really. You remember?" Luke asked Elros.

"How could I forget? You gave me my first drink on the house. Probably not the best thing to do for a pre-teen, I might add," Elros sighed.

"Live free, my friend. Live free," Luke said with a smile.

"Do you know who this man is?" Cimeries asked Elros, his voice sharper.

"Lucy? Of course! I love this guy," Elros said with a grin.

"I've asked you not to call me that," Luke said tiredly.

"Elros… who is he, exactly?" Rias asked uncertainly, surprised that there was someone -anyone, in fact - in the Underworld that Elros knew so well. She thought that they were the ones who interacted with him first from this Circle of h.e.l.l.

"This is Luke M. Star. He's… the duelist currently ranked first in the Underworld," Lillian told them. Akeno and Rias had looks of shock on their face as they looked at the man with a newfound wonder. It was strange, they thought - they could barely place his magical prowess.

"WHAT?!" Elros asked in shock.

"Indeed. For a while now," Luke said, taking another sip.

"Seriously?! Elros asked in surprise.

"Indeed," Luke chuckled.

"How come you didn't tell me last time we hung out?!" Elros asked.

"Never came up. It has now, though. Plus, you know how I enjoy seeing looks of surprise on people's faces," Luke said.

"So… to rank first, I have to beat you?" Elros asked.

"That is the case, it appears. Up to the task?" Luke asked with a grin.

"This just got a lot more interesting," Elros said excitedly. Soon, more reported beset upon them - extremely happy and interested to see these two standing so comfortably together.

"LUKE! DO YOU KNOW THIS MAN?!" one asked

"Vultures. I must abscond for the moment, I'm afraid. I take it you'll be around the Underworld for a little while?" Luke asked.

"Yup. I'll be staying over at the Gremory's. Give me a shout when you can," Elros whispered.

"Will do. Until then, Elros," Luke said before opening a magic circle and disappearing through it.

"I can't believe Lucy's a Devil here!" Elros said excitedly as he went back to Rias and Akeno, not answering the thousands of questions that were being sprung upon him. Countless Devils looked terrified as they saw how easily he interacted with Luke, wondering what the relations.h.i.+p was.

"Hoes does he know Luke?" one asked with a snarl.

"Who the h.e.l.l is this guy?" another wondered.

"They're so hot," another one said happily, to nods from several men and women.

"Why are they so chummy?" one inquired.

"You seriously know the Duelist ranked first?" Rias asked, shocked.

"I didn't even know he was here in the first place! Talk about a surprise," Elros said with a laugh.

"You seem really excited to see him," Akeno said.

"Are you kidding me?! I love that guy! He took me in for a while when I was younger. Taught me so much," Elros said fondly. Rias and Akeno smiled brightly as they saw how happy he was. While always happy, he seemed positively ready to burst upon seeing the man.

"He took you in? When you were a child?" Cimeries asked.

"He did. Really good guy," Elros said.

"And you only recently became a Devil?" Lillian asked.

"Yup. I didn't even know Lucy was here. Man, talk about a surprise," Elros said happily.

"I… see…," Lillian said, looking at Cimeries who shrugged. Suddenly, one more voice came through.

"Elros Eärendil," it said, almost monotonous. Lillian and Cimeries looked at the source, knowing full well who it was.

He stood a solid seven feet. His outfit surprised Elros a bit. On the front of his feet was a gold metal substance that became black at the back half part of the foot, although still metallic. His legs were covered in the same armor, as were his thighs, with black metal laid underneath serving as another layer of protection. He wore a gold utility belt around his waist, as well as a white and gold breastplate. His shoulders had white guards with a design on them, as did his forearms. Elros couldn't tell if he was smiling or frowning, however - he wore a heavy helmet on his head that went down his neck and shoulders, completely ensconcing his head. Where his eyes and face would be was a 'T' shaped black gla.s.s faceplate. He was an imposing figure, to be sure - towering over everyone, even Elros.

"h.e.l.lo," Elros greeted.

"My name is Yama. Ranked Second. I saw your Duel," the man said.

"What did you think?" Elros asked.

"I've been watching you in the ring. Not bad for an amateur. It's almost tempting me to come out and fight again. I miss the arena. However, we've had a lack of… interesting opponents," Yama said.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Elros said.

"But you're different. Yes, you're very different - that much is evident. You have the right bearing. Which is why I think you're the perfect opponent for me," Yama said.

"I on-," Elros began before he was cut off.

"Not immediately. But I need something to look forward to. Which is why I'm challenging you to a Duel at the tail end of the summer," Yama said. Lillian and Cimeries looked taken aback, as did Venelana, Rias, and Akeno. The Devils surrounding them also silenced, not daring to breathe as Elros and Yama stared at each other. Elros let go of Rias and Akeno, standing in front of his compet.i.tor and looking up.

"Not just any match, though. There's a reason why I haven't fought in ten years - because, for years before that, everyone that challenged me was a coward. They kept losing and losing, barely putting up their fists. I want to wager nothing. This is a test of wills between two men," Yama said.

"Alright. So what do you want to do?" Elros asked eyes narrowed.

"We'll have to speak to the judge about that - it's bad form to say so in front of everyone. What do you say, kid? Are you ready for the fight of your life?" Yama asked.

"Loo-," Cimeries said, stepping forward. Suddenly, a ma.s.sive rifle materialized in Yama's hand. With one hand, he brought it to the forehead of the Devil, giving him a glare from behind the faceplate. Several Devil's shouted and retreated, looking between the two.

"This doesn't concern you, old man. And look at it this way - if he wins, you can jump over Lillian before taking a shot at Luke," Yama said. Cimeries gulped and backed away, the rifle disappearing as well. Yama turned back to Elros, who seemed to not care about what just happened.

"Your answer?" Yama asked.

"Let's talk to the judge," Elros replied.

"Excellent. Judge!" Yama said loudly. The man appeared in an instant, a small smile on his face. He observed the events unfold from afar. He knew where this was going.

"Yama, Elros," the judge greeted them.

"It might be short notice, but we need you to oversee our negotiations. Immediately," Yama said.

"But of course. Step this way, gentlemen," the man said, opening a nearby door.

"One sec," Elros said, turning and heading to Rias and Akeno who had ma.s.sive looks of worry on their face.

"You can't do this! Not so soon after you won!" Rias said, tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. But something tells me that I have to do this. This guy… there's something about him," Elros said.

"What do you mean?" Akeno asked, gulping.

"I can't place it. But he's not to be trifled with. I need to hear out what he has to say," Elros said.

"Don't fret, girl. I don't want you or anything else he has. All I want is a fight," Yama said. Rias shot him an angry look but retreated as she saw the cold, black, faceplate - revealing nothing.

"Please be careful," Rias said, leaning up and kissing him. Akeno did the same. Returning them, Elros smiled and went through the door. As they did, Lillian quickly ushered Venelana aside.

"What is it?" Venelana asked.

"I… can't say in front of everyone. But… Elros needs to be careful if he's serious about fighting Yama," Lillian said, her face white.

"What do you mean?" Venelana asked, her heart dropping slightly.

"Look… Cimeries and I are strong. Really strong. But Yama… Yama is a real monster. Are you aware of his namesake?" Lillian asked.

"I'm not. Lillian, you're beginning to worry me. What is it?" Venelana asked.

"In the Hindu religion, Yama is considered to be a G.o.d of Death. He's been a Devil for a h.e.l.l of a long time, but before that he spent time as a warrior on Earth - an honorable one, but an extremely violent one if the rumors that I've heard are true. Elros… Elros might be walking into something he might not be able to handle," Lillian said. Venelana turned white as she heard the fear in her friend's voice. Better than anyone, she knew how powerful Lillian was. Even with her Powers of Destruction, she knew that Lillian still had enough tricks to beat her. To hear that she feared someone so much told Venelana something.

"I need t-," Venelana said before Lillian shook her head.

"No. It's… too late now. Something tells me they might've already finished by now. All you can do is hope now, Venelana. I… Elros is powerful. That much even I can tell. But Yama… if he wants to beat him, Elros needs to bring everything to the table. Let him know that, ok?" Lillian said.

"You seem almost concerned about Elros," Venelana said in surprise.

"What can I say? I've hardly seen someone as interesting as he is. His relations.h.i.+p with Luke is also… surprising," Lillian said.

"Mmm…," Venelana nodded. Lillian put an arm around her friend and they walked out into countless flashes of smiles and bright lights.

-o-

It was only a couple of minutes later that Elros stepped out with the judge and Yama. With a nod at each other, Yama took his leave while Elros headed over to Rias and Akeno who jumped on him.

"That was quick!" Rias said worriedly.

"Well, he just wanted a fight really," Elros said.

"When is it?" she asked.

"Don't worry. Not for a while - probably not until August or September. The judge said they'll let us know the exact date in a few weeks," Elros said.

"Elros… that guy hasn't taken a fight in ten years. Why did he challenge you?" Akeno asked.

"He just really wants a challenge," Elros said with a smile.

"Please be careful. I… something about him scares me," Rias said. Elros brought her in for a hug which she returned in full force.

"I'll be fine, alright? Don't worry about it," Elros whispered.

"You accepted Yama's challenge?" Lillian asked, gulping. Elros nodded.

"I see. Well… we look forward to the match. I shall take my leave," Cimeries said, gulping as he left.

"What now?" Elros wondered as he shook a few more hands here and there.

"Well, you go ahead and join the others. Akeno, my mom, and I are gonna head home now," Rias said.

"So soon?!" Elros asked in surprise.

"Mhm. I'll see you soon," Rias said, leaning up and giving him a long and pa.s.sionate kiss, followed by Akeno. Venelana gave Elros a tight hug and warm smile before opening a magic circle to the household and leaving with the two beauties. Elros shrugged and shook a few more hands as he began to head back. Lillian quickly joined him at his side.

"I look forward to your fight with Yama," she said with a kind smile.

"He's certainly an imposing character," Elros noted.

"That he is. I certainly hope you know what you've gotten yourself into, Elros," Lillian said worriedly.

"You sound almost worried about me," Elros said in surprise.

"I am. Venelana is my oldest friend and she seems to have taken a bright s.h.i.+ne to you. She seems to be as happy to have you counted amongst her family as she was when Sirzechs and Rias were born. I don't wish to see her hurt," Lillian sighed.

"I'll win," Elros said confidently.

"How do you know?" Lillian asked eyes narrowed.

"Because if I lose, Rias is going to kill me," Elros said with a laugh.

"I implore you to take this seriously," Lillian said.

"I a.s.sure you that I am," Elros said, a bit more serious. Lillian sighed and nodded.

"Yama is powerful. Terrifyingly so. I've been ranked third for a long time now, and I only ever once considered challenging him - and after what he request, I said no. There's no shame in saying no when it comes to Yama, Elros," Lillian said. Elros didn't answer. Making sure no one saw them, Lillian quickly pulled him to a quiet room.

"Cimeries wouldn't stand a chance. Those three that you fought today? Yama would've beaten them in a minute flat. The 72 Families; Duelists; Rating Game legends like Sairaorg Bael or Diehauser Belial would have their entire peerages broken by Yama. Maybe Sairaorg or Diehauser could dent his armor a bit, but that's a.s.suming Yama just stands still. I personally know how powerful the Four Great Satans are - especially Sirzechs and Serafall - and I doubt they would be able to give Yama the fight he wanted. The only person that I know of that can beat Yama is Luke, and he has no interest in fighting him. This is all a long-winded way of me saying that you cannot a.s.sume Yama will be like the others," Lillian said seriously. Elros was quiet as he listened but finally nodded.

"I understand. I thank you for your concern, Lillian. But the match is set and I can't do anything about it now. I a.s.sure you that I'm taking this one very seriously," Elros said with a hard look. Lillian paused before nodding and opening the door for him.

"I'll see you around, Elros," she said.

"Lillian," Elros nodded before heading towards his friends again. As he approached them, he quickly embraced Yubelluna tightly. She happily returned the hug, toying with his hair.

"How are you holding up?" Elros asked.

"I'm… doing a bit better. Thank you," Yubelluna said.

"Don't mention it. If you feel anything - anything - is off, you let me know right away alright? I'm not going to let anyone take you away or hurt you. I'm going to protect you," Elros said, kissing her on the head. Yubelluna felt tears of joy come ahead as she nodded into his chest before rearing back a bit.

"If it's alright with you, the girls and I are going to head back to the Gremory Household," she said.

"Of course," Elros nodded. Giving them all a hug, they left. As soon as they did, Sona quickly pulled Elros aside.

"What's up?" Elros asked as they found a quiet room. With the news that Sirzechs would be his liaison, everyone took up his time with the questions, leaving Elros a bit more free.

"I… do you remember what we spoke about at school?" Sona asked quietly.

"Our date? I remember," Elros said with a smile.

"Well… I talked to Rias and she said she's fine with us going out tomorrow. So… does… I mean to ask…," Sona said, stumbling a bit as she turned redder and redder.

"I would love that. Do you want to meet at the Gremory's place and then we can go from there?" Elros asked.

"Yes! That sounds wonderful!" Sona said happily.

"Perfect. I can't wait to see what you have planned," Elros said as they walked back into the room.

"Perhaps we should take our leave as well, Elros. I think my son is about ready to burst from all the questioning," Zeo said with a laugh.

"Works for me, Mr. Gremory. Let's go," Elros said. With that, Zeo opened up a magic circle and they all took their leave.