The decision to act, to move against the Fallen Angels occupying the old church and rescue Asia Argento, had been made with a grim sort of finality in the Occult Research Club room. As twilight bled into true night, casting long, skeletal shadows across Kuoh Town, Ren Takakura found himself standing with Rias Gremory and her peerage at the foot of the hill leading up to the derelict church. The air was cool, carrying the scent of damp earth and something else, something faintly metallic and unsettling that seemed to emanate from their destination.
Reborn, nestled in the baby carrier Ren wore (a concession to the infant hitman's insistence on "close tactical observation"), was uncharacteristically quiet, though Ren could feel the baby's unnervingly perceptive gaze even without looking. Before they'd left, Reborn had given him one piece of typically Reborn-esque advice: "Try not to die too pathetically, Dame-Ren. It reflects poorly on your tutor." Comforting, as always.
Rias Gremory stood tall and composed, her crimson hair a vibrant splash of color against the encroaching darkness. Her usual regal calm was overlaid with a steely determination. Akeno Himejima, beside her, had shed her playful demeanor; her smile was still present, but it held a dangerous edge now, her eyes glinting with anticipation. Kiba Yuuto stretched his shoulders, his expression focused, his hand resting near where Ren assumed he kept his swords. Koneko Toujou, small and silent, seemed to almost blend into the shadows, her golden eyes scanning the path ahead with an unnerving intensity.
"The plan is simple," Rias said, her voice low and clear, cutting through the quiet hum of the night. "Kiba, Koneko, you will take the lead. Ascertain their numbers, their primary defensive positions, and any immediate threats around the perimeter. Akeno and I will provide magical cover and observation from a distance. Ren-kun," she turned to him, her gaze serious, "you will stay with Akeno and me. Your abilities are still… unpredictable. For now, your role is to observe, to learn, and to act only if directly ordered or if one of us is in immediate, dire peril. Do you understand?"
Ren nodded, his throat tight. He understood. He was the rookie, the wildcard, the liability. But the thought of Asia, alone and terrified in that dark place, fueled a desperate resolve within him. "Yes, Buchou."
Kiba offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Takakura-kun. We do this kind of thing more often than you'd think." He then vanished, a blur of motion too fast for Ren's eyes to follow, melting into the trees lining the path. Koneko, with a barely perceptible nod, followed, her small form equally adept at silent, swift movement.
The remaining three began their ascent, moving with a practiced stealth that Ren tried his best to emulate, though he felt clumsy and loud in comparison. The old church loomed larger with every step, its broken stained-glass windows like vacant eyes staring out into the night, its crumbling stone walls exuding an aura of decay and something… unholy. Ren could feel a prickling sensation on his skin, a subtle pressure in the air that spoke of concentrated, malevolent energy.
"The Fallen have certainly made themselves at home," Akeno murmured, her voice a soft breath in the darkness, her eyes scanning the church grounds. "Their taint is strong here."
They found a concealed position on a small, wooded rise overlooking the church, offering a vantage point of the main entrance and one of a crumbling side wing. From here, Rias produced a pair of intricate, silver binoculars that seemed to shimmer with a faint magical light. Akeno closed her eyes for a moment, her head tilted as if listening to something Ren couldn't hear.
"Kiba reports two sentries at the main door," Akeno said after a moment, her eyes snapping open. "Human, by the feel of it. Likely thralls, or low-level cultists. Koneko is attempting to circle around to the rear. She senses… multiple presences inside. At least half a dozen distinct energy signatures, some stronger than others."
Ren's heart pounded. Half a dozen. And that was just what Koneko could sense from the outside. How many more were there? How strong were they? His own encounter with just two Stray Devils had nearly been his end.
Time stretched, each minute feeling like an hour. Ren watched the church, his gaze fixed on the flickering, uncertain light that emanated from within its broken windows. He imagined Asia in there, terrified, alone. He clenched his fists, his own Dying Will Flames stirring restlessly beneath his skin, a low, anxious heat. He had to stay calm. He had to trust Rias and her peerage. But the waiting, the not knowing, was agonizing.
Kiba reappeared beside them as silently as he had vanished, a phantom in the night. "Perimeter is relatively clear, aside from the two at the front," he reported, his voice a low whisper. "I caught a glimpse through a broken window on the west side. The interior is… fortified. Makeshift barricades. And I saw at least three Fallen Angels moving within the main nave. They're armed."
Fallen Angels. Not just human cultists or Stray Devils. Actual Fallen Angels. Ren felt a chill despite the warm night. These were beings of immense power, beings who had once stood beside God.
Koneko returned a few minutes later, equally silent, her small face grim. "Basement," she said, her voice barely audible. "Strong energy signature. And… fear. A lot of fear. From a single source. And something else… something cold and cruel."
Asia. It had to be Asia. And her captors.
Rias nodded, her expression hardening. "They're keeping her below ground. Likely where the ritual will take place. It offers more seclusion, more protection." She looked at her peerage, then at Ren. "The reconnaissance is complete. We know their general disposition, and we know where Asia is likely being held." Her gaze was resolute. "And it seems our initial assessment was correct. They are not merely occupying the church; they are preparing for something significant. Something that cannot be allowed to happen." The time for stealth and observation was drawing to a close. The veil of twilight had been pierced, and the true nature of the Fallen's den was beginning to reveal itself.