Chapter 6: The Worst Reunion

'Geez, where the hell is that bastard?'

Issei wondered as he ran throughout the town each night since Kiba's disappearance. Kiba had switched off his phone and he cannot be located. The bastard is obviously hunting the exorcists by himself and doesn't want them to be caught up in his quest for vengeance. Although Issei still wonder what his target is. He remembered him being enthusiastic in cutting down priests back when they rescued Asia but he's still in control of himself. Perhaps Excalibur wielders are his goal but what will he do to them and what will he do after that?

The ORC is spread all over the town looking for Kiba in pairs because they also have to worry about being attacked by Kokabiel if what the exorcists said was true. Rias and Akeno are together while Asia is with Koneko. Issei went alone because he's the Sekiryuutei and he managed to convince Rias he could take care of himself.

Issei stopped in a park. Just searching randomly won't help him find Kiba. If he wanted to find him, first he had to find the exorcists since they're his targets. Now, where would those exorcists be if they're looking for the Excalibur fragments? Irina will most likely just run around looking under each stone but the other one, Fate, is more calculative and intelligent from what he can see. That girl knew that searching manually will be impossible so she'll probably plan something to draw out the thieves.

As Issei is thinking about all the possible places Fate could use to make a trap, his phone rang. The call came from an unknown number but still he answered it anyway.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Ise-kun!"

"Irina?!"

The call came from Shidou Irina, one of the people he's looking for. Issei wondered how she could get his phone number because he hadn't given her his number when they met. But that's not important right now.

"Irina, where are you? Kiba had gone missing and he's targeting the Excalibur wielders!"

"Ehh! That blonde devil boy! Did he become a stray?!"

"No. He's part of a project called the Holy Sword Project conducted by the Church a few years ago. I believe he still have grudge over that and is now targeting Excalibur wielders for revenge. Have you seen him?"

"The Holy Sword Project. I see, so he's from that project. Yes, I know where he is. Right now he had entered the abandoned church at the edge of the town. Fate is there to draw out the thieves."

"The abandoned church? Got it. I'm sorry Irina but I guess I have to go get him back."

"It's no problem Ise-kun. I can understand why he's so angry. Fate is also like that most of the time."

There's a tone of understanding coming from Irina and when she mentioned Fate, Issei is getting more intrigued. It appears there is something more about Fate than meets the eye. She was also stealing glances at Kiba when they met. Did they use to know each other? Is Fate perhaps an unknown survivor of that project?

"Irina, I'll head there immediately but first I need to ask a few questions."

There is something that connected Fate with Kiba and this something can perhaps help them in the matter with Kiba. Issei began to ask questions as he rushed towards the abandoned church.

Fate is in a predicament. She is one of the best young exorcist in the Catholic Church and by herself is formidable enough to fight a high-ranking stray in single combat. But the situation is not ideal. Kiba Yuuto is a foe she doesn't want to fight and that makes all the difference as she's being pushed back by the devil knight.

He broke his sword every few times after hitting Excalibur Destruction and his movement is erratic at best. But Fate's reluctance to harm him caused her to be pushed back as she tightens her defenses. Fate checked on Freed and saw him recovering from her previous attack. The stray exorcist picked up Excalibur Rapidly and attack Kiba. The young devil was kicked out of the way by Fate as she intercepted Freed's sword.

Kiba is not done yet as he create a second sword using his sacred gear. Using two demonic swords, Kiba engaged the two exorcists. His first target is Freed. The mad exorcist got out of the way though using his speed that Kina couldn't follow. Freed evaded Kiba's slash and appear behind him.

"Die fuckin devil!"

He's about to tab Kiba but Fate push him aside and block his sword with her own. Planting her sword into the ground and using it as a focal point, Fate spun and kicked the stray exorcist hard at his neck before he could pull out. Freed crashed into the benches.

Kiba came up from behind Fate, leaping to the air. Fate sidestepped his attack and grabbed the collar of his shirt the moment he landed and using his own momentum throw him to the altar.

Suddenly Fate felt danger and again sidestepped without knowing what the danger is. Her instinct proof to have helped her when a gash appear on the concrete floor. Fate slashed forward and a blade of holy energy shot out from Excalibur Destruction. It was halted in midair by something and Freed appear with a new sword in his left hand and Rapidly in the other.

"Transparency."

Fate recognize the blade as Excalibur Transparency, one of the seven fragments of Excalibur. Things will get harder but it's still not beyond her. On the contrary, things seem to get better. Fate smirked.

"Tch, tough little shit, why don't you just die already, Fate-chan!"

"Not as tough as you. You're like a cockroach that's too tough for your own good."

"SWORD BIRTH!"

Kiba suddenly yelled and multiple swords erupted from the ground. The two exorcists jump out of the way with the devil coming back into the fight. Kiba this time targeted Freed. Charging at him like a mad berserker, Kiba use his two flaming demonic swords to slash at Freed at great speed. Freed is being pushed backward but he just has a crazy grin on his face.

"Chi! So you're in possession of Sword Birth. Wow. You are guilty of having a rare Sacred Gear, you know!"

"Don't look away when you're fighting!"

Suddenly Fate came down on the two of them, slamming Excalibur Destruction to the ground. A blast of holy energy in the form of shockwave was released upon impact and it affected Kiba, being a devil made him affected by the presence of holy power even if it's only a small amount. Fate immediately rushed at the devil and kneed him in the stomach. Not stopping there, she kicked his feet and cause him to lose his footing before grabbing his collar again and throw him out, this time from the window.

Freed snuck up behind her using transparency but his bloodlust made him easily detected. Fate evaded and kicked him on the head. Freed again crashed into the benches while Fate pulled out from the abandoned church. Once she's outside, she took out a small cylinder with a button and pressed it. The church exploded multiple times, burying Freed in the rubles.

Fate had planted charges all around the church to bring it down. It wouldn't work against Kokabiel but this much should work against his subordinates. All they need to do now is excavate, or just blow away the rubles and retrieve the Excaliburs.

Fate was about to turn to the other matter when the ruble suddenly burst and out came Freed. He had seen better days with his clothes now in tatters and bleeding from various parts of his body. He is also panting while using Excalibur Rapidly as a crutch.

"You… bitch… that fuckin hurts!"

Freed was about to raise his sword once again when the sound of a gunshot was heard. Freed never saw it coming as a sniper bullet bury itself into his skull, killing him instantly. Fate turn towards a building not far from their position. All went smoothly. From atop a building Irina lay prone with a sniper rifle by her side. Fate had used herself as bait to draw out their target and they had succeeded.

"Well, I hope that takes care of that maniac. Now, what should I do with you?"

Fate turn from the rubles toward Kiba who is breathing heavily. His clothes were ruffled and there are some tear caused by crashing repeatedly from Fate's throws. Fate saw his eyes looking at her burning with rage. He made a holy eraser and held it with both hands as he slowly walk closer towards her. I almost drove Fate to tears seeing him consumed by anger so much.

"Excalibur."

"Kiba growled. His mind consumed by vengeance at the reason for his comrade's death. The boy charged straight at Fate with sword in hand. The blonde exorcist did not move. Kiba is almost at striking distance when Fate spoke.

"Isaiah, please stop."

Fate pleaded. Kiba's sword stopped inches from her forehead. The blonde knight's eyes wide after hearing her call him using the name he had long thrown away. The knight's head suddenly clear as he stares into the exorcist's red eyes, a memory of long past coming back to him.

Isaiah is walking down the hall of the research facility, tired after a whole day of experiment. He really wanted nothing more than to sleep right now. He's about to pass through one of the research room when he noticed a blonde girl around his age walking out from the room. He had never seen her before. The girl look down with near lifeless eyes. Curious, Isaiah approached her.

"Hey."

The girl turn around looking at him with straight face and blank eyes. She must've had it worse than them if she has that grim look on her.

"What?"

The girl asked in one simple word said in monotone. Isaiah almost cringed as not even him or his friends are in that kind of condition. Or at least nearly as lifeless as this girl.

"I've never seen you before."

"…is that all you want?"

The girl doesn't seem interested with what he has to say. Isaiah finds it so sad. She also looks as if she never smiled. One of the older children had told him that things will feel better if you keep smiling both for yourself and for others. Isaiah didn't understand the logic behind it but she does feel better when he smile together with his friends. At that moment, Isaiah decided that he want to see this girl smile because she look so empty.

"Uhh… hey, what's your name?"

"…name? I don't have a name."

Isaiah tilted his head in confusion. She doesn't have a name? That can't be. Even he and his friends have their own names even if it's just assigned to them by the scientists.

"You really don't have a name?"

"…Fate. I'm of project FATE so you can call me Fate."

The girl answered although she herself is not sure if she can use her project name as her own. She is the only one who managed to survive so it's very likely that it's fine.

"Fate, I see. Well, my name is Isaiah!"

Isaiah offer his hand for a handshake while smiling. Fate look down to his hand with confusion. She doesn't understand the gesture. She look back at Isaiah with a blank face and doesn't say anything.

"…uhh, it's a handshake."

"A handshake? What is that?"

It's worse than he imagined if Fate doesn't even know what a handshake is. Isaiah then explain that a handshake is what you do when you introduce yourself to people you want to be friends with, or at least to be polite with. He's not good at explaining things like the scientists or the older kids from the Holy Sword Project.

Fate looks at him oddly. It is as if she's looking at an interesting specimen.

"Uhh…"

Isaiah doesn't know what to say as her red eyes stare deep into him as if seeing his very soul. There is curiosity reflected there but it's not the creepy kind that the scientists usually had, just pure, genuine, innocent curiosity. After a while Fate's hand moved slowly, reaching out to him.

"Fate?"

The rage faded from his eyes as he recognized his old friend's eyes. His hand went numb and his sword disappeared. He cannot believe it. One of his old friends is currently standing in front of him.

"Isaiah, I've missed you."

And that's chapter 6. So how's the fight scene? Like it? Hate it? Ohh well, I did my best. So we already see a major divergence here. Freed is dead and the Excaliburs are one step from being retrieved. Irina sniped him dead which is definitely Fate's idea. There's also Fate and Isaiah's past and Issei is coming. So what will happen next with Fate and Kiba? Look forward to it.