(Issei)
...We were currently outside the Church. The Church where my best friend was being held by the Fallen Angels. We were there to rescue them.
No matter what, we had to succeed.
No. We WILL succeed! I'm definitely gonna save my bro!
"I have a map, Buchou." Kiba said to Buchou, handing her a map of the surrounding area.
Huh, I didn't even think about it. I thought we were just going to charge right in.
We all gathered around the map, listening as Kaichou described our strategy.
"OK. Due to Haruto's value as the possessor of a Longinus, they will likely have this place more well-guarded than they usually would. We must make sure to stretch their forces out as thinly as possible. Remember: Our objective is to rescue Namikaze Haruto. Incapacitate your enemies by any means necessary, but defeating them is but a secondary objective. It will all be pointless if Namikaze-kun is killed."
Buchou nodded in agreement. "That's right. Koneko, Yuka." Buchou turned to the blonde-haired princess and the white-haired loli who stood attentively. "You two will take on their first defense. You don't have to defeat them, but be sure to pierce their defenses. Give the the second entry team a chance to enter after you."
""Yes, Buchou."" They said in unison.
Buchou then turned to me and Akeno-san. "As for Issei and Akeno, you two will enter the Church after Koneko and Yuka to retrieve Haruto-kun. Leave the initial enemies to Koneko and Yuka. Just cut straight through and don't stop until you are inside. While you are all infiltrating, Sona and I will be handling the other Fallen Angels allied with Raynare. Are we all clear on the plan?"
However, there was one objection.
And it was from Kaichou who was raising her hand.
"I have but one objection." Kaichou said. "I will be the one who accompanies Hyoudou-kun. Akeno can aid you, Rias."
Buchou raised an eyebrow at this. "Oh? May I know why?"
For a brief second, Kaichou's expression changed.
I saw a strange mixture of emotion on her face: Shame, self-loathing, and embarrassment.
But her expression seemed perfectly normal the next second, so there's a fair chance I may have imagined it.
"Namikaze-kun is my responsibility. I swore to Onee-sama that I would keep him safe." Kaichou answered in a serious tone. "Considering the current situation, I seem to have failed in this. Therefore, it is my duty to rescue Namikaze-kun. I will not budge from this position, Rias."
For a good ten seconds, Buchou and Kaichou had an intense stare down, as if their eyes would decide who would do what.
Buchou closed her eyes first, her resolve seemingly wavering as she mulled over Kaichou's request. Kaichou, meanwhile, examined the map we got of the Church. She was examining each and every detail closely, as if looking for something.
After a moment, Buchou sighed.
"Alright, Sona. I'm surprised to see you so determined about this, but I am willing to accept this change in strategy." Buchou agreed. She then turned to the rest of us. "Do we all understand the plan?"
""Yes!""
"Then let's move out! Our objective: Rescue Namikaze Haruto!"
***
I sat in my dirty, little prison cell, legs crossed and my back against the wall.
My bangs covered my eyes as I directed my gaze towards the ceiling which was just as dirty and dingy as the walls and the floors.
It had been a few hours since Mittelt had left. I felt my anxiety increase with each passing second. Perhaps it was cruel towards myself to get my hopes up about this…
I felt my very soul sink into an ocean of fear.
I was scared. I realized that none of this seemed real until now. I'm half-certain I've been in denial about my fate up to this point, but now it was more real than ever before.
I was going to die. I was going to die and there was nothing I could do about it.
And that thought terrified me more than anything else. The worst part was that that bitch, Raynare, had given me time to lament my fate. With nothing to do but wait on the off-chance Mittelt succeeded in the task I had given her, I could do nothing but think about all of the events that occurred in my life.
The things that stood out the most were the happiest moments of my life:
Meeting Issei and Irina, falling in love, meeting Ruruko, falling in love all over again, meeting so many new friends and amazing people like my adorable master, Serafall.
Then I remembered that we would never see each other again and I got depressed again. I never said goodbye to any of them. They would probably start hating me after I died. Even if my actions were good in nature, I still caused everyone so much trouble. I kept running thoughts through my head. Things I should've changed. Things I should've done differently. If I had been quicker to act, I could've rescued Asia sooner. I could've just obeyed Sitri-senpai and left it alone. I could've just…
I leaned forward and then hit my head against the wall behind me, trying to dispel these horrible thoughts of mine.
I sighed. "I'm truly pathetic, aren't I…?"
That's when I heard it.
"Hurry! Those shitty Devils are entering the Church!"
"That bastard Freed better keep them occupied long enough for us to finish the ritual!"
Footsteps and voices. Curious, I stood up and walked up to my bars, being careful as to not touch them.
I saw several Stray Exorcists running through the hallways of the dungeon from the other end of the hall all the way to my cell.
I counted at least five of them.
"Stand back, shitty Devil!"
I looked between all of them. "What-What's going on?"
One of the other Exorcists scowled. "It looks like your shitty friends thought themselves strong enough to be able to rescue you." I felt my insides freeze and my heartbeat begin to increase in frequency and speed.
W-What?!
"One amongst them possesses red hair with a crimson shade and is suspected to be the Gremory heiress, Rias Gremory." One of the calmer and more polite strays explained. "With her are her Devil servants the one we also believe to be the Sitri heiress."
My eyes widened. It literally felt like my heart was going to explode.
I placed a hand on my chest. My eyes began to sting…
Everyone… even after all of the trouble I caused… they were really here for me?
The more malicious Exorcist sneered. "But don't get your hopes up. You won't be here when they arrive."
They opened the cell. Realization dawned upon me, causing me to pale. I knew that struggling was pointless since I was powerless and since they outnumbered me. There was no stopping this.
I nodded. But before I went with them I backed away and quickly placed my hands together.
"Dear Lord—GAAAH!" I was hit by a huge wave of excruciating pain. As if someone had lit my head on fire while stabbing my brain with a thousand tiny needles. But I wouldn't be deterred. I kept my eyes closed and my hands together in prayer. "Even if we have strayed from the path…" I paused again, the pain only increasing in intensity. "...my friends are good people… I care for them more than anything else. You are God, so I hope you are forgiving enough even towards us…" I started sweating profusely, the pain only intensifying further as I attempted to do something Devils shouldn't be allowed to do… even if my prayer was rejected, I wanted to at least have some peace of mind before I died. My vision began to blur. "My most precious people… God… please… even if the price is my own life, please protect them… I love them more than anything else… please, God… Amen…"
With a satisfied smile and my eyes watering from either sadness or pain, I fell forward, almost blacking out until both of my arms were grabbed.
"Nice try, shitty Devil!" One of the Exorcists mocked. "But no God worth His shit would listen to a Devil like you if He wouldn't listen to us!"
"Now come. The ritual will soon be beginning." And then I was being dragged along…
To my death.
The pain persisted and it felt like my body was on fire and about to explode in a million pieces. It felt like someone was stabbing me with over a million swords compared to when I first started my prayer. If God was truly the benevolent being He claimed to be, He would at least fulfill my modest prayer.