High School DXD : Amen

The Grand Plaza of Heaven was filled with a solemn air, the radiant architecture casting shimmering light across the gathering host of angels. The soft hum of divine energy filled the space, a chorus of ethereal harmony that usually brought peace—yet today, there was an underlying tension in the air.

This was no ordinary descent.

Michael stood at the forefront, his presence calm yet unshakable, his golden eyes carrying an unspoken resolve. He had always been Heaven's gentlest light, the guide for those who sought warmth and understanding. Yet today, the Commander of the Heavenly Host stood as he once had before the Great War—unwavering, unquestionable.

Behind him, Arishem followed closely, his silver eyes gleaming beneath his hood, his pristine robes lined with flowing celestial script. His aura, though subdued, pulsed like a blade waiting to be drawn, restrained but ever-present. He had already informed Michael of Diodora Astaroth's atrocities, and the Seraph had not taken it lightly.

The other angels assembled, forming ranks in disciplined silence. The chosen guards stood tall, donned in radiant armor, their wings shifting in divine light. Among them were two of Heaven's newest High-Class Angels—Irina Shidou and Xenovia Quarta.

The transformation they had undergone was undeniable.

Both now bore six radiant wings, a clear mark of their elevation. Their celestial armor gleamed under the holy light, and though their expressions remained composed, there was a new weight to their gazes—a newfound depth that came with ascending beyond mortal limits.

Despite their strength, they still carried remnants of their old selves.

Irina, though exuding an angelic grace, still had that natural brightness about her, her eager eyes flicking between the others. Xenovia, ever composed, stood firm, but there was a steely determination in her stance—one that showed she would allow no enemy of Heaven to stand unchallenged.

The moment was sacred, yet charged.

The angels, though serene in appearance, were still beings of passion and devotion. They fought not for conquest but for righteousness, and if they were to hear of the sins committed by the Astaroth heir, there was no doubt that many of them would be unable to contain their wrath.

Arishem knew this. That knowledge had to wait.

It would be for the leaders alone to discuss.

His silver gaze flickered to Michael, who nodded once, as if reaffirming the weight of the task ahead. The time for descent had come.

Michael raised his hand, and the Holy Sigil of Heaven manifested above them, glowing with divine authority.

"Let us go," he commanded, his voice calm yet absolute.

And with that, the Seraphim of Heaven descended.

-----

The sky above Kuoh Town was unusually still, as though the heavens themselves held their breath in anticipation of what was to come.

Within moments, a golden light descended, parting the sky like the opening of heaven itself. The divine radiance took form, and in its wake, two figures emerged—Michael, the leader of Heaven, and Arishem, the Angel of Judgment.

As they touched down, their presence washed over the area, a wave of warm yet overwhelming power rolling across Kuoh Academy. The angels accompanying them, donned in celestial armor and robes, followed behind in disciplined formation.

The meeting venue was already secured, but Arishem took no chances. His silver gaze flickered across the academy grounds before turning to the angels under his command.

"Spread out. Secure the key locations. This is neutral ground, and you will respect that. Do not provoke the Devils or the Fallen Angels unnecessarily."

The soldiers bowed before swiftly moving into position. They stationed themselves at entrances, rooftops, and hidden vantage points, ensuring that should anything happen, they would be ready.

As Michael and Arishem stepped forward, the doors to Kuoh Academy's main meeting hall opened. The moment they entered, the atmosphere shifted—the weight of divine authority pressing against those present.

Inside, the leaders of the Three Factions were already waiting.

At the head of the Devils' side, Sirzechs Lucifer sat with a calm yet unreadable expression. His crimson hair gleamed under the light, and his aura, while restrained, carried the quiet hum of overwhelming destruction should he choose to unleash it.

Beside him, Serafall Leviathan, clad in her usual eccentric attire, was surprisingly composed—though her sharp gaze indicated that she was taking this meeting far more seriously than she normally would.

For the Fallen Angels, Azazel, ever relaxed, leaned back in his chair, his usual smirk tugging at his lips. Beside him, Shemhazai, his second-in-command, maintained a professional demeanor, his keen eyes watching everything with measured caution.

Arishem, standing beside Michael, took note of the others in the room.

His silver eyes briefly rested on Rias Gremory and her peerage, standing at the side of the hall. He had not expected their presence.

Before he could voice the thought, Sirzechs spoke, his voice smooth yet tinged with amusement.

"I see you're wondering why my sister and Sona Sitri's peerage are present."

Arishem did not deny it, but he simply nodded, waiting for clarification.

"Rias and Sona were responsible for organizing and securing the venue for this meeting. It was thanks to their efforts that everything is in order," Sirzechs explained, his crimson eyes flickering with mild curiosity at the Seraph's reaction.

Arishem glanced toward Rias, who stood composed yet wary, and then to Sona, whose glasses reflected the room's light as she observed quietly.

"Understood," Arishem responded evenly, his focus already shifting.

Then, his gaze landed on another individual—Vali Lucifer.

The White Dragon Emperor stood beside Azazel and Shemhazai, his arms crossed, his silver hair and piercing blue eyes giving him an almost ethereal quality. The faint hum of Divine Dividing resonated from his presence, as if the Dragon within him stirred at the arrival of such powerful beings.

Arishem held his gaze for a moment before addressing Azazel.

"I see you've brought an interesting choice for security."

Azazel grinned, clearly entertained. "Vali insisted. He wanted to see the summit firsthand. He's merely here to make sure I don't get assassinated. You wouldn't want me to die, would you, Arishem?"

The Seraph of Judgment remained unmoved by the joke.

"Your death would be unfortunate, but unnecessary distractions will not be tolerated."

Vali smirked slightly but said nothing, merely watching the exchange with interest.

Tension hummed beneath the surface, unspoken rivalries and conflicting ideologies pressing against each other in the air.

Then, Michael stepped forward, his serene yet authoritative presence immediately cutting through the growing friction.

"We are not here to waste time with unnecessary debate," he said, his voice calm but firm. "Let us begin."

A pulse of divine energy radiated from him—not aggressive, but a reminder of who he was. The air stilled, and without further argument, the leaders took their seats.

The Summit of the Three Factions had begun.

-----

The meeting had been proceeding smoothly, a rare occurrence given the nature of the factions involved. Minor disputes had been addressed, logistical concerns debated, and tentative agreements made.

Then, Serafall Leviathan, the ever-energetic yet politically astute Maou, leaned forward in her seat, her usual playful demeanor subdued as she posed her question.

"So, does Heaven have any lingering grievances with the Underworld?" she asked, her bright blue eyes searching for any underlying tension. "We're all working toward peace, but I think we'd all feel better if there were no hidden issues that might cause… misunderstandings later."

A simple enough question.

But at her words, Arishem turned his silver eyes toward Michael, silently asking permission to speak.

Michael met his gaze and gave a small nod.

Arishem then rose from his seat, his white and silver robes moving with a weight of finality, and took a step forward. His expression was calm, but the air around him grew heavier, a shift that did not go unnoticed.

"There is an issue," he said, voice steady but unyielding. "One that cannot be ignored."

The room grew still.

Heaven had remained largely silent on any major grievances thus far—this was the first true accusation of the meeting.

Sirzechs Lucifer, sitting at the head of the Devil's side, met Arishem's gaze. "Go on."

Arishem raised a hand, and a golden projection of documents appeared in the air, pages flipping automatically as images and details scrolled past.

"Tell me, do you recognize the name Diodora Astaroth?"

The moment he spoke the name, subtle reactions rippled through the room.

Sirzechs' gaze sharpened.

Serafall's playful expression dropped entirely, her face unreadable.

Ajuka Beelzebub—Diodora's older brother—was not present at the meeting, but his absence was now more damning than before.

"Of course," Sirzechs answered neutrally. "He is a noble of the Astaroth Clan."

Arishem's gaze never wavered. "A noble? Then tell me, do you also know that he has been systematically abducting and enslaving excommunicated nuns and holy maidens under the guise of 'saving' them?"

Silence.

Even the Fallen Angels, who normally played the role of amused spectators, were now fully focused.

Azazel exhaled sharply and leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "Damn. I had a feeling this meeting would get interesting."

Arishem gestured to the floating documents, causing detailed records to expand for all to see.

"These are records of every excommunicated nun and holy maiden who has gone missing in the past years. All of them cast out of the Church under suspicious circumstances, all of them last seen in areas where Diodora was active, and all of them now appear as members of his peerage."

A collective understanding began to settle over the room.

"For years, they must have prayed." Arishem's voice was calm, but there was something dangerous underneath. "Crying out for salvation. And in response, Heaven gave them silence, while a Devil fed upon their despair."

His silver eyes glowed faintly, and the temperature in the room dropped slightly.

"Unforgivable."

The weight of his words pressed down on those present.

Michael, still seated, finally spoke. His voice, though gentle, carried the absolute authority of Heaven itself.

"What do you propose, Arishem?"

Arishem turned back to the Devil leaders. "Diodora Astaroth will be turned over to Heaven for judgment." His tone left no room for argument. "The women he has enslaved will be released from his peerage and placed in our care, where they will be properly healed and restored."

His silver eyes burned as he continued.

"And we expect an explanation."

He stepped forward slightly.

"Tell me, how did the younger brother of the so-called 'smartest Devil' manage to do all this under your noses?"

Sirzechs remained impassive, but the tightening of his jaw betrayed his inner thoughts.

Serafall, however, was less composed. Her hand clenched into a fist on the table, and her usual cheery aura was gone, replaced by something cold and calculating.

"Are you saying Ajuka knew?" she asked, her voice quieter than usual.

Arishem tilted his head slightly. "I am saying that the Astaroth Clan has protected him. Whether Ajuka himself was involved remains to be seen."

The room remained tense.

Azazel sighed, rubbing his temples. "Alright, as much as I love a dramatic reveal, we should focus on the bigger picture." He gestured vaguely. "We can all agree that what Diodora has done is beyond scummy, yeah?"

Serafall's eyes darkened. "If this is true, he won't just be answering to Heaven."

Sirzechs remained silent for a moment before finally speaking. "I will personally look into this." His red eyes flickered with something dangerous. "And if Diodora is guilty, he will not be shielded."

Arishem did not react outwardly, but he did not trust Sirzechs' words fully. The Devils had a habit of protecting their own until it was no longer politically viable.

The tension in the room was near its breaking point.

Arishem stood tall, silver eyes gleaming, his celestial presence pressing down on the room like an unstoppable force. Even among the most powerful beings gathered here—Devils, Fallen Angels, and Heaven's finest—his aura demanded attention.

"This matter is non-negotiable," he declared, his voice calm but carrying the weight of divine judgment. "Heaven will not stand by while such crimes are left unanswered."

The air grew heavier as he took another step forward.

"I will ask one final time." His gaze swept over Sirzechs, Serafall, and even Azazel. "Diodora Astaroth will be turned over to us. His victims will be freed and placed under Heaven's protection. If you refuse—"

And then—

Everything stopped.

A sudden, unnatural stillness overtook the room.

Arishem's words hung in the air, unfinished, his lips frozen in mid-speech.

Michael, still standing, had a hand raised slightly, as if about to interject. His expression of quiet authority was now locked in place, before his aura pulsed and broke the effect.

Across the table, Sirzechs' crimson eyes were stagnant, his usually composed demeanor now eerily frozen until his aura broke the effect as well. Even Serafall, who had begun shifting slightly in her seat, was caught in the moment, her fingers inches from tapping against the table, until the effect was forcefully brocken

Everything. Stopped. Moving.

Except Arishem.

And a few others.

His silver eyes flickered, sensing the sudden shift in reality.

From the side of the room, Vali Lucifer's form tensed, his instincts flaring as he gripped the armrest of his chair. His expression, once amused, was now dangerously serious.

Near the entrance, Irina and Xenovia, both sporting six radiant wings, stiffened as they too remained unaffected, thanks to the hole swords in their hands

And in the farthest corner, Azazel let out a low whistle, his golden eyes narrowing as he studied the eerie scene before him. "Well, this just got interesting."

The world had been frozen, but not by any of them.

Something else was at play.

Arishem took a slow breath, his divine senses expanding outward, scanning for the source of this manipulation of time itself.

And then—he felt it.

A presence.

No, multiple presences, lurking just beyond the confines of the meeting chamber. Waiting. Watching. Moving.

The Khaos Brigade had made their move.

Arishem's fingers twitched, and for the first time since time had stopped, his celestial energy flared.

Whatever was about to happen…

It was starting now.