Non Serviam: Chapter 1 (Patreon)

This is a chapter of this story that was not originally posted on patreon. I am backposting it and several others now so that the complete story can be viewed on this site. To read the complete story, check the collection link below.

Chapter 1: Genesis

The tea was quite excellent.

I'd expected green tea, given that I had, apparently, landed in Japan of all places, but the delicate china cup instead held earl gray. A classic, but one of my favorites none the less. I took another sip, marshalling my thoughts.

Then I set the cup down.

I sighed, leaning back into the low set leather couch. Really, the entire room was furnished like it was a set for a smooth 90's gangster movie. "That's quite a story you've spun for me," I said.

Sitting across from me on another couch, Rias Gremory nodded. It sent her red hair, because of course her hair would be a brilliant bloody red, shimmering around her shoulders. "I guess it's a bit much to take in, isn't it?" she said. "I know it's a bit difficult to accept that you died but—"

"Not that part," I said. She blinked once.

Step one, take control of the conversation.

"I knew I was going to die, accepted it even. Really, I'm not even surprised that you found a way to revive me." Contessa got what she wanted, always. "But the bit about devils and angels all being real? I'm skeptical."

Rias tilted her head. "Is that really so hard to believe?" she asked. "Surely, I brought you back to life somehow, unless you think that a doctor could have done the same thing?"

"I'm not debating that you have powers," I said. Indeed, I could feel an energy thrumming beneath my skin even now. My passenger was strangely silent, no doubt that Rias's healing had messed with it, but at least I'd gotten a new arm out of the deal. "But power doesn't mean you're a devil."

Rias pouted, regarding me with her glinting green eyes. "I showed you my wings. Didn't you like them?" she said. With a ruffle of fabric, a pair of bat wings popped out of her back. They were obviously too small to bear her weight, less wingspan than her arms, but still something to be wary of.

"There are plenty of reasons you could have wings that don't stem from religion, of all things."

Besides which, I'd already seen proof positive that parahumans had established themselves across several different world. I had no desire to be taken in by one of those pretending to be a biblical monster.

"Surely if I was lying, I'd pick something more believable?" Rias said. "Besides that, I don't have a reason to mislead you so soon after saving your life."

I snorted. "It's called refuge in audacity," I said. "And no reason? You're the one who told me that I'm part of your 'peerage' now, whatever that is." I sipped my tea. "Eternal servitude seems like plenty of reason to lie."

"I—"

"Your story is remarkably consistent, if only because you've clearly had time to practice," I said. "But you'll forgive me if I'm not willing to take it at face value." With a nod, I set my cup back on its saucer. "Now, thank you for your hospitality, but if it's all the same, I think I'll be on my way now."

Step two: apply pressure.

Rias blinked once, nonpulsed. "I—you're leaving?"

I stood, "That's what I just said, isn't it?"

Rias shook her head, crossing her arms beneath her…admittedly developed bust. "Where are you even going to go?" she asked. "You're alone in a foreign country, without a passport or anything. And your clothes…"

She wasn't wrong. I didn't exactly bring a wallet and birth certificate to Golden Morning. And with my costume utterly ruined, I'd been given a bathrobe while one of Rias's friends ran off to get clothes. Apparently, I was still pretty tall, tall enough that none of Rias's clothes would fit, setting aside that they would hang off my thin form like rags.

God save me from gorgeous redheads…

I smiled, suppressing a slight wince of pain in my head. A symptom of her power? I could only hope that the control mechanism was nothing overt. "I'm sure I'll figure out." I said. "Worst comes to worse, well, there's always the Consulate."

Not that I would ever go there. Even if I existed in this world, a crapshoot at best, all records would show that Taylor Hebert had never left the United States. Still, it should prompt a reaction from the girl sitting in front of me.

Rias's eyes widened. Got you. "Ah, I don't think that's a very good idea…" She said. "Besides, you not believeing in devils doesn't change the reality of the situation!"

"From my point of view it does," I said. Idly walking around to stand behind the couch. I kept from making any overt moves to the door, but it was easy to see Rias's muscles tense all the same. "Or, to put it differently, you haven't given me any reason to stay, and more than enough to leave."

Her crimson eyebrows furrowed at my words, one hand coming half up, as if to grab me. "Ah, you, might still need more healing?" she said. "What if you're still wounded.

I raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you the one who said you reincarnated me 'perfectly and without my mortal flaws,' or something to that effect?"

"Well…yes," Rias said. "But you never really know with these things! And besides, I would feel terrible if you got hurt so—"

"That's very sweet, but it's hardly your responsibility," I cut off. "Thanks for the tea, it was very good." With that, I spun, striding towards the door.

Step 3: force the issue. And then we'd see what the truth of the situation really was.

"If you leave you'll be branded a stray devil!" Rias said, voice nearly a shout. I paused, hand on the doorknob. Stray huh? Branded? The words were new, but the context was so very familiar. "All devils in the human world are under the aegis of the Pillars," Rias continued. "As the heiress of the Gremory family, you are my responsibility, whether you believe it or not. I won't just let you run off and get killed!"

"So," I said. "You're saying that if I leave, I'll be killed?"

"You'll be hunted down, and if you refuse to come back peacefully… even I won't be able to protect you!" Rias said. The earnestness of her voice bit into me. "And as a newly reincarnated devil it's even more dangerous to be away from your ma—from your peerage for too long."

My grip tightened on the door knob. The brass crumpled under my fingers. "Oh? Why is that."

"Well, Stray Devils…without a mature devil's energy to balance them out and direct them, their powers can easily grow out of control, consuming their mind until they go completely insane."

So, that was the catch.

"I see," I said, quietly.

Fabric rustled as Rias stood from the couch before padding towards me. "You understand?" she said. I saw a hopeful smile on her face when I glanced over my shoulder. "I know this is a big change, but I'll help you get through it every step of the way!"

I sighed. "A devil's power can grow out of control, you said. How does that work." I forced the memories of Khepri down with all of my will.

Rias placed her hand on my shoulder. "A Devil's power comes from our imagination," she said. "But without structure, it can become directionless, growing out of control until there's nothing left of the Devil at all. Stray Devils are dangerous, not only to the people around them, but to themselves as well." She shook her head. "I would hate to see that happen to you."

I held back a snort. "Of course not," I said.

She brightened, letting out a happy sigh. "What a relief," she said. "Haa, managing new subordinates really is tricky, isn't it!"

"It is," I said, grabbing Rias's hand as it rested on my shoulder. "Especially when they're not your subordinates."

"Huh?"

I grabbed her wrist and then rammed my elbow deep into her gut.

Imagination? Well, I put all of my imagination into the strength of that one movement, imagining all of my muscles coiling and firing like a pile driver. Something in my chest burned.

Rias flew out of my grip like a shot, cratering the far wall of the room. She retched, eyes wide, as the air was driven from her lungs.

"Well," I said, "that's one thing you told the truth about." I was out the door before she could fall to the ground.

Beyond was a simple long hallway, lined with windows. Outside, it was full night out, overcast. The room was on the second floor. Taking two steps forward, I started to unlatch the closest window. I didn't want to chance the stairs.

I'd just found the latch when something smashed into me from the side. My muscles locked up as lightning coursed over me, and I toppled. Before I could push myself up, I found myself trapped inside a rippling cage of electricity.

Coming down the hall, one hand idly raised as if she'd thrown a baseball instead of a thunderbolt, was the source of my troubles. "My, my," the new arrival said, running a hand through her long black hair. "You really do manage to pick up the most troublesome new members, prez."

I looked over her impassively. With straight black hair done up in a high pony tail and purple eyes, she was just as beautiful as Rias. Idly, I wondered if everyone in this world was just preternaturally beautiful, or if it was just another part of the 'devil temptress' act.

She shivered under my gaze. "Oh, that look in your eyes…" she murmured, resting her cheek in the palm of her hand. "It's like you could just cut me in half, why, it almost makes me want to return the favor."

I had to hold back the urge to snort.

With a groan, Rias stumbled into the hallway.

"Rias!" the other girl said, before fixing me with a glare. "If you hurt her you wretch…"

"Maa, I'm fine, Akeno," she said. "She simply caught me by surprise."

"Even so…"

Rias shook her head. "It was my choice to speak with Taylor alone," she said with a sigh. "And here I thought we'd reached an agreement as well."

"That rather was the point," I said, crossing my legs under me.

Rias turned towards me, a look of disappointment on her face. I met her gaze head on. "What am I going to do with you now," she said.

I allowed myself a wry smile. "Why don't you have your servant just kill me and get it over with. I promise I won't come back to life this time."

Rias gaped at me. "Wha—but I just saved your life! I couldn't possibly kill my newest—"

"I'm not your 'newest' anything, Rias," I said. "And my life?" I chuckled. "I hardly asked you to save it. In fact, if you could just put it back where you found it, bleeding out over some back alley? That would probably be for the best."

Even if I'd failed to escape, the expression on Rias's face was a victory all its own.