Dxd: The Primordial Judge

The Council Chamber, located on the topmost floor of the majestic Palais Mermonia, was vast, yet it was cloaked in an oppressive stillness, a strange tension. The room exuded an aura of authority, yet also immense tension.

It was a grand room, with towering stained glass windows depicting Neuvillette's sigils, their faint colors filtering across the massive obsidian table in the center. A faint hum of magic emitted from the table, intricately carved chains lining the sides of the table.

At the head was a throne-like chair, reserved for the Chief Ludex, which radiated an unspoken authority, it's high back carved with depictions of swirling torrents of water, and dragons.

At the far end of the table, Yasaka sat with her hands clenched tightly into fists as her golden eyes aflame with silent rage as she gazed across the room, as though she was trapped in a vision of the past.

The smell of burning villages, the cries of her kin, and the laughter of those Noble Demons haunted her every waking moment as she remembered the tragedy that occurred to her people.

Her long, golden hair glowed as her angry aura exuded across the room, whilst her fox ears, tipped with white fur, twitched faintly at even the slightest sound, waiting to hear Albert's approach to the room.

Her body, which was covered in a regal kimono, a deep crimson red infused with intricate golden embroidery depicting flames and sakura blossoms, trembled faintly, the heat around her rising in intensity, faint embers trailing off the hem of her elegant robes. "They will pay," Yasaka muttered under her breath, the edge in her voice like a blade ready to strike.

Tears swelled in her eyes, but she blinked them away, furious at herself for showing even the faintest weakness. "Every single one of them… I swear on my ancestors, on everything I hold sacred, those Devils will pay."

"Anger will not bring justice, Yasaka," Nurarihyon said softly, his voice carrying the weight of age and weariness. He sat across from her, his long silver hair cascading down his back, his sharp, discerning eyes clouded with sorrow.

Nurarihyon was the embodiment of age-old wisdom and quiet authority, he was seated yet his frame was still tall, and his eyes, a pale silver-grey, carried the deep weight of years, experiences and expectations.

"It pains me to say this, but we must be realistic. Justice has become a luxury in these times. And without Neuvillette, I fear it will never come." Nurarihyon said, sighing with frustration as he took another hit from his ornate smoking pipe, the faint scent of it clinging to him, soothing & ancient.

Yasaka shot him a glare, her golden hair set ablaze with Fox-Fire due to her immense anger and frustration, her aura swarming the room as she stared at her fellow Yokai, "Don't you dare say that, Nurarihyon. Don't. You might have given up, but I haven't." Her voice cracked slightly, betraying the grief she worked so hard to suppress.

"I could feel them, the despair they felt when they died, I can hear their screams, their agony & anguish. I will not let their souls be left unavenged, not while I breathe. What will my daughter think?" Yasaka responded, trying to calm herself down.

Nurarihyon let out a long sigh, closing his eyes for a brief moment. "You think I do not share your pain?" he asked, his tone heavy with exhaustion. With age brought reason, and he understood better than anyone the reality of the situation.

"I have lived far longer than you, Yasaka. I have seen countless atrocities. I've watched the rise and fall of empires, the breaking of pacts and accords, the descent into chaos when beings grow too arrogant. But this… this lawlessness… it is something else entirely."

The old man leaned forward slightly, his fingers steepled before him as his voice dropped to a somber murmur, "Without Neuvillette, the world has lost its compass. The Noble Laws were upheld not because of parchment or words, but because of him." 

Nurarihyon said, his mind going back in time as he remembered his meeting's with Neuvillette, the aura of authority and power that enveloped him could still be remembered by Nurarihyon after centuries.

Nurarihyon sighed as he continued speaking, "The threat of his judgment, the fear of his authority, those were what kept even the vilest creatures in line. But now… they laugh in the face of accords that once bound them. They mock the very idea of justice."

Yasaka's hands slammed against the table as she stood abruptly, the sound echoing like a gunshot. Her golden hair flared around her as flames ignited briefly at her feet, her rage barely contained,

"Then we remind them!" she shouted, her voice filled with raw emotion.

"If Neuvillette will not return, we take matters into our own hands! We rally our allies, we bring war to their doorstep, and we burn every last one of them until, "

The doors to the Council Chamber creaked open, interrupting Yasaka mid-sentence.

The air shifted.

It was subtle at first, like a change in temperature before a storm, but it became undeniable. A presence, immense, commanding, and unyielding, flooded into the room like a tidal wave. Yasaka froze, the embers around her feet snuffed out instantly, as though cowed by some unseen force. Nurarihyon's eyes widened slightly, his fingers falling still.

The duo, shocked but driven by curiosity and hope, slowly turned towards the doorway, and there, in his iconic outfit, and regal aura of Justice, was Neuvillette, stepping into the room.

The Chief Ludex moved with a calm authority that demanded reverence. His footsteps rang like notes on an unseen instrument, each one resonating through the chamber.

The golden glow of his eyes, unrelenting and ethereal, fell upon Yasaka and Nurarihyon as though they could pierce through their very souls.

"Sit," Neuvillette said, his voice as smooth and unyielding as polished stone.

Yasaka sat back down without protest, though her body still trembled faintly. Her wide eyes remained fixed on Neuvillette as he approached the table and took his place at its head. Nurarihyon, though more composed, inclined his head deeply in respect.

"Chief Ludex," Nurarihyon said quietly, as though still trying to comprehend that Neuvillette stood before them. "You have returned."

"I have," Neuvillette replied simply, lowering himself into his seat with practiced grace. For a moment, the room seemed to hold its breath. His presence alone filled the chamber with such weight that even the lingering frustration and grief from Yasaka and Nurarihyon seemed to fade, if only slightly.

Neuvillette turned his golden gaze toward Yasaka first. She swallowed hard under his scrutiny, feeling as though he could see every flame of anger, every tear she had fought to suppress.

"I've heard roughly what happened to the Nekomata," Neuvillette said, his tone not accusatory but measured. "I am sorry for your loss. Trust me when I say I'll handle this to my best abilities.

Yasaka opened her mouth to speak, but Neuvillette raised a single gloved hand, silencing her.

"The massacre of the Nekomata is an affront to the Noble Laws, and it will not go unanswered. But understand this, Yasaka: justice is not born from fury. It is not a torch to scorch the earth. It is a blade, precise and unyielding, wielded with purpose. And I will see it carried out."

Yasaka's throat tightened as fresh tears welled in her eyes. This time, she let them fall. For so long, she had felt helpless, her fury uncontained, her grief unacknowledged.

But after she heard those words, spoken by Neuvillette with such authority and certainty, brought her a sense of peace.

Neuvillette straightened in his throne-like chair, his posture immaculate as he spoke, "Tomorrow night," he began, his voice echoing in the vast chamber, "a Rating Game will be held among the Demons."

Nurarihyon raised a brow, his fingers twitching slightly where they rested on the edge of the table, "A Rating Game? At this time?" 

Neuvillette turned to face him, inclining his head faintly in acknowledgment, "Yes. It's between two Noble Houses, a so called 'Celebration of the recent prosperity of Devils' but in actuality, it's just an excuse for the political leaders to have a discussion,"

Neuvillette's voice did not waver, though there was an edge to his words, as though he viewed their games as trivial, "It is on that stage, that I will begin by judgement. Not just for the massacre of the Nekomata," Neuvillette said, his eyes sharpened as they pierced through Yasaka's being.

"But also for every deliberate violation of the Noble Laws for the last two decades that has gone unpunished." He stated, and the weight of his words hung in the air.

"Thank you…" Yasaka whispered, her voice fragile but sincere. She bowed her head deeply, her golden hair cascading like a waterfall of flame over her shoulders, "Thank you, Chief Ludex."

Neuvillette regarded her for a moment, his expression as calm and unshakable as ever. He shook his head faintly, "There is no need to thank me," he said, his tone softer now, though it still carried its innate authority, "Justice is not a gift, Yasaka. It is a right."

"Prepare yourselves," he said, his golden eyes glowing faintly, "For the Court of Fatui will speak once more. And the world will listen."