"That's amusing. I didn't imagine Gasper to participate in the bread-eating race." Erin chuckled as she and Koneko walked towards the clubroom.
They were shocked to see the Vampire sprawled out on the floor and unconscious.
" Gasper!" Erin rushed to the boy and gently shook him. He slowly opened his eyes to which the girls sighed in relief.
"Oh.. Erin-senpai." He sat upright.
" Thank Goodness. It's the real one."
" What are you talking about?"
*(Ching!)*
Koneko looked above them as she sensed some aura on the club room.
"Erin-senpai."
The 3 rushed to the room and were surprised to see Rias being held by the clone. The red head slung her arm on the clone's neck while the latter wrapped an arm around Rias' waist.
" A clone.." Erin uttered in shock.
" What is going on?"
The clone smirked at the Goddess which irritated the latter.
" You.. What are you trying to pull? Looking like me?!"
*(Whoosh!)*
" Erin-senpai!"
*(Block!)*
" Ack!" Erin was blasted away after Rias summoned a magic circle. Koneko quickly leaped to the air to catch the Goddess.
" Erin-senpai, are you okay?" Gasper asked as he approached Koneko and Erin.
" I'm fine." replied Erin and they looked at the red head who separated from the clone.
" This power signature..." Koneko mumbled.
" Rias! Get a hold of yourself! That isn't me!" Erin gritted.
The clone merely stepped closer to Rias and the red head snuggled to her side.
" No way.." Erin's eyes widened. " She's been entranced by a spell or something."
"Heh." The clone smirked evilly at the trio as she stroked Rias' hair. The red head was completely entranced as she delivered the same smirk to the Goddess.
With a raise of her hand, the clone summoned its power and a glowing red light erupted in the room. Erin quickly summoned her wings and picked up Koneko and Gasper as she sensed what the clone is about to do. The vampire aslo stopped time at the last minute so they can safely flee.
*(BOOOOM!)*
The explosion blasted away the ceiling and its impact was seen by the other members from afar. The students also noticed the bright light and were mildly shocked.
"I didn't make it in time?!" Rossweisse said in panic as she clutched the rails of the school gate
" What happened?"
" Was that an explosion?"
" But there isn't anything explosive inside the old school house!"
" It is dangerous. Please stay back." Sona said as she and the Student Council quickly took charge of the situation. The students gathered outside the building as they observed the place with curiosity
Erin regrouped with the ORC, bringing along Gasper and Koneko.
" Erin, what happened?" Issei said in worry. " We saw that the explosion originated from the club room."
" Are you guys okay?" Xenovia added.
The 3 went silent as they were still dumbfounded at the events. Akeno noticed their distress and was the one who entertained the questions.
" We still do not know the details but it seems Gasper stopped time before the 3 of them got caught up with the explosion."
" I can't believe something like this happened in our school grounds." Sona remarked. " Wait, where's Rias?"
Koneko and Gasper looked down and the Goddess kicked the ground in frustration.
"Shit.. that thing.. We weren't able to do anything." She mumbled with gritted teeth.
Azazel and Rossweisse headed their way and the other members greeted them in surprise.
"Valhalla sent over an emergency message to Rossweisse. Loki did this."
" What did you say?" Erin shot up in shock.
_________________________________________
" A fake Erin?" Akeno uttered in surprise and Gasper nodded. He and Koneko explained the earlier events once they reached home.
" It's true. I saw her as well. She knocked me unconscious."
" Hai. She practically had the same aura as Erin-senpai." added Koneko
" The same?" Kiba interjected.
" Yes. If the real Erin-senpai wasn't in front of me, I probably wouldn't have noticed the difference."
" Are you sure that Loki is behind this?" Issei asked Azazel and the latter nodded.
"It seems the man himself said so. Odin interrogated him and Loki implied his plans."
" Why did he do such thing?" Irina asked.
" Loki placed a curse on Rias and Erin-chi. According to him, it was because Sirzechs sent his own little sister to battle while the other leaders decided to entrust their hope and Mjolnir on Erin-chi."
" That is such a petty excuse." Akeno shook her head. "Just because he was mad and couldn't accept the leaders' decision, he'll go along and cause another problem."
" We should have killed that puny God when we had the chance." Tsubaki growled while Azusa silently agreed.
" After he spoke to Odin, he placed a seal over himself."
" How cowardly!" Xenovia uttered.
" What Loki did... It is a lot more effective than engaging us on a battle head on." Kiba had a glint in his eye. " I suffered a long time myself. A curse is more draining than receiving physical damage from an enemy."
" W-What is Loki's motive for doing all of this?" Gasper asked.
" Ragnarok and the Twilight of the Gods.." Azazel spoke in a serious tone. "He wants to destroy this world."
" Ano.. where is Erin-san?" Asia said as she looked around.
" Rossweisse is speaking with her."
The Goddess was currently on the veranda and Rossweisse explained the details about the curse
" Curse?"
" Hai. It seems he placed curses on you and Rias-san right before his capture."
" So that must be the tingling sensation I felt." Erin thought.
" Curses attack and eat away at a person's heart. Somewhere deep within you that you might not even realize it. Loki used those feelings against you and Rias-san."
Erin gasped and Rossweisse noticed this.
" Can you think of something?"
" I'm probably scared." Erin said in a serious tone as she turned away from Rossweisse.
" That's right. I'm scared of creating a deeper bond and being intimate with someone. I'm scared that the same tragic events from the past would happen once I get too close to someone." She released a sigh and looked at the sky
"It's not that I'm being dense to what those girls and other people feel about me.. I'm just scared that they get hurt and that's why I don't want to accept them."
" You don't have to force yourself to speak about it." Rossweisse said once the Goddess went silent.
" I'm sorry."
" No. I should apologize as well. I was ordered to confirm Loki's words. I'm sorry if I came off as insensitive."
" Based on how curses work, does this mean that Rias also have some doubts in her heart? And that's what Loki used to lure her into a spell?"
"You will have to ask her directly about that." Rossweisse looked down and had a sad expression. " No.. that doubt might be too deep that she doesn't even realize what that is."
"With her dignified and collected persona... is there something dark within her heart that is enough to consume her whole being?"
Erin looked up at the sky and the moon shined amidst the darkness.
" Just like the moon, we were only focused on the light you give off that we failed to remember that you also have your dark sides.."
A melancholic glint passed through her eyes and the Goddess whispered in the night breeze.
" I failed to notice and understand you better. I'm sorry..... Rias.."
- End of Chapter -