DW DXD Intermission: Sakura’s Freedom (Patreon)

Between chapter 11 to 13

Sakura’s Point of View

Pain. That was all I knew. That was all I had known ever since the day I was abandoned.

Pain was the first thing I felt when I woke up. Pain was the last thing I felt before I slept. And pain was all that remained in between an endless, suffocating existence where my body no longer belonged to me.

As the worms crawled over me. No—inside me. Slimy, cold bodies pressed against my skin, burrowing, squirming, writhing as if my flesh were nothing more than soft soil meant to be dug through. They slipped beneath my clothes, beneath my skin, beneath everything that made me me. They pulsed as they fed, twisting deeper, carving paths through muscle and bone, rewriting my body into something wrong.

Every time I closed my eyes, I was back there. In that cold, suffocating basement feeling the cold stone. Where there was no light, no warmth.  Only the sound of wet movement and the sickening sensation of things crawling where nothing should ever crawl.

I wanted to scream. But I learned very quickly that screaming didn’t matter.

No one would come. No one ever came. Not Father. Not Mother. Not even my big sister.

A slow, measured chuckle echoed through the darkness, crawling over my nerves worse than the worms ever could. I forced my eyes open, even though I already knew what I would see. The disgusting old man that called himself my grandfather stood above me, watching with calm amusement. His body was hunched and rotting, his skin wrinkled and his eyes gleaming with calm amusement as he watched me suffer, as if I were nothing more than an experiment like I was some toy. 

His corpse-like hand stroked his chin. “This is training, little one,” He said, voice slow and rasping, heavy with false patience. “You should be grateful. I am making you into a proper magus.”

‘Grateful?’ My body screamed. My soul screamed.

This wasn’t training. This was hell.

‘Why?’ The question echoed weakly in my mind as the darkness pressed closer, heavier, tighter. ‘Why me?’ I ask as I could feel myself slipping away. The pain blurred into everything. The worms. The cold. The choking air. My thoughts fractured, slipping through my fingers like sand.

‘Father. Mother. Why did you leave me? Why did you give me to this monster? Big sister—please… save me. Anyone.’

I didn’t know how long I had been here. Days? Months? Years? Time had no meaning in this place. The only thing that marked its passing was pain.

Once… a long time ago… I remembered a man. A man who said he would save me. A man who promised that my suffering would end.

‘So why? Why hadn’t he come? Why was I still here? Why do I still suffer? Why am I still here?’

Then-

Boooom!!!

The world shook. A deafening explosion ripped through the suffocating darkness, sending shockwaves through the basement walls. The ceiling cracked. The ground trembled.

The worms twitched. They then shifted, writhing in confusion, Suddenly the worms started to shift in place. I felt it. A slow, dreadful pull as I was being dragged deeper. The earth beneath me moved. The pit collapsed inward, swallowing me whole as the writhing mass dragged my body deeper, farther. The open space above vanished as stone sealed over it.

‘Am I sinking.’ When I noticed, I saw we were going further down as if the ground had swallowed me whole. My fingers clawed desperately at the dirt, nails scraping uselessly against stone as panic finally broke through the numbness.

‘No—no—no— I couldn’t go deeper. If I went any farther… I would never get out. I would never see the sky again. I would never be free.’

“No…!” My voice shook, rising in desperation as the ground continued to swallow me whole.

The darkness did not answer. It never did.

My body sank lower, worms tightening their grip, dragging me toward something even worse than before.

But then the ground shook again, violently.

Explosions echoed from somewhere far above, one after another, each impact sending cracks racing through the earth like lightning. Dust rained down and stones screamed as they split apart. And through the crumbling debris, through the chaos, through the hopeless abyss a voice reached me.

“Hold on, Sakura!”

It wasn’t cruel. It wasn’t distant. It was strong and warm. The voice was filled with certainty, cutting straight through the suffocating nightmare.

I tried to move. But the worms resisted immediately, tightening their grip, dragging me lower as if enraged by the intrusion. They refused to let me go, their slimy bodies coiling tighter, anchoring me to despair.

I wanted to reach for that voice. I desperately wanted to believe it was real.

But hope had betrayed me before. Through the crushing weight of fear and doubt. Light poured in.

Stone shattered above me as something broke through the pit. A body descended into the darkness, framed by falling debris and fire. The worms shrieked, twisting in fury, but they were cast aside as if they were nothing.

A crimson gleam cut through the blackness like a blade. Then two strong hands gripped me. One was warm and human. The other was encased in red armor, a jewel glowing fiercely at its center. They held onto me firmly. Anchored me to something real.

“I’ve got you!” A boy’s voice was close now.

For the first time in so long… I felt something other than pain. I felt hope.

But the worms refused to surrender. They pulled harder, dragging us both down, as if determined to keep me forever. Panic surged through me.

‘It’s impossible’, I thought. ‘I can’t be free.’

But the boy didn’t let go. Instead, I felt it, power, wild, burning and unrestrained. It surged from him like a roaring flame.

(Explosion!)

“Dragon Shot!”

A blinding red beam erupted from the gauntlet, tearing straight into the heart of the pit. The world screamed as the worms were obliterated, their bodies disintegrating in a violent blast that hurled us upward.

My vision blurred. But through the haze, I finally saw his face. Wild brown hair, determined brown eyes. They were so kind, filled with determination and anger. 

‘So cool.’

“Who?” I managed to whisper.

The boy looked down at me, his grip steady, his expression softening into the smallest, most reassuring smile. “Just some idiot who hates seeing a girl suffer.”

My breath hitched. Someone had come for me. Not to use me. Not to punish me. But to save me. A stranger, someone who had no reason to care, was here.

My chest tightened as something warm flickered to life inside me. A feeling I had almost forgotten existed. 

My vision blurred again as tears slipped freely down my face. This time, it wasn’t from pain. 

But then the ground continued to shake and when I turned my head, I saw her. A beautiful fox woman, wreathed in light and pink flames, battling a terrifying black knight. Behind them stood a man, broken and hollow, watching me with twisted anger.

“Tamamo! I got her—do it now!” The boy shouted.

The moment the fox woman heard him, the world changed.

Power erupted with a force unlike anything I had ever felt or saw before. The world around us exploded into a kaleidoscope of colors.The air burst into color as flames spread everywhere, devouring the nightmare but they did not harm us.

Instead, a warmth sensation spread through me, unfamiliar yet soothing. The pain that had been my constant companion slowly began to fade. The nightmare around me burned. The remaining worms screamed as they were reduced to nothing but ash.

Everything was being burnt down and rapidly everything was gone.

The moment I looked up.

The basement, the prison, the hell that had defined my existence—was nothing but scorched earth. And beyond it… the sky. Golden morning light spilled down, soft and endless.

For the first time in so long, I was free.

I quickly clung tightly to the warmth of my rescuer, my small fingers grasping at the fabric of his shirt as I tried to process everything that had happened. The suffocating darkness, the endless torment, the pain, it was gone. The underground chamber, once my prison, was now nothing more than scorched earth. But even  in destruction, there was a strange sense of peace.

My body still trembled, the lingering terror refusing to fade so easily. I buried my face against the warmth that held me, unwilling to look at the ruins of the nightmare I had lived in for so long. But as my rescuer shifted me gently in his arms, my gaze was drawn to something in the rubble.

A body, charred beyond recognition, blackened and broken. A part of my mind tried to understand what I was seeing, but something deep inside told me it was better not to know.

But my savior lowered me onto the ground with care, before stepping toward the corpse. His expression was solemn but not unkind. There was no fear in his eyes, no revulsion. Only sadness and quiet understanding.

My breath hitched as I watched him kneel beside the body, careful and respectful.

‘Why?’

I didn’t understand. Why would he kneel before something so… horrifying? Why would he lower his head and press his hands together in prayer?

His words were soft, barely above a whisper. "You weren’t a hero," He murmured. "But you tried."

Something about those words made my chest ache.

"Rest easy. I’ll take care of her. You don’t have to worry anymore."

My breath caught. ‘Her? Was he talking about me?’

I glanced at the body again, my heart pounding. ‘Who was that man…?’

My mind tried to piece it together, but the answer hovered just beyond reach, shrouded by the haze of fear and exhaustion. Perhaps it was better this way. Some things were too painful to remember.

The moment passed, and the boy rose to his feet once more. He turned to the fox woman, Tamamo, he had called her. She was swaying slightly, clearly exhausted, but she still offered him a small nod.

"Ready to get out of here?" he asked.

“Absolutely,” she replied with a huff. “This place was a dump anyway.”

He chuckled, a sound so normal it felt unreal. But when he looked back at me, his eyes were gentle.

And then they took me away.

—--------------------------

The ascent from the ruins felt unreal.

One moment, darkness pressed in from every side and the next, light spilled over us. The rising sun broke through the smoke and ash, bathing everything in gold. Warmth touched my skin, gentle and unfamiliar, like something I had only dreamed of before.

I blinked and rubbed my eyes as they adjusted.

When we landed on solid ground, I noticed that the mansion, my prison, was nothing more than shattered stone and smoldering debris. Smoke curled upward into the sky, carrying away the remnants of a nightmare I never wanted to remember again. It was all gone.

We walked in silence, the early morning streets empty and still, as if the city itself were holding its breath. The quiet wrapped around us like a fragile cocoon. Somewhere in the distance, sirens wailed, faint and detached, reminding me that the world was still moving, even if mine had just stopped and restarted all at once.

I fidgeted as we walked, my fingers twisting nervously in my sleeves. I stole glances at the two people beside me.

Miss Tamamo had changed into casual clothes. Her fox ears and tail were gone, hidden from sight, making her look almost… normal. 

The boy, my savior, walked on my other side. In the daylight, he looked different, less overwhelming, less like the heroic figure who had torn through my nightmare. Just a boy, bruised, tired and human.

My heart pounded as I hesitated, then gathered what little courage I had left.

“Oni-chan…” The word slipped out before I could stop it.

Issei looked down at me, surprise flickering for just a moment before his expression softened into something warm. “Yeah?”

I swallowed, my throat tight as I gripped the hem of my sleeves. “Wh-why did you save me?” My voice trembled. “And… who are you?”

Then his smile softened even more.

“Because you needed saving,” he said simply. “And who am I? I’m Issei. The beautiful onee-chan next to me is Tamamo-no-Mae.” He scratched the back of his head, almost embarrassed. “We’re just people who couldn’t stand by and do nothing while you suffered.”

I lowered my gaze, my chest tightening. “…But I don’t even know you.”

“You don’t have to,” Tamamo said gently. Her voice was calm but unwavering. “A child shouldn’t have to endure what you did. That alone is reason enough to help.”

My fingers clenched. Doubt and hope twisted together inside me, pulling in opposite directions. “But… what happens now?”

They then exchanged a glance, unsure.

But then Issei knelt down in front of me, lowering himself to my eye level. He placed a hand on my head.

I stiffened as the gesture was unfamiliar, too gentle and casual but instead of fear, warmth spread through my chest. It felt… nice.

“That’s up to you, Sakura,” He said. “We won’t force you to do anything. But if you want, you can come with us.”

My lip trembled at the thought. I had lived so long without choices. So long being told where to go, what to endure, how to exist. And now, suddenly, the decision was mine.

“…I don’t want to go back,” I whispered.

Tamamo’s smile was soft and genuine. “Then you don’t have to.”

Something inside me loosened. For the first time, the future didn’t feel like a cage.

—------------------------

I pressed closer to Issei as we walked, instinctively seeking warmth—seeking him. The weight of everything I’d lost still lingered, but for the first time in forever… it felt lighter.

Then, suddenly while we were walking, Issei grabbed Tamamo and me and threw us aside.

The sound of steel screamed through the air.

I yelped as Tamamo caught me mid-fall, turning and shielding my body with her own as swords crashed into the street behind us. The ground buckled. Stone exploded. Dust and debris swallowed the world.

I coughed, my lungs burning as my wide violet eyes snapped toward the source of the attack.

The morning sky was split open by a blinding golden light.

A man stepped forward as if descending from heaven itself—ornate golden armor gleaming, crimson eyes burning with disdain. His presence pressed down on me like a crushing weight, suffocating and absolute as he looked and regarded Issei like an insect beneath his feet.

He smiled lazily, amusement and condescension dripping from his tone. "I finally found you, clown."

More golden portals shimmered into existence behind him, forming perfect circles in the sky. Dozens… No hundreds of weapons, too many to count, glowed ominously within them, each radiating power beyond comprehension. And above them all, standing like an untouchable deity, was the golden man. Draped in golden armor, his crimson eyes glowed with amusement, a king gazing down at an insignificant fool.

Issei sucked in a sharp breath, but I barely heard it.

My heart pounded violently in my chest. My body screamed at me to run, to hide, to shrink into nothing like I always had before. But I couldn’t move.

Fear wrapped around me like chains, rooting me in place. His presence alone was suffocating, pressing down on me like a force of nature. 

The golden man's sneer was almost lazy as he spoke. “Hmph, I wonder how you were able to notice? But, no matter. Soon, your death is inevitable.”

Issei didn’t waver as he stood in front of me and stood tall, defiance burning in his eyes. 

For just a second, the Golden man’s gaze flickered, like he’d remembered something unpleasant. “You truly believe yourself capable of standing before me, Clown?” He mocked before raising his hand. The golden portals responded instantly, whirring to life, their deadly payload locking onto a single target.

Issei.

The moment the first projectile fired, everything blurred. One second, I was standing in the open, staring at my doom, the next, a strong hand yanked me forward. The world spun violently as Issei pulled me and Tamamo away from the storm of steel. My feet barely touched the ground as he pushed us forward, his grip tight around my wrist.

My body was unsteady, but Issei kept me upright, pushing forward. His grip was tight, protective, but desperate. I could barely register Tamamo’s frantic voice beside me, or the way her normally proud tails drooped with exhaustion. The only thing that burned itself into my mind was the sheer destruction around them. Explosions tore through the air, shattering stone and steel alike. Fire raged. The scent of smoke filled her lungs.

And then I heard them. Screams.

Distant, terrified screams. People were still out there. People were suffering, caught in the crossfire of something they couldn’t hope to understand.

And then as I was accidentally let go from an explosion, I saw it. The moment everything froze.

A golden portal opened right behind me.

Time slowed. My breath caught. I could feel it before I even turned. The weight of impending death pressing against my skin. A spear, gleaming with the light of the setting sun, shot forward with terrifying speed, aimed straight for my heart.

‘Move. Run. Please—’

I have to move. I have to run. I have to do something. But I couldn’t. My body refused to listen. Just like before. Just like when I had been left to rot in the Matou estate. Just like when the worms crawled under my skin, consuming me from the inside out. Just like when I realized that no one was coming to save her.

I was going to die.

But a warm hand grabbed me again.

“Sakura!” A voice, desperate and raw, roared my name.

It was Issei ripping through the haze.

In a blur of red and gold, I was yanked out of the spear’s path. Wind tore past my face as the weapon missed me, only to tear into Issei’s shoulder instead., slicing deep into his flesh.

Blood sprayed. He twisted midair, shielding me with his body as we slammed into the ground. Dust exploded around us. Pain and noise swallowed everything.

But all I could hear was his breathing.

“Are you okay?!” He demanded.

I trembled. My lips parted, but the words wouldn’t come. I forced myself to nod, barely managing to whisper, “I… I think so…” Again this man saved me.

Above us, laughter rang out.

“How unsightly,” The golden man scoffed. “You're grovelling in the dirt for an insignificant mongrel. What a waste of effort.”

I flinched, my fingers curling into fists. 

‘Insignificant. ‘ That word, it echoed in my mind, reverberating through my chest, fueling something dark and bitter inside me. A lifetime of being unwanted. A lifetime of being nothing but a tool.

But Issei wasn’t like that. He had thrown himself in front of danger and shielded me, bled for me. Why couldn't my father fight for me like him?

“Shut the hell up,” Issei snarled, his voice steady despite the blood dripping from his wound. “If you think I’m gonna let you do whatever you want, you’re dead wrong.”

The golden man’s smile widened, clearly entertained. “Oh? Then entertain me, clown. Show me if you are anything more than an insect struggling against the inevitable.”

The golden portals flared to life once more, ready to unleash another storm of devastation. Issei braced himself, ready to fight, even as blood dripped from his wound. Even as the odds stacked against him.

“That is enough, my king.” The voice cut through the chaos like a blade. Commanding and cold.

‘That voice!’ My blood ran cold. ‘No.’

Slowly, I turned my head and my breath hitching in my throat as I laid eyes upon the one man I never wanted to see again.

‘Father.’

My father stood at the edge of the battlefield, untouched by the destruction around him. His elegant coat barely fluttered in the smoke-filled air, as if the chaos itself knew better than to stain him. His expression was composed, distant and unchanged but his gaze was fixed solely on me.

“I will be taking my daughter back now.” The words struck like a blade to me.

For a moment, the world seemed to go quiet. The sounds of battle, the crackle of fire, the distant screams, everything faded beneath the weight of that single sentence.

Issei stepped forward slightly, his voice sharp. “And who the hell are you?”

Father didn’t even acknowledge him. “Sakura,” He said calmly, as if nothing had happened. As if he hadn’t given me away. “Come. It is time to return home.”

Something inside me snapped. My body trembled, not from fear, but from something far older. Something that had been festering for years.

“No.” The word left my mouth before I could stop it.

Father blinked. Just once. A flicker of surprise cracked his flawless mask. “Excuse me?”

I drew in a sharp breath, my fists clenching so tightly my nails bit into my palms. My chest hurt but I forced myself to meet his gaze.

“I said no,” I repeated, louder this time. “I will not go back to you. Not to the man who gave me away to suffer.”

For the first time, something moved behind his eyes. Guilt. Regret. But it was faint and fleeting. And far too late.

He had abandoned me. He had left me to be broken.

“Sakura,” He said, voice firm, authoritative. “This is not up for debate. You belong with your family.”

‘Family?’ A bitter laugh tore out of my throat before I could stop it, tears blurring my vision. “You’re not my family,” I cried, my voice shaking. “You never were! I will not go back! Not to you!” My chest heaved as the words spilled out, years of pain clawing their way free. “You gave me away! You let them—let them..!” The sentence shattered in my throat.

The air between us grew thick, heavy with everything left unsaid—everything that could never be fixed.

And then everything started happening too fast.

Issei turned sharply, his voice cutting through the tension. “Tamamo, take Sakura to the Hana residence. Tell them to start packing. By tomorrow, Sherri can activate the Dimensional Watch and get us out of here.”

My heart dropped.

‘No— No, no, no!’

I spun toward Tamamo, expecting her to agree, to take me away like everyone else had. But she didn’t. Her ears bristled, golden eyes blazing as she stepped forward. “Absolutely not!” she snapped. “You think I’ll abandon you to fight Archer alone? Leaving you to that golden nuisance? No way!”

My chest tightened painfully. I didn’t want to leave either. Not when Issei was about to throw himself into danger again.

But Issei’s simply gave us a glare. “This isn’t up for debate, Tamamo. I need you to do this.”

Tamamo crossed her arms, tails lashing behind her. “And I need you alive. So unless you have some miracle plan that guarantees you won’t get skewered, I’m staying.”

I clenched my fists harder.

‘Please… just run with us.’

Issei let out a slow breath, rubbing his temple. “Tamamo…”

She stepped closer, pressing a hand firmly against his chest. “No. I’m not leaving you behind.”

And then he cupped her cheek.

And I froze at the sight.

Before I could understand what was happening, Issei leaned down and kissed her.

Tamamo stiffened, eyes wide in shock, then slowly melted into it, her ears drooping as if all her anger had been pulled out of her at once.

I turned my head away, cheeks burning. ‘This is… not the time!’

When Issei pulled back, his voice was soft. Almost pleading.  “Please. Trust me.”

Tamamo hesitated. I saw it, the war in her eyes before she finally exhaled, defeated. “You better come back to me, Issei,” She whispered.

And then she scooped me into her arms.

“Wait—!” I gasped, reaching out desperately.

The world lurched as Tamamo took off running, the ground blurring beneath us.

“Issei!!” I screamed, tears spilling freely as I stretched my hand toward him.

But the distance only grew.

He became smaller and smaller, until he was nothing more than a figure swallowed by smoke and chaos.

‘Please… Come back. Don’t get hurt.’

—-----------------

I twisted in Tamamo’s arms, craning my neck as desperately as I could, my eyes scanning the chaos behind us.

‘Please… please be safe.’

I searched for the brown-haired boy, the one who had pulled me from the darkness. The one who had stood between me and death without hesitation. I needed to see him again. Just once. To know he was still alive.

“Don’t worry, little one,” Miss Tamamo said softly as she carried me, her voice warm and steady. “He’ll be fine.”

But my chest hurt too much to believe it.

“But… Miss Tamamo,” I whispered, my voice trembling despite myself. “What if he gets hurt? What if he doesn’t come back?”

But her pace never faltered, even as terror filled her eyes.

“My husband is many things,” She said with absolute certainty, “but a liar is not one of them. You’ll see. He’ll be with us before you know it.”

She sounded so sure. So confident. I wanted to believe her. 

But then something felt wrong.

As we moved through the streets, I noticed it. Shadows that didn’t belong. Shapes that slid along walls and rooftops, always just out of focus. At first, I thought it was my imagination but then I saw them clearly.

Figures wrapped in black.

My breath was caught in my throat as a cold shiver ran down my spine.

“Miss Tamamo—!” I cried.

Her ears twitched instantly as her body went rigid. “I know, sweetie.”

The first dagger cut through the air and Tamamo moved out of the way.

One heartbeat she was holding me close, the next, she twisted midair, narrowly avoiding the blade as it struck the pavement with a sharp, metallic thunk.

I clutched her kimono with everything I had, my fingers shaking. “Miss T-Tamamo!”

“Hold on, little one!” She said brightly, almost playfully, but I could feel the tension in her grip, seeing the way her golden eyes snapped from shadow to shadow.

They then stepped forward. At least six of them emerged into the dim light, their masks blank and emotionless. More lingered beyond, hidden just out of sight. Watching and waiting.

Tamamo clicked her tongue. “Tsk. Cockroaches, the lot of you.”

I didn’t understand everything—but I understood that we were in danger.

One of them then lunged.

Tamamo spun aside, barely avoiding the strike only for another to appear behind her. Fire flared from her free hand, a pinkish glow lighting the street as she forced him back.

But they didn’t retreat. They just… kept coming.

My heart pounded violently. Tamamo was fast, beautifully, terrifyingly fast, but she couldn’t fight properly while holding me.

Then a blade sliced through the air.

Tamamo twisted away, but not fast enough as a thin line of red bloomed across her sleeve.

My stomach dropped. “Miss Tamamo, you’re hurt!”

She huffed, forcing a smirk. “Oh, this? Just a scratch, dearie. It barely stings~” But I knew she was lying.

They circled us now. Slow and patient like wolves. Then one of them raised his hand and everything stopped. Even Miss Tamamo went still.

A smooth, hollow voice spoke from behind the mask. “We have orders to retrieve the girl. Hand her over. This does not concern you, Caster.”

My chest tightened. They… wanted me? Are these people with father?

Tamamo scoffed. “Oh, really? Hard to believe, considering how eager you all are to stab me.”

“You are an obstacle,” the Assassin replied flatly. “Nothing more.”

Tamamo’s smile sharpened. “Flattery will get you nowhere, you know.”

The Assassin exhaled once. “Kill her.” The world then exploded into motion.

Daggers tore through the air. But Tamamo leapt back, twisting as blades cut through where she’d been standing. One nicked her cheek. Another tore through her sleeve.

She flicked her wrist and golden talismans flared to life between her fingers.

“Try this, Fire Seal!”

Blue flames erupted, forcing several Assassins back—but others charged straight through, unfazed.

They’re too many. I could feel it. 

Miss Tamamo couldn’t fight them all. Not like this and with me getting in the way.

Her arms tightened around me. Then she leaned down and whispered, so softly only I could hear. “Alright, little one. Don’t scream, okay?”

Before I could respond she threw me.

My breath vanished as I was hurled into the air but golden light flashed.

“Illusion Arts: Mirror Mirage!”

Smoke burst outward, swallowing the street.

Then dozens of figures scattered in every direction.

Dozens of me. Dozens of Tamamos.

The Assassins hesitated and that was all she needed.

Tamamo snatched the real me out of the air, cradling me against her chest as she bolted forward in a blur. I buried my face against her shoulder, heart racing as the chaos faded behind us.

This woman… She was incredible. And as the danger fell away, one thought burned brighter than the rest.

‘Please… Please let Issei come back.’