Kira

~

My eyes didn't leave the smoking crater that had been created by Nightmare's arrival.

I took in the dark leather and high-collared cape held in silver clasps. He was really going for that supervillain look huh?

I never expected we'd meet so soon when I was so unprepared and unready. His bright blue eyes landed on me, I almost felt he could see through my Mask.

I held my ground against the immense amount of oppressive aura radiating from his spot.

He grinned, "Well, well, turns out Bel was right. I can't feel the energy of the old Demona."

"Yeah, and you're the reason she's dead." I sneered, I had to sound braver than I felt. I couldn't show fear in front of this monster, "Hope you're happy now 'cause you've got me to deal with."

"Us actually." Kuro corrected, "He pointed at Nightmare, "You killed my parents and my revenge is long overdue."

"Sorry kid, but I've killed a lot of families so you'll have to drop that Mask if you want me to at least recognize you." The villain sneered.

"How can you be so blase about that, you're killing innocent people." I glared.

Nightmare chuckled, a humorless condescending sound, "All I'm doing is setting things back the way they should be. So that mere humans know their place once more and those like me, who have power are respected instead of hidden away and derided for our gifts."

His eyes turned cold, "And no one will understand until I burn the world in flames and build it anew."

"You're sick," Troy said simply, sparks of golden light had begun to form around him.

"You could say that, but I didn't come here to fight." He waved a hand at all of us, "I honestly came to ask you to join my cause, fighting is useless when we all know I'll win in the end." He stepped out of the crater, he pointed at me and Troy, "Pretty ladies are especially welcome."

A very stern, 'Go to hell!' was about to leave my lips when instead the sky exploded in a loud clash of sound and wind.

I raised my arm to block the debris from entering my eyes. I knew Troy was touchy about the subject but I really couldn't blame Nightmare for the misgendering.

A bright pillar of lightning descended, striking Nightmare's spot in a flash, probably stronger than the attack Troy had used the first time we met.

Smoke and embers floated around us, "Nice going, Archer." I spat in annoyance.

All I got was a scoff in return.

"That actually hurt." We turned to the source of the voice. The dust slowly settled to reveal Nightmare staring at his forearm which was slowly healing the scorch mark from Troy's attack.

A heavy feeling of dread settled in my gut, I could tell that attack was powerful just by staring at the damage it left but our enemy was standing with barely a scratch.

'What's with this guy?' I hissed at Lucifer.

'The beast you'll be facing from now on.' was the reply I got.

"There's plenty more where that came from." Troy formed his weapon.

Nightmare sighed, an apologetic smile on his face showing through his Mask, "How unfortunate and I was really hoping we'd be able to work something out." He reached into a pouch attached to the side of his pants and pull out two round marble-like orbs.

I could see wisps of smoke and flecks of silver and gold dancing within them.

"Do you three know what these are?" He asked simply, definitely not expecting a reply, "They're souls and as a Summoner, they help me give spirits physical forms. Observe." He threw the objects into the air where they crackled and glowed.

"Demons of Fear and Suffering, I call you to my side!"

Two hulking forms burst from the green light. They were large with red shifty eyes and leers splitting their large ugly faces.

"You two keep the boys entertained, leave the Seal Keeper to me."

Before I could call for us to attack, Troy and Kuro launched forward, I was about to join them when instead,

"Demona, run and find somewhere to hide," Kuro yelled as he pulled out a garrote I was just noticing he owned. He threw it and the thing thread-like cord wrapped itself around the demon that lunged for him.

The demon chuckled and dissolved into a puddle.

"You can't expect me to just leave," I yelled back at him, slowly backing away from Nightmare who was taking leisurely steps toward me. I hated how it seemed like he had total control over the situation.

"You can't fight Nightmare, run and give us time to stop these things then we'll save you," Troy called to me. He was rapidly firing shots into the other demon.

A part of me knew that they were just looking out for me, but a deep, dark part of my mind, the part where Lucifer's voice constantly echoed from, told me they were looking down at me.

They didn't think I was worthy, that I was just a dead weight holding them back from getting stronger and focusing on me.

I should just run.

But I've been running all this time, never truly embracing this part of my life because it was filled with unknown variables. I had nothing against the unknown, I could always reason things out and look at the bright side, like finding new friends and life in Tokyo even if I never wanted to move here in the first place.

Where was the bright side in facing a bloodthirsty, demon-summoning, psycho murderer?

Now I was actually standing before the main threat to my future happiness, I felt bare and weak.

Useless.

'But you're not useless are you? You're not that hopeless brat you were in the past.'

'Lucifer, I'm not-'

'There are two ways you can get out of this, you can let me take over and do all the work,' he sounded definitely delighted at that option but mellowed down at the second, 'Or run and let the big boys handle things.'

Both those options sounded extremely appealing but I knew I'd never be able to forgive myself. I'd never be able to look both of them in the eye.

Worst of all, I'd never gain the respect of the two people who could have easily killed me but instead chose to trust me and choose me as their leader. That and the fact I had zero chances of outrunning this maniac.

I stood my ground, taking my stand and forming my scythe, making both blades longer and more rugged, the curved dangerously caught the shine of the moonlight. I didn't take my eyes off Nightmare.

"Don't tell me you honestly think you're going to fight me." He chuckled.

"I am, and I'm winning."

"Good luck." He sneered, stretching out his arms, three steel talons grew out from each fist, "A dear friend of mine advised that I kill you on sight, I just thought I'd spare you but since it seems you have a death wish, I'll grant it to you."

Our weapons collided as he threw himself at me I blocked and smack him to the side with a slash from the wind.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

He regained his footing in a flash and came at me again. I was slowly running out of space to dodge.

A flash of lightning came our way, hitting Nightmare in the face, I turned to stare at Troy who was still busy with his own battles.

"Run."

"No way, I'm staying back to help." I got out as I hit Nightmare's slashes away. The air lit up with sparks as our blades slid against each other. I had to force him back.

"Now's not the time to be stubborn, Demona," Kuro ordered.

I said nothing, mainly because it was at that moment Nightmare chose to send a flaming ball of energy my way. It hit me square in the stomach and sent me flying back. I recovered in time to soften my encounter with the wall with an air blast.

It still hurt though

I slid to the ground, hissing at the pain. Man, I really hated this getting thrown around thing.

I stood, not giving up that easily, "That all you got?"

"Fortunately for you, no." He vanished.

My instincts alerted me just in time to dodge to the left and one talon sliced off a bit of my hair.

I watched the strand fall and looked back up at Nightmare. He could teleport, wasn't I just the luckiest girl on earth?

I snarled as he vanished again. Our fight changed pace drastically, I never really had a chance in a way but now, I could tell he'd just been playing with me

He kept vanishing and reappearing. I always managed to dodge the attacks but just for how long could I keep that up?

Not too long actually.

I tried launching at him from the side of a building but he just laughed, appeared above me, and struck me so hard into the pavement that I left a Kira-shaped hole.

He stood above me, about to bring his talons down when it seems something else caught his attention. His eyes widened, and he spun around just in time to catch a black feather between his fingers.

"Now what were you trying to do with this huh?" He glared at Kuro, "Oh wait, you're the blood magic use, interesting choice mastery."

The younger boy smirked, "Caught, but that won't stop me. There's always blood in every battle, what's the use of wasting something that'll be abundant and useful." He pointed at Nightmare, "I'm going to use these powers to kill you and bathe in your blood once I'm done."

The dark glint was something I was unused to seeing, it almost made me shiver.

"Pathetic." Nightmare huffed, incinerating the feather. And suddenly the air around us got light. It was as if time had stood completely. We were all in mid-air before being slammed down once more.

I could feel a strange pressure in my head like some invisible pressure was filling it up with pain, making me panic.

It felt familiar, that stifling presence I got when Lucifer really got into my head at our first meeting.

A demon was here. Their presence was so powerful that none of us could bare it.

"Ahlai, don't release your hold on them." I heard him say to some unseen being, he pulled me up by my collar, eyeing the glowing on my shoulder before turning to the boys, "You both honestly thought you could train this to defeat me."

He threw me into the nearest lamppost.

"She was the hope you had for this city right? The one you thought could finally end me? Well, let's see how you both fight when she's gone."

His words were far away echoes in my mind as I struggled to stay conscious. I really couldn't do this, but I also really didn't want to die.

Not here anyway.

Not now.

I needed a plan, but what?

This Ahlai person seemed to have control over our minds, keeping us from moving with both their presence and power so none of us could pick

If only, I could lift my weapon...

'Kira.' I heard Kuro's voice in my head.

I lifted my eyes to meet his where he lay. He made a strained twisting motion with his finger.

'Tornado Storm.' He clarified.

He had to be joking. I watched as Nightmare approached then turned back to Kuro. I knew he had a reason for asking me that but how could I tell him I couldn't deliver?

I was lifted off the ground once more. I met Nightmare's eyes, I couldn't make out the rest of his facial feathers though, his Mask blurred it all into a smokey mess.

"You won't win, even if you kill me." I managed to spit out, "There'll always be someone else-"

"And that someone is you dumbass!"

I snapped my head up to meet Troy's glowing gold gaze.

"Now do something and stop being so useless." He added.

I saw Nightmare raise a glowing blue hand in his direction, "That's enough from you."

Instant anger flared through me, I drew up my last reserves of power and used the to speed up my healing process, energizing my body once more before I poured all that energy into making the largest tornado storm I'd ever created.

The villain dropped me, opting to steady himself against the current of heavy winds.

I did my best to keep the storm contained to this area alone, holding it, waiting for whatever Kuro had in mind but my control was slowly slipping, and if I lost it I'd have to stop the storm to keep the surrounding area safe.

Just as my will was about to fail, I heard a pained scream that definitely didn't belong to any of the boys.

I stopped the storm, wiping the sweat from my brow in an attempt to get a good look at what had happened.

Nightmare was struggling to rip a very stubborn talisman from his shoulder. Kuro must have needed the storm to blind him before being able to slap that on.

The dark-winged angel in question was hovering at Troy's side, he'd managed to escape Ahlai's hold and was glaring at the enemy before us.

"A Moon Lily Poison spell, if you don't get it treated soon, you'll die within the hour." He said simply, looking as tired as we all probably felt.

I could see black veins spreading over the expanse of the summoner's arm.

Nightmare laughed, "Well played, Ahlai's abilities couldn't keep you down I see," he righted himself so he was standing a bit straighter but if his heavy breathing was something to go by, it took some effort, "This isn't over, the three of you had your chance and the next time we meet...I won't hold back."

He vanished in a crack of embers and dark smoke.

I wasted no time in dropping to the ground.

"Demona!" Both Kuro and Troy yelled while running toward me.

"I'm fine, I'm fine, Just tired." I groaned

Kuro dropped to my side, "Yeah, anyone here, Troy?"

"If they were you'd have done a good job at giving out my name." The blond hissed.

"I'm so tired, my brain isn't working anymore." The younger boy whined. He turned to Troy, "At least faint or something, stop looking so composed."

Troy huffed and dropped into a cross-legged sitting position on my other side. That was probably all Kuro would get from him.

"That was scary," I grunted.

"No argument there. I could feel this crazy powerful aura practically radiating off him." Kuro sighed.

"He's been planning this for at least a hundred years," Troy said, "He's had experience and training more than we ever will."

"Plus, he's battled Hikari several times before, Lucifer told me but I'm yet to see memories," I sat up, hearing my bones crack wasn't something new but at the moment I was very scared, "He probably knows every move or ability I own."

"Which is why you've got to bring something new to the battlefield, Kira." Kuro said, "And even if you have no idea how or if you can't at all, you've got us."

I couldn't help the immediate relief that flooded me, "Both of you...Thank you."

***

The next day came far quicker than I wanted it to. I wasn't ready to interact with anyone much less a classroom full of my classmates.

The destruction of the precinct Nightmare attacked us at was all over the news, constantly reminding me how badly I'd screwed up. If only I was stronger and I was able to immediately take him down.

I wasn't meant for this.

The morning jog was dropped since I had no energy and I didn't say hi to Troy at the gate.

I barely said a word to Momo, Jade, or anyone else for that matter.

Kuro showed up to keep me company during punishment hours but I told him to just head off with the others.

Despite how calm I'd been the previous night, I was a ball of nerves and mixed emotions.

I called off evening training and secluded myself in my room for the rest of the day, throwing my volleyball against the wall. Kat's room was right on the other side so I hoped it'd bug her enough to show face and yell at me.

I itched to scream at something but I'd rather it not be my teammates or friends.

"You're really asking for it now Kira." She seethed after kicking open my door. I waited for an insult so I'd shoot one back. It never came, instead, I got, "I'm in the middle of something important, whatever's bugging you, I won't be part of it so I'm going downstairs."

I stuck my tongue out as she left, only to be replaced by Ares who invited himself in and stopped the ball before it got back into my arm.

"How about we head down to the indoor gym and practice your spikes." He suggested.

"It's like 10 pm, it's probably closed."

"Which means it's about time you close as well." He said lightly bumping it on my head, "Either go to bed or tell me what's wrong, you're awfully quiet today."

I took the ball from him and started turning it this way and that in my hands. How do you tell you're stepdad that's like your best friend about how a powerful summoner nearly killed you the previous night?

There was no way right?

But I needed to say something.

Anything.

"I...I feel stuck. Like you know...like... let's say you don't want to do something, but you've got to even though you really don't want to. A...and everyone just kind of believes you can even though-"

"Is this still about the moving thing?" He asked gently, I could hear the hurt in his voice.

"No, no. It's not that. I'm cool with that now...I wouldn't mind if we had to return though." I said in hopes of lifting his mood, "I've made a bunch of friends so they'll keep me occupied for now."

"Glad to hear that but then, what's going on?"

"Not sure I want to tell you, but if you can still give me advice, that'll be nice." I pulled my knees up to my chest, "I don't know why they believe in me."

Ares sat down beside me, "This is about your friends right? They want you to do something that they're sure only you can do. Then my best bet is that you start believing in yourself too."

He wrapped an arm around me, "The Kira I know is always confident and ready to take on anything even if she's opposed to it, I don't know what happened yesterday to make you doubt yourself but let me be the one to tell you that I'm always cheering for you." He smiled, "So long as you guys aren't planning anything illegal which if you are, tell me right now."

I managed a smirk, "We aren't, Ares, trust me. It's just teenager stuff."

"In my time, teenager stuff meant drugs and alcohol."

"Cool."

"Please don't say that, it really wasn't," He ruffled my hair.

"'Cause they always had to pull you out of a jail cell." He'd told me many stories about his teenage life before. I could believe everything since he really had no reason to be lying about anything. Ares wore his heart on his sleeve at almost all times.

He nudged me gently, "I see you're feeling better."

"I guess."

"Good." He kissed my head, "No drugs, or illegal substances, please. Also, go to bed."

"Goodnight." I chirped as I tucked myself in.

He switched off the light, "Love you, kid."

"Same," I said softly as I let my head hit my pillow with a soft thud. He was right, I had him and Kat to live for, I couldn't bring them worry and despair just because I was getting cold feet again. I told myself I'd face everything that came my way, I'd listen to what Troy and Kuro said and to Lucifer's instructions.

I had other Demon abilities to awaken and I had to act fast.

The sooner this all came to an end, the better it would be for everyone.