NOTE (11/09/16): Fixed some sentences. Also, I have to focus on [Crimson]/Ayano's primary power since I planned on giving her the power "Negation". I describe the Angel's power as "Distortion" rather than "Spatial Manipulation" just to be clear. I'll have to do some searching for that, but expect to see the primary power in Chapter 05.


Right after [Crimson] was shot out of nowhere, Kurumi quickly acted and summoned her Angel to reverse the wound.

"At least I made it just in time"

The blood and the wound disappeared when Kurumi shot [Crimson] with her fourth bullet. Her breathing returned to normal so Kurumi had a sigh of relief.

"Oooh...S-class [Nightmare] and S-class [Crimson]" A woman's voice spoke

When Kurumi turned around, a woman with a DEM realizer and a rifle slowly walked towards her. She immediately knew it was the wizard that almost killed [Crimson].

"You're the pest that shot this girl?" Kurumi prepared her guns

"And what if I am?"

"Not much" Kurumi smiled

"Hah! I'm going to wipe off that smug of yours, [Nightmare]!"

"Just go ahead and try!"

There was an obvious sign of pure killing intent on Kurumi's eyes as she faced the DEM wizard who shot [Crimson].

It's staring to come back...some of them...

I'm starting to remember...who I am...

That's right...I finally remembered her...

And I know now...what my name is...

It was vague...everything was dull. [Crimson] remembered a fragment of the past she had lost. She was running...she can't remember why but she was running.

"...!"

She was being hurt by wizards...she retaliated but her injuries were too much. She was already bleeding when her legs surrendered to the ground. Right before she lost consciousness, she saw Kurumi in her crimson dress standing in front of her.

"What...happened?"

There were corpses and blood everywhere...and the person in the center of the massacre...was Kurumi. Blood splashed on her cheeks as she coldly stared down at the mutilated corpses.

"I'm sorry. This is the only way"

While [Crimson] remained unconscious, Kurumi was already glaring down at the heavily injured wizard. There was a grim and cold glare in her eyes as she looked down at the weakened wizard.

"What's taking those damn AST so long" The wizard murmured to herself

"Just lie down there and die"

Without hesitating and before the wizard could retaliate, Kurumi pointed her gun right between the wizard's eyes and pulled the trigger.

"Finally. I was getting tired of this pest"

She sighed in relief while she tilted her head. Her expression lightened when the not much of a threat wizard finally died.

"It's a good thing I was able to make it in time"

[Crimson] was just there peacefully unconscious as Kurumi gently smiled at her. Though her warm moments were cut short when she spotted an AST squad in the sky.

"Looks like the pest called for back up before I shut it up"

The AST squad that arrived was the same one Origami belonged to. The moment she caught Kurumi within her sights and the dead wizard in front her, fury built up inside her.

"All you Spirits do is hurt and kill"

With the order from the squad leader, the AST commenced firing their blasters. Kurumi couldn't move that much as the unconscious [Crimson] might be caugtht in the crossfire.

(Tch...If I get away then...)

Right now, Kurumi can't leave [Crimson] as the AST might take advantage of her vulnerable condition and eliminate her. While Kurumi conditioned to play safe, [Crimson] was still drifting within her own memory.

"I don't want this..."

There were tears in her eyes as she was surrounded by the remains of the destruction she had caused. She doesn't know how many she had hurt and because of that, made her feel guilty and sorrowful.

"...!"

[Crimson] slowly opened her eyes as the sound of the energy bullets brought her back to reality. At first she was confused, but she immediately realized Kurumi was currently engaged in combat with the AST.

"[Crimson]!"

Origami noticed the young Spirit looking confused in a distance. She was a bit traumatized with people in battle suits with weapons so her instinct drove her to run away.

"You won't get away, [Crimson]"

There was a brief pursuit before Origami halted her from fleeing. After [Crimson] was knocked down from the ground, she turned to look and Origami already pointed her energy blade right near her throat.

"This is the end, Spirit"

"..."

With the intent of defending herself without harming Origami, she sent out a powerful shock wave that repulsed Origami away and damaged the surrounding area.

"Stay away!"

[Crimson] had enough of the running and fighting she spent for a long manifested her Astral dress. It was like Origami was looking at the angel of death or the grim reaper.

"I had enough of this"

She was tired of being chased, attacked, and forced to fight all the time. She had gone through a lot with dealing a lot of DEM and AST wizards.

"Come forth..."

"...!" Origami widened her eyes

"Azrael!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing when she felt dizzy and the next moment...the sky was dyed red and surroundings became grey. Kurumi's expression looked as if she knew what was happening.

"She summoned Azrael again"

Kurumi was planning to head on [Crimson]'s location when suddenly...six golden wings unraveled as though it sprout out from the ground.

"Could it be? An Angel?!" An AST member looked terrified

The ground shook several times and the other AST looked up when Origami was hovering in the sky, repeatedly shooting the ground below her while the wings formed a defensive position. She was about to attack it with her blade when she disappeared when she was swallowed by a black and red energy.

"Focus your attacks on [Nightmare]!"

The captain commanded and the frozen AST members returned to their senses and returned to attacking Kurumi.

"...!"

A construct formed above the AST members and a huge hand smacked, smashed, and punched away the AST members.

"Tsk...Even Azrael sees me as a threat"

Another construct appeared and a debris fell from the sky and almost hit Kurumi if she haven't dodged.

"I have to find her quick before Azrael kills me" Kurumi wryly smiled

While she was walking, she felt like something was stabbing her head while she felt another unbearable headache. When she regained her senses, Kurumi saw how her entire surroundings shifted into a different location again. Kurumi blinked her eyes when a certain blue haired boy was in front of her.

"W-wha!" Shido backed away when Kurumi found her

"It looks like Shido-san fell victim in an overprotective Angel's domain"

"W-what...?"

Kurumi giggled softly that Shido blushed for a brief moment. Right now, Shido was very confused since a few minutes ago, he was in the kitchen...the next moment he saw himself standing in a middle of a street.

"What exactly is going on?"

"We're currently trapped in a true illusion, a mixed of that and spatial tuning. This is still the city, but that angry Angel tuned the space within the city"

"A-an Angel?!"

This only meant that a Spirit was responsible for their current situation. Shido was curious to why Kurumi looked relaxed and spoke the situation as though she knew what was going on.

"The Spirit you called [Crimson]...this is her power"

"Kurumi, How do you know about this?" Shido suspected something

"I know the Spirit more than you people"

Kurumi smiled, aware that Shido was already suspicious of to how she seemed to know [Crimson] very well.

"I also know she doesn't remember her past...and me" She sadly smiled

"..."

"But that doesn't stop me from looking after her"

Seeing Shido's surprised expression, Kurumi laughed it off to change the awkward atmosphere. Then again...the ground shook and a deep roar echoed in the sky.

"W-what was that?!" Shido was on guard

"It's Azrael. The Angel that can create absolute illusions and alter one's senses at its command"

Kurumi remained unfazed while Shido was still on high alert. She quickly reacted when a portal opened and she pulled Shido out of the way.

"Yaah!"

Tohka suddenly appeared out of the portal and looked like she was about to slash something with her Sandalphon, but hit nothing.

"S-shido! You?!"

Tohka grabbed Shido and stood in front of him, defending him from Kurumi whom she perceived as a threat.

"Tohka?! You're here too?!" Shido thought only she and Kurumi were in the distorted space

"Yeah. We were just in the house...when we these saw huge wings..."

Tohka then further explained how the sky turned red, the ground shook, and there was these six huge wings that popped out on the ground and appeared in the city.

"Then...then there's this giant animal...and attacked us!"

Kurumi looked amused at the way Tohka explains and raised her voice like a child who saw something extraordinary.

"Tohka, right now, me and Kurumi are trying to find [Crimson]"

" [Crimson]?"

"Yeah. Kurumi said this is the power of [Crimson]'s Angel"

Shido had to convince to temporarily trust Kurumi as she was the only one who has knowledge about their current situation and the Angel's power.

"I still don't trust her" Tohka glared at Kurumi while she tightly clung to Shido

"Your distrust doesn't concern me, Tohka-san" Kurumi smiled teasingly

"Youuuu!" Tohka wanted to attack Kurumi

"...!"

They all stopped when the ground shook again as the Angel's deep growl grew...more furious. After the wings disappeared before...it reappeared again.

"Wah! It's that thing again. What is that?!" Tohka saw the wings again

"That, Tohka-san, that is the Angel...though it's only its wings. It's body is much bigger"

They couldn't see most of its body, they already imagined the Angel would be colossal...and furious.

"It's a good thing that Angel isn't moving...yet" Kurumi sighed in relief

Kurumi merely shrugged off her shoulders and continued walking while Shido and Tohka looked a little worried.

Meanwhile...

After she had summoned her Angel, [Crimson] lost consciousness as summoning a colossal Angel took a toll on her. When she woke up again, her Angel's six eyes were staring down at her.

"Oh...? You're protecting me again..."

She noticed how her surroundings were dull and how the sky had dyed red. The armored Angel continued to quietly stare at her...

"I must have distorted everything as I passed out"

"..." The Angel slightly nodded its head

"Why? I don't really remember"

"..." It let out a deep and whisper like groan to [Crimson]

"That's right. I'll turn it all back to normal when she comes"

Right now, [Crimson] was in a different location and the Angel made sure she cannot be seen by anyone but the Angel itself. So she sat back down and waited till she felt like doing something.

"Argh! That thing is annoying!"

Kaguya comolained while she and Yuzuru dodged a fully armored golden lion like creature with seix wings and several eyes.

"A-armor...too thick..." Yoshino rode Zadkiel

"Tohka-san suddenly disappeared" Miku pouted

(This thing looks familiar...) Kotori deeply thought

No matter how many times they attack the beast, it took little to no damage. The girls were the only ones who were dealing with an armored creature. While in search of the Angel, another one with six wings and a full golden armor crashed in front of Kurumi, Shido, and Tohka.

"It's hard to deal with this thing" Kurumi looked annoyed

"What is that?"

"It's an illusion. But this is one of the Angel's forms"

The being in front of them was a ten foot tall humanoid in full golden armor with four arms and several glowing red eyes.

"Shido!"

The Shiva like being charged at them with swords on each hands. Tohka parted the creature with her Sandalphon.

"Hah!"

She broke its swords with a few swings, but her smile faded when the weapons returned to its normal state.

"You can't beat that. It's not even real"

"Oh yeah? Watch me!"

Tohka sliced its chest, but its inside was hollow and looked lime it was nothing but a void. Shaking her head, Kurumi walked towards Tohka and stood between her and the illusion.

"..."

The being knelt to take a careful look in Kurumi as it narrowed its eyes. It was as though the Angel recognized her.

"Where is she?" Kurumi asked

"..." It didn't respond

"Hmm?"

Kurumi looked to the direction the being turned its head. It then tilted its head making a clanking sound. Not long the lion like creature and the four armed being backed away and slowly disintegrated.

"What?"

All of the girls were surprised at what just happened. Kotori though suspected something.

"Is that..." Shido focused his sights

The being then stood up again and the six wings the popped out of the ground before reappeared for a brief moment.

"It looks like I need to go there, huh..."

"Kurumi?"

Kurumi gave a teasing smile and a salute before retreating into her shadows and head to the Angel's location.

"It's you..."

When Kurumi reappeared in another location, a voice coldly referred to her.

"Ayano..."

"That. I remembered my name..."

Ayano was [Crimson]'s true name. It was something she had forgotten along with her other memories.

"But I'm starting to remember you"

With a signal, everything returned to normal and a the Angel was no longer present.

"Is that so?" Kurumi looked a little serious

"You knew me from the moment we met, right?"

"Yeah. I was surprised you can't remember anything" Kurumi shook her head

"You never changed a bit...sis"

Ayano averted her gaze as though she was shy and a bit uneasy saying that. Kurumi, on the other hand, looked very glad.

"Right now, I just want to process all the memories that came back"

"..."

"D-don't look at me like that..."

Kurumi walked towards her and hugged her tightly which Ayano found suffocating, but at the same time...nostalgic and warm.

"I do need that"

"Don't worry. I'll give you time to process all of it"

As Ayano was about to comment, Kurumi was already gone...but the Spirit simply smiled.

"Ah...she did it again..."

She laughed at this as she walked away, thinking how would she explain to Shido and the others about what just happened.

Somewhere...

Inside Wescott's office, Ellen walked in with a laptop in her hand. She opened it and showed several picture to Wescott.

"This is [Crimson]'s power...it's been a long time"

"It seemed she summoned an Angel"

It was a little blurred, but Wescott recognized the six wings as a part of the Angel. Suddenly remembering something, she turned to Ellen.

"The DEM wizard I used as a bait?"

Wescott was referring to the wizard that shot [Crimson] earlier. With a cold expression, Ellen responded.

"[Nightmare] disposed her before I could"

As usual, Wescott had his faint smile as he viewed more photos in the laptop in front of him.

"[Nightmare]? I see...that Spirit connected to [Crimson]"

"What are you planning now?" Ellen asked

"It think it's time for me to have a little chat with [Crimson]...It's been a long time"

There was a certain photo where Kurumi was defending an unconscious Ayano from a the now deceased DEM wizard and AST members. His interest was now more piqued than before.


Author: Starting next chapter, I will use [Crimson]'s name "Ayano" in referring to her; It's more appropriate that way. Also, I might slightly change the Angel's appearance. I'm keeping the wings and eyes part though...