Ch.15 Dark gifts

When Yukio finished his story of what the future held for Shido and Kurumi, Tohka couldn't help but feel sad.

"So he chose Kurumi"

"Tohka…my dad has always spoke highly of you, and of your apetite"

"Am I at least part of his life still?"

"Of course you are! In fact you're the one who taught me how to use a sword"

"I did?"

"Yes, and the reason I attacked you was because I wanted to see if you were as good as dad said you were, he said if we ever needed help in fighting come to you"

"So what are you planning?"

"This"

Yukio waves the arm that has a black sleeve and a dark light emits from the center of Tohka's chest, and she feels a minor discomfort.

"What did you just do to me!?"

Tohka then feels a surge of energy which causes black cloud of energy to surround her body. When the cloud clears she sees that she's wearing a different outfit, and holding Nehemah instead of Sandalphon.

"I have given you some of my negative energy, but only a fraction of it so you can enter your inverse form"

Tohka looks surprised since the last time she entered that form she almost killed Shido and couldn't remember who he was.

"But don't worry you won't lose your memories like last time for a while at least"

"Explain yourself"

"That inverse form is unnatural compared to what happened before so you can control it for a set amount of time at least ten minutes a day, but if you stay in that form past that I can't say for sure"

"Okay so why do I need this form then?"

"Because in that form you're much stronger and we'll need all the strength we can get"

"But why me, why not Kurumi?"

"My mom is dangerous as it is, but say this if she went inverse and stayed in it too long who could stop her? With you at least they should be able to stop you with all our combined power"

"I understand, but…what if I hurt the others…"

"I trust you; that is my answer"

"Okay so how do I unlock this form when I wake up?"

"As clichéd as it is just shout darkness at the top of your lungs and then to revert just shout light"

"Okay thank you…also what did you mean about a little girl and her knights?"

"When Manami was four she wanted to be a princess, so you and I made a pledge to her in this field…we promised to be her knights in her kingdom, and we played a game around it for years; Kasumi played the evil witch when we did"

"A knight…."

"Tohka help her, she's just a child she doesn't know better especially thanks to that animal"

Tohka raises her sword and talks in an exaggerated voice.

"I vow to this sword to help our princess and preserve our kingdom…(normal voice) how was that"

Yukio smiles as he fades away leaving Tohka with his gift as she begins to wake up. When she does everyone else had awoken since it was morning, but outside it was still dark for some reason, and everyone was staring out the window. When looked outside something was hovering in the sky it was a crystal structure the same one Manami was using her powers to create. Inside the structure Manami sat in a now completed throne room covered with several beautiful gem stones. She had spent the last few days eating cake, and playing with toys to pass the time with Ellen as her maid, Westcott as her personal jester, and Yukio (Lucifuge) as her personal knight. Right now Manami was asleep in her equally gorgeous bedroom sleeping with a teddy bear which resembled one her daddy gave her. Ellen was making Manami's meals under constant watch from Yukio in the kitchen which was full of sweets.

"Such a child wanting sweets for breakfast"

"You know you're one to talk Ellen in fact I'm going to tell you a little secret about your children"

"I already know the director kept Alice and threw Ivan in the trash"

"Did you also know that he slit you open like a peach?"

"If that's the case then I was useless and had no reason to live"

"You know he could have helped you, and maybe your children could have had their mother, but instead he chose to dispose of you to have a stronger weapon"

"That's not true!"

Yukio walks closer to Ellen and gives her a sadistic smile.

"And he laughed the entire time, oh and that little girl adored the image she created of you up until her death, but that was also hilarious"

Ellen smacks Yukio in the face.

"Shut your arrogant mouth"

"(Snicker) you saw it how she crumbled to dust right there and how she called to you; calling me arrogant you hypocrite all you do is boast your abilities and you couldn't even show remorse as your own daughter died"

"Ivan why are you saying these things to me I'm your mother?"

"My name is Lucifuge and I never liked calling you mother in fact…"

Lucifuge grabs Ellen by the throat and drags her to the edge of the structure, and holds her over the edge.

"Just so you know he was serious when he said he detested you"

He then drops her, but due to her spinal injury she can't transform to prevent her fall.

"(Being killed by own son what a pathetic way to die)"

As Yukio chuckles at his actions a shadow erupts from his body which catches Ellen and lets her land with only a twisted ankle.

"(Goddamn whelp always getting in my way)"

Ellen limps away hoping to find help for her injury, but only comes up with one plan she has to go to her enemies to save the director. As Ellen limps she succumbs to fatigue from lack of sleep, Mana happens to find her while searching for supplies for the next few days, and in an act of mercy decides to take her to the hideout. The others were not thrilled by this, but as Ellen woke up she was a little more willing to cooperate but wasn't happy about allying herself with Shido Itsuka. On the contrary Shido came to the conclusion that Yukio was behind Ellen's arrival and he wasn't wrong. So after a lot of compromise Ellen agreed to their terms and was partnered with Kasumi and Tohka who were ready to kill if provoked by her. But before they could do anything mission based Ellen was recovering from her injury thanks to Kasumi's Zelel reversing time on Ellen's spine and leg. Their next move was an attack against the structure to help Yukio get his freedom back. After a few hours of waiting the time was ready for a sneak attack as frontal assaults were ill advised. While making their way into the entry point based on Ellen's memories of the structure now revealed to be a castle, Tohka stops their movement to yell at Ellen.

"Hold it!"

"What do you want princess?"

"Why are we working with you?"

Kasumi tries to intervene

"Tohka we don't have time for this"

"No I want to know, did you forget what she's done"

"No I haven't believe me, I hate DEM with every cell in my body, and just the idea of working with anyone affiliated with them disgusts me, but I love my siblings more than I hate DEM"

Ellen interrupts.

"We have a mission to do and when we save the director we are enemies again"

The three hear clapping and they look up seeing Yukio smirking at them.

"Ladies welcome!"

Without anymore words the three attack Lucifuge the same time, but are oblivious to his abilities as he transforms. He chooses to engage using the dual blades he had used before under the guise of Ivan and the battle to defeat the demon king begins