Kira

~

Our fight changes pace drastically from there, I never really had a chance in the first place but all too quickly it becomes clear just how much he'd been toying with me.

Maybe he still is.

He pops in and out of existence, taking slash after slash at my flesh and clothes as I strive to keep up with his movements, pushing my healing ability at its limit just to stop my wounds so from dragging me down any further. I lunge at him from the side of a building but his jeering cackle is all I hear before he's appearing above me once again, his foot is driving into my back with a force that drills me into the pavement.

The world swims before my eyes and I barely bet to contemplate getting out of the Kira-shaped hole before he's looming above me, about to bring his talons down when something else seems to catch his attention. His eyes flash as he turns around just in time to catch a black feather between his fingers.

"I usually like brats with a rare gift for Magic but you're really starting to piss me off, kid," He turns his venomous glare to where Kuro is perched above a busted streetlight.

"Save your flattery for your mindless goons," Kuro stands from his squatting position, there's a sharp, almost insidious mirth to his voice that makes him sound almost like a strange, "All I need is for you to stay still while I hack you pieces in return everything you've taken from me. So unless you're going to scream, shut up!" He swoops down, an inaudible spell leaving his lips in time to the threads of his garrote zipping through the air.

Nightmare huffs at the display, unaffected by the pulsing chill of Kuro's flared Aura as he incinerates the feather, "Pathetic," In a flash he's tearing at the skin of his wrist with one of his talons, blood spurts out of the slash, filling the air with it's unwelcome scent, "Let me show you just what you're asking for."

My confusion at his words is swapped for panic as we're instantaneously lifted to the air only to slammed down repeatedly by invisible hands. Worse still an invasive pressure seeps into my mind, dragging to the surface and multiplying my fright by a hundred. It pins me to the ground, a fear so potent it shackles my trembling limbs with its intensity.

I try pushing myself into a kneeling position at least but the world doesn’t stop hurtling in out of focus, memories vivid in taking its place; so bright, there's heat everywhere and I'm trapped standing amongst a faceless, suffocating crowd once more.

I want to run.

I should've run.

"Ahlai, don't release your hold on them but don't break their minds just yet," Nightmare's voice, smooth and calm pulls me back to the present. I squirm, trying to put as much distance between us but he has a hand around my neck dragging me up as I struggle to escape it. He eyes the glowing seal on my shoulder with an almost imperceptible fury before turning to the boys, "You both honestly thought you could train this to defeat me?"

I feel his hold tighten, a blur of movement has me slammed into the ground again and again.

And again.

Pain blossoms through me from the back of my skull but I don't beg, frantically forcing my healing into action as I claw at his wrist.

"She's the hope you had for this world right? The one you thought could finally end me? Well, let's see how you all fare when she's gone," he turns to me, "Tell me, Keeper how would you love to die?"

My slowed senses perk back up at those words, my desire to live clashing with the numbing despair brought about by the unseen Demon's Ability. For a brief moment everything falls into focus once more, I can see and hear it all, Nightmare leering up at me, Kuro and Troy's straining breaths as they're tortured under the pressure of Ahlai's spell.

I need to do something. I can't die.

I don't want to die.

Not now.

'Kira...' I shift my searching gaze to meet Kuro's where he lay. He makes a strained twisting motion with his finger, 'Tornado...storm.' He clarifies.

My breath hitches, the taste of blood heavy on my tongue. There's no way he really expects me to do that when I've yet to really control it.

"I'm waiting Keeper," I met Nightmare's eyes, unable make out the rest of his facial feathers, Mask blurring it all into a smokey mess.

I've got to stall for time another way.

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

"And that someone...is you dumbass!" I snap my head in the direction of Troy's voice, strained as he fights against the spell to draw upon his Magic Energy and aim a shot at Nightmare.

It's not working.

"Now do something...and stop being so...useless..." He adds weakly.

Nightmare chuckles, raising a glowing blue hand in his direction, "That's enough from you."

My next move is made before my mind catches up to my body. In the face of danger, the promise I'd made to myself within that passage echoes within my heart; between a Demon I had no control over and a power I'm yet to master, my choice is clear. Anger flares through my veins as I draw up my last reserves of Energy and used it to speed up my healing process, energizing my body before I pour it all into shaping the air around us in one last ditch effort

Howling winds burst to life with an undeniable vengeance, kicking up dust and debris in a turbulent fury as they fight against the control of my command but I hold on, even as Nightmare toss me to side to get his bearings and prepare for whatever Kuro has in mind. It's taking all I have to keep the storm contained to this area alone and every second leads to my control slipping further, I can feel my soul instinctively giving way to Lucifer's hold, our last chance should things go side ways.

I grit my teeth against the strain and just as my will was about to fail, a scream of piercing agony reverberates through the storm. I disperse the winds just as quickly, clearing the dust from the area to see Nightmare clawing at a bright red talisman with bright white symbols clinging to his shoulder via pitch black vines, their three inch long silver thorns digging into the flesh of his left arm leaving it almost unrecognizable.

His eyes, flared with hatred, are fixed on where Kuro is kneeling with feathers at the ready.

"The Moonlily Poison spell," the raven haired boy informs, breaths coming in hard and fast as if merely using the spell had drained him, "The more time you waste fighting us the lesser your chances of being able to use Magic half as good as you can now become. It's your choice Summoner, us or your goals."

"And trust we'll still fight," Troy sparks up, threatening even in the state he's in from holding off the Demons.

My eyes fall back to Nightmare's arm and the ominous spell encasing the limb further as if in a bid to drink up his Magic Energy without respite.

Nightmare sneers, "Well played," he rights himself so he's standing straighter and even though that seems to drain him further the twisted joy following his next words sap all sympathy I start to feel for him, especially when he looks straight into my eyes, "Until the time comes when this world becomes mine, entertain me Fifth Keeper~"

Before I can leap after him he's gone in a crack of embers and dark smoke, taking all the tension and anxiety with him.

Kuro drops to the ground with a relieved groan, "Can't believe that worked, anyone here, Troy?"

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

"I'm so tired, my brain can't work anymore," he whines, "At least faint or something, stop looking so composed."

With a huff Troy drops into a cross-legged sitting position on my other side. That was probably all Kuro would get from him.

Nightmare's words are still playing over in my mind.

Entertain him...what the hell was that supposed to mean?

I claw at the dirt, going from kneeling to sitting with a sigh of my own, "That was...scary."

"No argument there, he...was a lot stronger than I expected..." Kuro sits up, hints of uncertainty and irritation obvious on the usually cheerful lines of his face.

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

I realized as much during our fight just as i had realized I don't have what it takes to be the Demona this world needs to face a monster like that.

The destruction of the precinct Nightmare attacked us is all over the news, a reminder of my failure to step up to the mantle i never wanted in the first place. a minute unable to pass by without me trying to convince myself I shouldn't feel as bad as I do. I didn't choose to be the Keeper, and i sure as hell don't want to fight egocentric psychopaths.

'Entertain me, fifth Keeper~'

My fist tightens around the strap of my bag, Like hell I will.

The sound of my name draws my attention to the school gate where the others are waiting, save from Kuro though. Troy is stone silent, avoiding my gaze. I had told he and Kuro I wouldn't show up for our jog, and i have no idea if they had net up to talk behind my back but frankly, I didn't care. For the rest of the day, I just want to be alone with my thoughts. Kuro shows up at noon to keep me company during punishment hours but I tell him to just head off with the others.

By late noon I'm still yet to feel like myself so I call off everything and secluded myself in my room for the rest of the day, wondering how much longer I'll need to bluff myself into moving forward. I can't quit, that much is certain. But all the same, I can't bring myself to stop my heart growing cold at the thought of Nightmares words.

'Entertain me, fifth Keeper~'

My hand trembles as I catch the ball on is way back from the wall across my bed. Kat's room is right on the other side so I hoped it'd bug her enough to show face and yell at me. The itch to scream at something was growing inside me but I'd rather it not fall on my teammates or friends. Kat was a familiar enemy, one I could always ignore or fight against. It helped that it was easy to justify fighting her, she was always angry at me for no reason to begin with.

"You're really asking for it now Kira," She seethes after kicking open my door, I wait for an insult so I'd shoot one back, "I'm in the middle of important event so whatever's bugging you, I won't be part of it." She leaves back to her room, walking past once again with her laptop and stupid, black e-girl headphones to probably set-up in the living room without even sparing me a glance. Pettiness overpowers my incredulity and I stick my tongue out as she leaves only for Ares to appear in frame instead and invite himself in.

He catches the ball before it can get back to my hand, "How about we head down to the indoor gym and practice your spikes?"

"Sorry, you suck so you won't be much help...It's also like 10pm, they're probably closed."

"Which means it's about time you close as well," He says lightly bumping it on my head, and ignoring my jab at his abilities, "Either go to bed or tell me what's wrong, you're a lot more...distant today."

I take the ball from him, spinning it in my had. How do you tell you're stepdad that's almost your best friend that a Demon Summoner nearly killed you ls night?

Nope, it's totally out of the question.

But I wanted to talk to someone and Lucifer hasn't bothered to say anything since we got back. Was he mad at me? Was he disappointed? I don't care either way, but the least he could do was be upfront about it.

"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 asks gently, I could hear the hurt in his voice.

"No, no. It's not that. I'm cool with that now..." I say in hopes of lifting his mood, "I've made some friends so they'll keep me occupied for now."

he places a thoughtful hand to his chin, "So if it's it's not about them, it's about this thing they want you to do...now I'm worried, " his face darkens with anxiety a bit, "Kira, don't tell me-"

"Whatever you're thinking, it's wrong," I cut him off, knowing he's come to the most absurd conclusions, "It's nothing dangerous, just harder than I'm used to."

"You can't start off like that and expect me to relax, Kira, don't look at me like that, " he sighs putting an arm around me and pulling close to his side, "I haven't been a kid in a while but back then, things always looked a lot harder than they were. Things don't stop being hard Kira, you just need to keep going at it, from different angles, with different people, and even if you fail, you can't stop as long as it's what you really want." He smiles down at me, "So long as you guys aren't planning anything illegal which if you are, tell me right now, I'll be right here if you need my help too."

I sink into his warmth, slumping against him slightly with a hidden smile of my own. His words aren't anything groundbreaking, I'd thought as much myself, but from Ares, with his trust in me to figure things on my own, they actually sound believable.

For a brief second, I can't help but wonder if Hikari's strength had ever come from others believing in her, had she always been strong or had there been a time she was just as pathetic as me?

whatever the answer, seeing Ares smile had reminded me why I couldn't back down until this problem was solved; Nightmare needed to be solved, Tokyo needed a Keeper, and until someone worthy came along, I had to step up.