Strike At Midnight || Luka Couffaine

Chapter 26 ❧ Finale: Heroes Assemble

"Not until I see Luka," I say stubbornly. Gabriel snaps his fingers and Nathalie reappears beside me with Luka behind her. "Luka!"

I'm about to reach out towards him when Nathalie stops me. Holding out a blue-green bracelet in the shape of a snake, she says,"A deal is a deal."

"Mmmph!" Luka muffles under the cloth keeping him silent. His eyes are wide with fear. He shakes his head.

I tentatively pull out the black ring and pair of earrings from my pocket. With one hand, I place the jewellery on Nathalie's palm as I receive the snake miraculous on my other. She turns away and towards Hawkmoth and passes him the jewellery. "Finally! Dark wings fall!"

Hawkmoth detransform right before our eyes- along with Volpina. A lavender-coloured kwami with wings appear momentarily before Gabriel takes off the butterfly-like brooch on his chest and places it into a tiny box.

Without a moment to lose, I hastily untie the binds around Luka's wrists and tear out the cloth on his mouth. "Sel, I can't believe-"

"Shh. We have to leave. Come on," I whisper as I tug on his sleeve. He follows me compliantly into the lift as the other three are busy watching Gabriel in anticipation. I've already jabbed the lift button closed while Gabriel wear the black ring and then the clip-on earrings. Two kwamis appear in front of him, one is dark and brooding while the other; crimson and kindly.

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Gabriel's POV.

The moment I've been waiting for is finally here. With these miraculous combined, I can finally take back who was stolen from me. No longer do I have to drown in my sorrows and from the depression I've fought so hard to hide from my dear son. I'm just one step away from getting back the glorious, blissful family I once had.

You don't have to wait any longer my love.

As I wear the two miraculous disguised as common accessories, a pair of kwamis appear.
I hold back surprise as I view the kwamis for the first time. "Wait, something seems odd."

"Goodness, master! You look pale- have you been eating right? This dark place doesn't do you any favours," the crimson kwami says in voice like tinkling bells as she zips around me. What I didn't expect from the Ladybug kwami was the tiny, bright orange beak at the centre of its face. "How about we get some sun?"

"What a surprise. How have you been, Da-Xia?" The dark-coloured kwami narrows his eyes but greets the red kwami politely. The black cat kwami had suspicious-looking pair of wings similar to a bat's.

"Oh, I've been well in the box. Xiè xie, Grimm," she replies cheerfully. "I'm very sorry for burning a few buildings- I didn't know what came over me!"

"That's all right. It was unpleasant but that was eight years ago and you were under your former master's control," Grimm assures.

"Eight years?! It's been so long already? Walao- I have to see the sun soon or else I'll turn into a gremlin." Grimm cringes every time she cries out.

"What is the meaning of this?" Gabriel demands. Suddenly, as if a pulling force beckoned him, his gaze switches over to Selene, riding the lift upwards. I could faintly see- or the lack of- the missing ribbon around her neck collar.

Turning to Nathalie, I yell, "Don't let them escape!"

Nathalie speaks in hurried whispers in her communicator connected to the Gorilla's upstairs. While she's busy, Lila snatches the silver box from Nathalie's hands. "Hey, don't-"

"I'll handle this!" Lila says, boiling with frustration. "Dark wings rise!"

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