()= Thinking/ Replacing
*= Actions
/= Whispers
""= Phone
--= Narrator
~~= Timeskip
Darren POV:
I waited for the perfect opportunity to escape class while summoning a shadow soldier as my clone for the school.
Darren: He looks exactly like me.
Yuko: You need to create more for the two of us as well.
Lucas: Yeah, we can't escape if you don't summon one.
Darren: Alright shut up.
I summoned two more shadow soldiers as their faces and figures transformed into Lucas and Yuko.
Darren: Alright. Let's go it's almost time.
Yuko: Yeah, we should go soon.
Lucas: What are we waiting for?
Darren: Yeah.
We started to fly towards DEM, who swiftly located us and dashed towards us. Lucas blocked Ellen's attack which was inches away from my face. I kicked Artemisia's stomach which sent her flying away.
Darren: Sorry, I'm not the same guy as before.
Ellen: I can see that.
She dashed towards Lucas who just swung his scythe around while sneering at her.
Lucas: Is that all from the world's strongest wizard?
Ellen: Of course not. *turns head around* HUH?!
Yuko just sat there, not even transforming into any type of servant armour and there were about 400 artificial spirts defeated.
Darren: Retreat?
Ellen: Tch, don't forget that we will come back and kill you!
Darren: Then, you can try.
Ellen flew away along with the other teams while we just stared at the artificial spirits.
Darren: Arise, the fallen that has lost all but their will to live.
400 undead soldiers appeared in front of me while bowing in front me and disappeared into my shadows.
Lucas: Success?
Darren: No, DEM will try something new so just wait here and we can find out.
Darren: Somehow I have a really bad feeling about this.
My intuition was correct after all. DEM attacked Shido on multiple occasions, whether it be the classrooms, toilets, his room and kitchen. They attacked him anytime they could. The moment I couldn't sense his life energy anymore. I teleported towards his house and used Vav. Vav drained almost most of my mana and cursed energy. My muscles ached and couldn't use my forearm well after the 203rd time that Shido has died. My mind was starting to take it's toll as I couldn't see very well after so many attempts. My reflex speed has also gone down. Yuko and Lucas noticed this and wanted to help me with this mission. I just waved them off since I believed that this was my mission to take. This process simply repeated for what I could tell was days, or even weeks. Maybe even months and I wouldn't have realised.
-Inside Shido's house-
Shido POV:
I awoke from my bed and opened my window. Several spirits flew outside my window and broke into my room. They grabbed me by the arms and legs to prevent me from moving. One of them took out a card and slashed me on the chest.
???: Oh, Camael's regeneration huh? Not ba-
Suddenly, her head was cut off my Darren, who has two daggers in his hands.
Darren: You guys, it's impolite to fight in someone's house. Fight against me somewhere else.
The Spirits just clicked their tongue in annoyance while they walked away with Darren. Darren had bags under his eyes, as if he hasn't slept for weeks. I followed them out of the house to see Darren carrying a huge sword on his back with two daggers. I hid behind a wall while the started to fight.
Darren: Fusion. Zaphkiel and Micheal. Angel of death Azarael.
Darren: Trace on, Cursed Daggers.
He dashed towards them in an instant and sliced their heads off while scoffing.
Darren: Weak.
Suddenly, two people appeared besides him.
???: They were weak indeed.
???2: I don't know why you decided to take on this mission.
Darren: Just shut up Yuko and Lucas.
Yuko: Still, I don't understand why you decided to save Shido Itsuka. Don't you hate him or something?
Darren: I do hate him but it was a request from Kurumi.
Lucas: Why do you care about that still? Look at you. You look like you haven't been sleeping for weeks.
Darren: I care about the promises I made with my girlfriends.
Lucas: He's saved right?
Darren: No idea. I placed a shadow inside his shadows just in case anyways.
I stared at my shadows, which showed absolutely no movements, possibly that Darren could be lying.
Shido: (Why did he not sleep for so long?)
Lucas: Darren, it's ok to fail. You should've abandoned the mission the 30th time you did this. Not the 204th that you tried. Your body is unstable right now, you should head to bed.
Darren: I should.
Darren suddenly collapsed and I rushed over to help him while Yuko and Lucas caught him.
Shido: What happened?
Lucas: A mission happened.
Shido: What was that mission?
Yuko: Ask Darren tomorrow and you might find out. Depends on how much he wants to tell you. If he just ignores you then I don't care.
Yuko and Lucas teleported somewhere leaving me all alone in this alleyway with disintegrating spirits.
-To Darren's house-
Darren POV:
I awoke with a throbbing headache as Lucas and Yuko just sat on seperate chairs and started to read a book.
Darren: Did I succeed?
Yuko: Yeah, you did.
Lucas: I don't think DEM would be trying for a while knowing that you have been destroying their plans.
Darren: Probably, but I wanna just make sure that Shido and everyone knows the truth.
Lucas: We told everyone besides Kurumi and Shido. You should be the one to tell them.
Darren: Yeah, I would if this headache goes away...
Yuko: Just sleep it off.
Darren: Yeah, I should...
~The next day~
After school, I called Shido over and follow me to the stairway the bags under my eyes were still visible and Kurumi stared at me worriedly the entire time.
Kurumi: Darren-Chan, are you ok?
Darren: Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired that's all.
Shido: Darren, what did you want to talk about?
Darren: Come to my house today. I have to talk to you three.
I groggily walked away from the stairway, not even bothered to listen to Shido's reply as Lucas and Yuko caught me and made me sit on my chair sleeping.
~After school~
I instantly teleported back to the house and made myself some coffee to wait for both Shido and Kurumi. They arrived about a minute later I finished my coffee in my room.
Kurumi: What happened to you?
Darren: Something happened before which caused a chain reaction and made me look like this right now.
Shido: You said mission when you saw me. What was that mission?
Darren: Shido, this is something you shouldn't know but I-
Suddenly, dozens of paper flew into the room with Spirits appearing from it.
Kurumi: Zaph-
I stopped her and stared at the spirits with an emotionless look.
Darren: Cursed Daggers.
Two daggers appeared on my hands while I sliced through the heads of the spirits and they disintegrated into ash while I fainted and was caught by Shoto.
Shido POV:
My eyes widened in shock, even though I never underestimated Darren, but to be able defeat around 30 spirits in an instant was no joke. A shadow soldier carried him and placed him on his bed while Kurumi also got in the bed and cuddled Darren.
???: Let me explain on behalf of my liege. I am Shoto, one of his commanders.
Shido: Explain please.
Shoto: You see, Shido. You are not meant to be alive right now.
Shido: WHAT?!
Kurumi: Shut up Shido-san.
Shido: Sorry, but how did I die?
Shoto: DEM killed you, in order to make spirits inverse they succeeded in killing you.
Shido: So I died, but then how am I still alive?
Shoto: My liege used Vav on himself in order to send his mind back into the past just to be able to save you.
Shido: But doesn't he hate me?
Shoto: He does hate you with all of his heart, but he accepted the mission just for Mistress as she thinks that she failed you.
Shido: Kurumi...
Kurumi just stared at Darren while playing with his hair, not even caring about what I said.
Shido: Kurumi do you have feel-
Suddenly, a bullet whistled past my ear and it came from Kurumi who was sitting upright.
Kurumi: Used to, but not anymore since I have Darren-kun.
Shido: I understand.
Shoto: In total you have died 203 times. My liege had to save you over and over and over again. Just to fulfil his promise. Also, Shido, my master. He didn't exactly have the best lifestory.
Kurumi: Why didn't he tell me?
Shoto: Because he was afraid that you would be involved. So he only told Lucas and Yuko about this. Shido.
Kurumi: I understand now.
Shido: Yes?
Shoto: What I will tell you now, is what happened to our liege.
Shido: Alright.
Shoto told me everything about Darren, how he was abused by his family, neglected to the point where he almost lost any visible human emotions. Was betrayed by his girlfriend, later on, he escaped to his grandfather, where he never gain much love and was also neglected there. He also told me how many scars Darren had accumulated and most of those scars were from the constant abuse that he had received. I just opened my mouth wide in shock. He also told me how in the past few days, he went berserk because he felt the feeling of sadness and despair of being abandoned once more. The reason why he saved me was because even all that I did to him, he still did the mission for Kurumi...
Shoto: Of course, you can just interpret it as selfishness from our liege. But after what happened to him... He just doesn't want to be alone, and the moment that you stole our mistress from him. Triggered his inner fear.
Shido: So, what happened, was because of me...
Shoto: My liege.
Darren: I did Shoto, I did save Shido and it was from Kurumi. Now Shido, what do you want to say to me?
Shido: I am grateful for you saving me?
Darren: Just go home. I don't want to see your face right now...
Shido: Yep. I will...
Darren: (Why did I save this person?)