()= Thinking/ Replacing
*= Action
""= Phone
/= Whispers
--= Narrator
~~= Timeskip
Darren POV:
I was rolling dice in my room while sharpening my dagger while Yuko was talking to his servants and Lucas was training his ice powers.
Darren: We're not helping Shido Itsuka with his war.
Yuko: We know that from the start, with our own war coming up. There is no way for us to have any spare strength to help Shido.
Darren: The Monarch's generals are on the move. We should-
The three of us was suddenly swallowed up into the shadow dimension where Mio Takamiya was still chained up and sat there.
Darren: What is it that you want from us? Mio Takamiya...
Mio: I need you to see how Shido is preparing.
Yuko: Why should we help you?
Mio: Please... I learned from Darren that bringing Shinji back to life is impossible, but I just want to watch over him. So please help me...
Lucas: Yeah-
Darren: Fine... I will.
Lucas: But Darren-
Darren: Lucas, you don't know what happened. Just let me do this.
Yuko: Fine. But I'm going with you. I won't let my best friend die if this would be a sudden assault.
Lucas: I won't let you die either. So I'm heading with you.
Darren: Fine.
The three of us was suddenly spat out of the shadow dimension as we just stood there contemplating on what to do.
Darren: Let's go. You two should come with me to make sure that no one dies.
Yuko: Sure.
Lucas: Just try and control you hatred I guess.
Darren: Fine. They are at the Fraxinus right now. Let's pay the a surprise visit shall we?
Yuko: Of course.
Third person POV:
Onboard the bridge of the aerial warship Fraxinus, floating 15 thousand meters above Tengu City, the crew members were busy fulfilling out their various tasks.
Darren POV:
Darren: I have arrived.
The Fraxnius crew just turned their head towards Yuko, Lucas and I who teleported into the room.
Darren: Don't be so scared, after all. We trust each other right?
Kotori: Do what you want.
Darren: So what's the plan right now?
Kotori: We don't have one, so if you want to contribute. Bug off.
Darren: How upsetting, I thought we could contribute. But if that's the case, then we will bug off.
Lucas: Darren, stop playing with them.
Darren: Fine.
MARIA: Muu, as they say, a women's mind will begin to wilt away without proper care, Kotori.
Kotori: What did you say?
The three of us just looked at this scene with Shoto and Ciel striking conversations with the three of us from time to time. Kotori struck the console with a "Bang!" noise while continuing to issue commands without any stagnation. Looking at this scene unfold on the bridge, Shido couldn't help but make a small wry smile.
Darren: (Ciel, where is Kurumi and Mukuro?)
Ciel: (Kurumi is currently out with Kocho. Mukuro right now, is staying in your room just muttering when would you come back?)
Darren: (Yikes, not good. Ciel, can you give her a call to warp over here so that I can give her a hug?)
Ciel: (Of course, master.)
Shortly after saying that, Kotori added a straw before chugging down the sports drink. Afterwards, she breathed out a sigh of relief. Although she didn't say it, it was clear from her appearance how exhausted she was. Looking at her usually energetic sister be reduced to such a weary state, Shido gently clenched his fist.
Shido: I'm sorry, if only there's something that I can help with...
Hearing what Shido had just said, Kotori narrowed her eyes in surprise before shrugging her shoulders.
Darren: Just shut up, you and my job is the hardest. Which is to survive on the battlefiel-
I was suddenly interrupted when Mukuro appeared out of a warp portal and hugged me.
Mukuro: MISTER!
Darren: Yo.
Kotori: The opponent is the largest Wizard organisation, DEM Industries. It's not clear what will happen at that time. You need to adjust your condition as much as possible. On that day, I don't want to hear you apologising from catching a cold, being nervous, or lacking sleep. Darren, Shido. I don't want to see the two of you die on the battlefield ok?
Darren: I won't die. If I died, Mukuro and Kurumi as well as the rest of my lovers would be so sad. Which is why, I won't die in my own war.
Lucas: Same here. Rose might not be able to help. But Yuko can definitely defeat some monarchs.
Yuko: Hey, i'm not just some battling machine.
Lucas: By the way. Darren, you best form right now is the Duos Angels right?
Darren: Yeah, but if I were to gain more angels. Then my forms would improve. Right now I only have Zaphkiel and Micheal to fuse with.
However, if one utilises the time of rest to make wasteful movements that squanders physical energy or raise mental exhaustion from unnecessary worrying, it would on the contrary only add to the burden of one's companions. Furthermore, the upcoming battle in two more days could be said to be a clash that would determine the fate of all of the Spirits. Since the key factor was Shido and Darren's life, he couldn't afford even the slightest moment's worth of negligence then.
Darren: I wonder who would be by my side when I die.
Yuko: Us, if you die in that war. We will die as well. Which means that you better survive.
Darren: Of course, but in that war. Issac has partnered himself with some other people.
Yuko: Who?
Darren: A weak Monarch. But right now, we are nowhere near a Monarch level. We are commander levels at best.
Lucas: How man y Monarchs are there?
Darren: Subtract me, you and my sister. Then there would be 6 more.
Lucas: Who?
Darren: Monarch of Light, Fire, Iron body, Poison, Beast, electric.
Lucas: Poison is the trickiest.
Darren: For you, since Yuko and I both have poison resistance by both Ciel and Avalon.
Shido: Darren, I have a question for you. Is Kurumi going to join us?
After hearing what Shido had said, I turned around to face Shido, who was staring at me with a serious expression.
Mukuro: Muku can answer instead of Mister Darren.
Darren: Mister Darren?
Mukuro: You don't like it?
Darren: i don't mind.
Mukuro: She'll definitely come you two heard that from Mister and Kuru's clone right? Rather, from that wording, it would be an exaggeration to say that we're caught in fight between Kuru and Westcott. Well, since the goal is Shido and Mister's life, it'll naturally develop into that.
Shido: That's true.
Kotori: I think you also understand, but this time you absolutely cannot attempt something inexplicable on your own again. Sealing the reiryoku of Spirits is our goal, but that is meaningless if you don't survive. Your most important task now is to survive. With all things consider, you mustn't go off wandering searching for Kurumi on the battlefield. What kind of person would try to chase after two rabbits down the rabbit hole at once?
Kotori: Also, you shouldn't try and seal her. Darren proved to us that he is able to keep Kurumi from killing people, Darren's most important is also to survive. It's entirely possible that Issac has some sort of plan to kill Darren since he knows that Darren is stronger than him.
Darren: It is strange, if they want my life. Then they need something like a commander level. Shido at full power at max potential with all of the angels and Issac with Dues would only result to the first general at best.
Darren: Which means that there's someone stronger than Issac behind him, supporting Issac with this war.
Shido: I-I know.
Reine: We're not saying to ignore Kurumi. But we are saying that give up on the idea of sealing her since Darren is keeping her in check to not harm anyone. Darren is the best safe bet we have right now besides her death.
Kotori: Well, since Kurumi's goal is Shido's reiryoku, even if he survives that battle, he still has to work hard.
Darren: That's not her goal anymore.
Kotori: What do you mean?
Darren: You see, she only wanted his reiryoku to help me in future battles. But after seeing the harm that her goal did for everyone, she decided to give up on that goal. But the reason that Kurumi is helping Shido is the fact that she doesn't want the spirits to go inverse. Since I am stronger than Shido, she knows I can fend for myself.
Shido: I am asking you a request.
Darren: Yes?
Shido: Allow me to borrow Mukuro's angel.
Darren: No.
Shido: What?
Darren: I said no, but I can allow you to borrow a copy of it. You can store it and it will have the same abilities, show me how well you can fight after receiving that.
Shido: Would I be stronger than you after this?
Darren: Me at Monarch? No. Me right now? No. You need to reach your maximum potential for you to even surpass the me right now.
Kotori: Goal...
Darren: Hmm?
Kotori: It's the goal. Basically, everyone is acting in accordance to their own objective. Our goal is to save the Spirits. DEM's purpose is to invert the Sephira Spirit Crystal. Kurumi's goal is to use Shido's reiryoku in order to travel back to the past. At least three different motives have been incorporated in this battle. But one is missing. What is Phantom's goal.
I shivered at that.
Kotori: Darren, you know something don't you?
Darren: No idea what you are talking about.
Kotori: You know the goal of Phantom.
Darren: I do, but I won't tell you.
Kotori: Why not?
Darren: Because that goal of hers. Has been given up the moment I talked to her about it. Lucas, Yuko. We have something to discuss.
Mukuro: Muku made rice balls for Mister.
Darren: Thank you!
Mukuro slowly opened up the lunchbox she had while handing one to each of us. I took a bite out of it and it tasted just as good as her valentines chocolates.
Darren: It tastes awesome.
Mukuro: Thanks, Kocho taught me how to make it.
Darren: (Shinobu if like the big sister of the group. Oh well.)
The three of us headed towards a random room in Ratatoskr where Yuko just sat down on the floor and Lucas and I leaned against the wall.
Yuko: So what do you need to talk about.
Darren: The war, it's too hard for Issac to kill me. Even in my form right now, it is impossible to kill me. So there must be a safe for him to just declare war on me right now.
Lucas: You're guessing that a Monarch is after this war right?
Darren: Exactly, but we, at the moment. Are no where close to be able to beat Monarchs. Which is why. The Monarchs are impatient.
Yuko: Impatient?
Darren: The two strongest monarchs. If they are to revived, the hierarchy that was set before, would be destroyed and burned. Which is why they want to end Lucas and my life as soon as possible to preserve the hierarchy.
Darren: Kurumi's idea of salvation alongside Shido and my own idea of salvation. A method to make the three coexist. It's almost impossible to combine them. I wonder if there really is a chance for me to survive in this war with the Monarchs helping DEM.
Yuko: Don't worry, we will survive. Monarch or not.
Darren: Summoner, Ice Monarch and Undead Monarch. It is said that this trio is unstoppable. Are we able to make it happen?
Lucas: Of course.
Darren: Then shall we change the world?
Both: I'm prepared.