Kurai Yoru (Darker Night)

34: New Dawn

Back in the mansion of the Demon Lord, the other girls sat around the dining table, gloomy and sadness visible in each of their faces. They had just woken after their short sleep, courtesy of their life energy being sucked by the stones before. With the help of Tamamo's healing spells, they could say that they're at half of their best now.

Mimi, the self-proclaimed Vampire Queen lay unmoving on a seat of her own. The silence finally getting to the blonde girl, she spoke. "You all can't just mop around here doing nothing."

"What will we do though?" Celleya looked at the vampire, frowning. "Ani betrayed us, but, I still don't know how to feel about it..."

Thalia slammed a hand to her front. "Ani... why did you do that?"

Hexhine looked down, a shadow casting over her eyes. "Ani was jealous. Jealous about us being loved by Sitri."

Celleya stood up from her seat, and yelled. "But brother loves her just as much! He treats her like a real sister!"

Meanwhile, Thalia widened her eyes, grasping the gist of it. "Ani loves him intimately." As she said that, everyone's eyes turned to her.

"T-That might explain her loyalty to him..." Mimi muttered.

"How I could I have not notice it?!" Thalia gritted her teeth. "I was with her the longest out of all of us..."

"Ani's the best assassin I've ever known." Celleya quietly mumbled. "She's probably an outstanding actress too..."

"Still," Mimi voiced her opinion to them. "just for that, and she was already gonna kill you?"

A bright flash shone behind them, and there came out Tamamo, a forlorn look etched on her face. All of her tails were dropping down in sadness, same to her ears.

"What happened, Tamamo?" Celleya stared at the goddess.

"Ani's..." She looked to the side. "with Sitri right now. It's up to Sitri whether she'll live or..."

Nobody needed to know what she was trying to say there. Silence befell the room once again, as they all tried to think what would happen next.

"I..." Hexhine uttered, frowning. "I'd like to give Ani a second chance. Though she's old, her mentality just that of a child. That's a valid reason... right?"

Nobody replied at that.

"I also want to give Ani a second chance..." Thalia muttered to herself. "I'm practically her big sister. I'll be sure to guide her more thoroughly this time."

"I... want to see Ani's real smile again.". Celleya looked at everyone.

"Then this is perfect!" Tamamo smiled at everyone. "I'll go tell Sitri this, I'm sure he'll be happy!"

The goddess promptly disappeared, lifting the girls' mood even just a little. They finally settled to just forget this nightmare and move on, giving their smallest friend her second chance. Just a little more, then everything will be back to normal...

Tamamo's familiar golden glow appeared in their middle. All four girls waited to see the three come out of the teleportation spell, but only two figure could be seen.

"Tamamo..." Celleya blinked, tilting her head. "Where's brother?"

At the mention of the white-haired demon, the fox couldn't lift her own wait anymore, making her fall down to the ground with a whimper. Soon, those soft sniffs turned into a full blown cry, with Tamamo resting an unconscious Ani in her hands.

Hexhine hurriedly ran towards her fellow goddess, worry written all over her face. "Tamamo, what's wrong? I can sense Ani's energy. She's alright. Why are you...?"