55th Adversary: The Broken Cloud

The scene changed again, however, the place was the same. The only difference was that Krow was no longer there. Miko assumed he left after giving some final instructions.

"Darius….I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Layla, after being freed, walked up to Darius and hugged him.

"….Darius? Who's that?"

"Huh?"

Layla let go of Darius and looked at him again.

"What are you talking about? You're Darius."

"I'm Nebulous. I don't know any Darius."

"...…"

Both Miko and Layla were speechless. They didn't know what was going on. Under their eyes, Darius stood up and wiped the bloodstains from his eyes.

"Could it be Darius had really "died" just like Krow said?"

Miko mumbled. All he could feel from Darius now was emptiness. Something that he felt from Nebulous.

"T-Then, do you remember who I am?"

"Of course. You're my partner, Layla Song. Together we make up Nebulous."

Layla was surprised to hear how he currently saw her. She didn't know why he thought she was his partner in crime.

"Is this his way of saying that I'm a part of him?"

She tried to wrap her head around the situation. Darius definitely had a meltdown and "died", that was what Krow had implied. The reason was that he cast away his freedom, the thing that makes him him, and became a puppet in order to save Layla.

"Then is this person a different Darius?"

She couldn't really understand. Yet, she still showed a bright smile.

"That's right. Together we make up Nebulous. We're partners, one and the same. That won't change even after death."

"This woman…..did she just decide to devote her every being to Darius? Is it out of guilt or is it out of love?"

Miko was also trying to fully understand the situation. All he knew was that these two broke this night.

"What should we do about this?"

Layla was referring to the destroyed area.

"This is a good chance. Let's use this and bury my old identity. This way we can move without anyone being able to link anything to me."

"Then are you going to disappear in the background?"

"Yes. It won't be easy, but I'll become a phantom terrifying the underworld. Things like securing income and creating our organization will be left to you."

"So you do the dirty work while I handle the business and political side of things? Sounds fine to me."

She took his hand and started helping him to walk.

"I'm sure we can accomplish anything as long as we're together. But for now, I think we deserve some rest."

The scene changed again. This time Darius was walking in a burning building. Around him were countless dead bodies. Miko didn't know what kind of building it was, but it was obviously heavily guarded from the security equipment inside.

*Bam!*

Darius blew a steel door open. Inside, Miko saw someone chained to a wall. They were in rags and looked like something a beggar would scorn.

"Yo, are you that monster everyone's been talking about?"

Darius approached the person. When Miko got closer, he realized the person was wearing a red and black mask that he recognized.

"NoFace, I'm here to make you an offer."

The scene skipped again. Darius was with NoFace and Layla in an abandoned warehouse.

"This will be our base. It isn't on any maps, and it's not really known."

Layla explained. She looked at NoFace.

"Use your ability to liven the place up."

"Kay."

Masked men wearing black and red started appearing around them with NoFace in the middle. They all stood awaiting orders.

"Good. These will be our messengers to the outside world. They'll be our Proxies whenever we need to deal with business and communicate with others. Since they're faceless puppets, there's no risk to us if they're caught. Also, NoFace will be able to use them to keep an eye on several places at once."

Layla turned to Darius.

"I told you he would be a great addition to us. Aren't you glad I told you where my family had him locked away?"

Darius nodded with a strange expression.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. I'm just not feeling that well. I'll go take some fresh air."

"Wait!"

Before Layla could stop him, Darius had already flown off using two orbs that were connected to his back. Miko followed Darius and noticed he had a painful expression on his face.

He flew for a while before falling out of the sky and crashing into a dumpster in an alley.

"Ugh…..Where the hell am I? What happened to me?"

Darius mumbled as he lay on some trash bags.

"Umm….Are you okay?"

He heard a voice and looked to his side. There he saw a beautiful woman with brown hair and pink eyes.

"Hina?"

The woman reminded Miko of Hina.

"No, Hina shouldn't have been born yet. Wait…..She's 17 so maybe she's already alive around this time. But this isn't her."

Miko looked at the woman again.

"Could this be her Grandmother? I forgot that Darry was in love with her."

"...…"

Darius looked at the woman from head to toe, before getting out of the dumpster. To Miko's surprise, he suddenly got on his knees.

"I know that this is sudden because we just met, but I can't recall a more beautiful woman. Please marry me!"

"Not a chance in a hell."

Nami ignored him and threw the bags she had in her hand into the dumpster and walked away.

"Wait! Maybe I was too hasty. At least allow me to introduce myself."

Darius put on a dignified expression and said-

"My name is Darry. It's nice to meet you."

"?!"

Miko's eyes widened. He recognized the person in front of him as Darry rather than Nebulous or Darius.

"I'm getting a headache. What the hell is going on?"

He held his head.

"Can I get your name?"

"I rather not. You're clearly suspicious. I mean, who just fall from the sky like that?"

"Trust me, beauty. I'm no one suspicious. I might not remember anything other than my name, but I'm not suspicious."

"Later."

Nami started walking away.

"Wait! I'm serious! I'm not someone suspicious."

"Isn't that a gun on your waist?"

Darius looked at his waist and the gun.

"Where did this come from?"

He threw the gun away.

"It's gone."

"I'm going."

"Wait!"

*Bam!*

Miko saw Darius fly past him and slammed into the dumpster. He looked back and saw Nami lifting her leg.

"I don't like annoying people."

Nami left the alley.

Darius struggled to his feet and wiped the blood from his mouth.

"Feisty. I like her."

Miko floated around Darius and examined him.

"There's no mistake. This is Darry. He said he has no memories…..Could it be that Darry and Nebulous are personalities Darius created to escape reality?"

He pondered.

"I remember reading about a case like this once. Sometimes people create several personalities to escape from a painful experience, and live in a way that will make them "happy". This could be happening to Darius. He created Nebulous so he can work under Krow and remain sane. This way he can efficiently carry out his orders."

He looked at Darry running after Nami.

"From what I know about Darry, he was probably created so Darius can express himself and be free. Maybe that's why he's like that and acts like he doesn't have a care in the world. Also, I'll say he's the closest to the old Darius."

The more Miko thought about it, the more broken Darius seemed.

"But I don't get it. Why did Nebulous seem like he wanted to end everything if he was created to serve Krow?"

The scene skipped and Miko was now in a bookstore. Darius was at the counter talking to Nami. From what Miko heard from Hina, he realized that this must've been the bookstore she owned.

"You're pretty persistent, aren't you? Do you really plan to come here every day?"

"Of course. I get to see you, so why wouldn't I come every day?"

"Even after all the beatings I gave you, you're still spurting nonsense. I'm fed up, really. Just do what you want."

Nami sighed while smoking her pipe.

"I've always done that."

Darry started smiling like an idiot.

"Nami, I'm here to pick up the book I asked for….."

Miko saw someone walk in with a smile on her face. The smile disappeared when she saw Darry. It was Layla.

"Oh, Layla. I was waiting for you."

Nami greeted Layla, but Layla kept staring at Darry, who looked like a puppy wagging his tail at Nami.

"You know this idiot? He said he's called Darry."

"Darry?"

Layla looked at Darius suspiciously. Darry finally noticed her and smiled.

"Well, aren't you a beauty?"

He walked up to her and held her hand.

"If I wasn't pursuing Nami, I would've surely made you my woman."

"Ah….Huh?"

Layla didn't know what to say. Her lover had just told her something like that.

"What? You don't know each other?"

"Of course, we do. Right, Darry?"

"We do?"

Darry looked confused.

"Oh, yeah. That guy said something about losing his memories. Maybe that's the case."

"I-Is that so?"

Layla had a bitter smile.

"Nami, can I borrow him for a bit?"

"Sure. You would be doing me a favor."

She held Darry's hand and started to drag him.

"What's this? Even this beauty has fallen for me? Don't get jealous, Nami! In the end, I'll definitely return to you! Ow!"

Layla hit Darius across the head before dragging him out.

"What a weird guy."

Nami said with a smile.

The scene changed again.

"Darius, what's the meaning of this? I haven't seen you in almost two weeks and now I catch you flirting with my bestfriend?"

Layla spoke angrily to Darius in an alley.

"Do you want me to become a murderer?"

"Wait wait wait! Violence isn't the answer! Put the knife away!"

Darius desperately pleaded.

"I don't know any Darius, I'm Darry!"

"This again….."

Layla had a frustrated expression on her face.

"I've already lost you once, now you want to make me lose you again."

Seeing her expression, Darius became silent.

"I'm sorry if I'm making you sad, but I just don't remember."

He said while scratching his head.

"Maybe if you can jog my memory. I know a kiss might work!"

"Do you really think you deserve a kiss right now?"

Layla pointed her knife at his neck.

"I-I guess not."

Layla removed the knife and started to think.

"But something to jog your memory huh?...I know! You're always repeating this line since we became Nebulous. Maybe it has a link to your subconsciousness."

Layla took a deep breath and then said-

"My freedom is cloudy…"

"But the sun must shine again."

Darius finished the line without waiting on Layla. The look on his face and his aura were completely different.

"Layla, where am I and what am I doing here?"

"Darius!"

Layla suddenly leaped into his arms after seeing him return to normal.

The scene skipped, and Darius and Layla were in the same place.

"Another personality huh? This is quite troublesome."

Darius said. It looked like Layla had explained the situation to him.

"Looks like I can bring you back by reciting that line from that book, but there a chance that you'll turn into Darry at any time."

"...…"

Darius entered deep thought. After a while, he spoke.

"Layla, let's leave it be. This might be a way of me expressing myself. I think this personality might keep me sane. So, if you meet Darry, just pretend you're an old friend, and whenever you need me just bring me back…Can you do that?"

Layla didn't answer immediately because she didn't like being treated as a friend by Darius, even if it was a different personality. However, if this was the only way Darius could be himself, then she wanted to help him out.

So she reluctantly nodded.

The scene changed again. They were once again in Nami's bookstore. This time Layla was at the counter with Nami, while Darius was playing with a baby that resembled Nami.

"Is that Hina?"

Miko said while looking at the baby, who was chasing Darius with shaky steps.

"Hina really likes him."

Layla said.

"Yeah, I don't know why though. I hope this isn't a sign she'll be attractive to no good men."

Nami looked worried. For some reason, Miko felt offended.

"So did your son say why he sent Hina to you?"

"Apparently, that idiot had made some very dangerous enemies, so he sent Hina away until he can deal with them."

"Dangerous?"

"I think he said that they were called New Era or something. I don't know, he never went into details."

"But your son is powerful right? Are his enemies that great he must hide his child from them?"

"From the desperate tone he had, I can assume so."

"But if that's the case, why not retreat to the Wakoku Nation? Isn't that where you're from? It's isolated and hard to enter after all."

"He probably believed the Dragna Empire is the safer bet, and I agree."

"Because it's one of the top nations in the world?"

Nami shook her head.

"Because Nero and the other 4 branch leaders of the Dragna clan are here. No one would stupid enough to cause trouble unless they're Higher Beings. If Tiamat had chosen a proxy, this nation would've been even more powerful though."

She looked at Darius who was giving a young Hina a piggyback.

"Layla, who is he really?"

"What do you mean? He's Darry."

"There's no use hiding it. I felt great potential in him, but it seems to be blocked off by something. If it wasn't for that, he would've been far more powerful than he is now."

She glanced at Layla.

"He can't be anyone normal."

"…It's better you don't ask. But at least let me say this, he'll never hurt you. A-After all, he really loves you...I can tell."

Nami quietly observed Layla.

"I'm fine. You can have him."

She said.

"There's no way I can steal a man from you with your face like that."

"Wait, were you planning to-"

"Well, he is handsome. Also, he makes me laugh from time to time. I would be lying if I said that I didn't find him attractive."

Nami smiled at Layla which made her flustered.

"The fact Darius remembers this means that he was listening to their convo…."

Miko saw a smile on Darius's face, which confirmed what he thought.

The scene changed again. Darius and Layla were now at dinner with Nami and a sleeping Hina who was laying on Darius's lap. They talked about a lot of pointless stuff with smiles on their faces, looking like they were enjoying themselves.

The more Miko watched their dinner, the more confused he got because he couldn't see why Darius found this to be an important memory. It was after the dinner and Nami had left with Hina that everything changed.

"Good evening."

Miko saw someone dressed in black and wearing a mask appears in front of Darius and Layla. Miko recognized this person as a servant from the Dragna clan.

"I bring orders from Lord Krow."

Hearing that, Layla immediately summoned Nebulous out of Darius.

"What is it?"

Nebulous asked. The servant gave him a letter before disappearing. Nebulous read it and frowned.

"An order to monitor Nami and Hinami Akume?"

The scene changed.

"So Krow was interested in Hina and Nami's powers from this early on. But where did he get the information about them?"

Miko felt like there was something more to the situation Darius was unaware of.

He finally looked at the scene playing before him. He was surprised to see Darius was with a much older Hina.

"See? This is the knife that was in the magazine and this is one I created."

Hina was holding up two identical knives.

"Amazing. Your powers are really awesome Hina."

Darius rubbed Hina's head with a smile.

"Hehehe."

Hina happily chuckled while being patted by Darius. From her expression, it was obvious that it meant a lot to her.

"She really saw him as a father figure….."

Miko's observed their smiling faces.

"But I should be close."

He narrowed his eyes.

"I'll finally know what happened those years ago that broke Darius even further."

As if to give him what he wanted, the scene changed again. The place was on the top of a building. It was late in the night and Darius was looking at a burning town. Miko could see all kinds of monsters and creatures flying everywhere. The screams of people also reached his ears.

"Did Hinami Akume do this?"

He asked NoFace who was beside him.

"That's right. It seems her powers went haywire and it led to this."

"What about her? Is she alright?"

"Yeah. She and her grandmother escaped before it got this bad."

"I see. And the Song Family?"

"Dead."

"…Layla?"

" She's at the base. She seems to be lost in thought."

"I see."

He turned his back to this town.

"Tell me where Nami and Hinami are. I'll go make contact using Darry."

"Yes."

The scene changed to day. Darius was walking through a crowd heading towards Nami, who was in the middle of shopping.

"Yo, Nami. I was able to meet you again after you just left without a word. This must be fate."

Nami looked at him and smiled.

"Darry, you're alive as I thought. I knew you wouldn't die so easy."

"What's this, you're actually happy to see me? Maybe I did die and went to heaven?"

"If you can crack jokes like that, I guess that you're fine."

She then looked sad.

"Layla?"

"She's fine, but with her family…."

"I see. I want to see her, but I can't leave Hina for too long. She's afraid to go outside. It would be great if you can visit her."

"Ok, I will-"

"You can't Darry."

Suddenly someone interrupted their conversation. They turned around, it was Layla. Her face was pale, and she looked frantic. She walked up to Nami and placed her hands on her shoulder.

"Nami, you need to leave this country immediately! Go back to the Wakoku Nation, or anywhere that's safe and far away from here."

"What's wrong, Layla?"

Darius asked.

"My freedom is cloudy…."

"But the sun must shine again."

Nebulous had taken over.

"What is it, Layla? Why did you summon me here?"

Nami sensed a severe change in Darius. It was like he was a different person.

"Who are you?"

She asked.

Nebulous looked at her for a bit, before completely ignoring her.

"Did Krow give new orders?"

He asked Layla.

"Krow?!"

Nami immediately reacted to Krow's name and distanced herself from the two.

"Wait, Nami! We are not your enemy!"

Layla shouted.

"Like I would believe anyone working with that bastard."

Nami's voice was cold.

"Nami, listen to me. Krow wants us to kill you to isolate Hina. You must take her and run."

Nami looked at Layla with a sharp gaze. It was obvious that she didn't trust her.

"Krow wants to kill Nami?"

At the same time, Darius had a pale expression. He held his head while cold sweat covered his body. It looked like he was in pain.

"Darius?"

Layla stopped him from falling to the ground.

"Layla….Who is Krow?"

Darius asked.

"Krow is my master."

He answered his own question.

"Is he alternating between Darry and Nebulous?"

Miko asked.

"But he wants to kill Nami! He's an enemy!"

"No, he's our master! He's stronger than us, so we must obey!"

Darry and Nebulous started arguing with each other while alternating.

"I will not carry out this order!"

"Shut up! The weak must obey the strong!"

"I'm my own man! I love freedom!"

"Freedom is only for those with strength!"

Darius started digging into his arms with his nails. His skin was peeled off and blood started flowing.

"What the hell?"

Nami watched Darius with a shocked face.

"Run away, Nami!"

"Don't move, woman! I will kill you!"

Nami landed in front of Darius and knocked him out with a punch.

"Layla explain the situation."

The scene changed again.

"I see."

The scene now showed Darius waking up in a room with Layla and Nami.

"To think that you're that Nebulous who took over the Crime world a few years ago."

Darius looked at Nami.

"Nami, hurry up and run!"

That was the first thing he said.

"Oh, so you're Darry now."

Nami smiled at him.

"Why are you smiling? Leave while I can still control myself!"

"It's no use. I've been trying to convince her for the last couple of hours, but this woman is too stubborn."

Layla said.

"I can't leave. If I did, Hina would think that we had to run because of her. That girl can't handle any more guilt. She's as frail as she can get already."

"None of that matters! You can deal with that after you're safe! You just can't stay here."

Darius shouted.

"I'm not leaving. Even if I did try, then my real enemies will come after me and Hina."

"Real enemy? Do you mean New Era?"

Layla asked. Nami nodded.

"I'm not 100% sure, but there's a chance that Krow is working for, or is a part of them."

"Just what are they really?"

"I have no idea, but what's sure is that they're powerful. I'm one thing, but I can't allow Hina to fall into their hands."

She smiled at Darius.

"As such, I'll take my chances with Krow."

"Why?!"

Darius grabbed onto her desperately.

"I can't lose you Nami! I can't take any more torment! If Krow takes you away, then….!"

"Don't worry. You still have Layla and Hina. Just promise me, if I don't make it…"

The space started to distort like a tv channel having signal problems on a tv.

"Please….take….care…of…Hina."

Static made Nami's speech unclear and broken apart.

That's when the scene suddenly changed. It was raining and everything in the area was destroyed. There were dead bodies everywhere. They all belonged to Dragna servants. Darius walked through this wasteland with sluggish steps. He stepped into puddles of water and blood alike. He mindlessly walked towards the woman who lay down in the center of a crater. Standing in front of her was a man with purple hair who had his back turned to Darius.

It was Krow.

"I heard she was powerful, but who would've expected she would able to take my arm with her last breath."

Krow spoke to the approaching Darius. Miko could see blood flowing from Krow's robe, and Nami holding a muscular arm in her mouth. Miko could tell that she fought an intense battle.

"It will take a while for me to grow a new arm, but I'll let her keep that one as a show of respect."

Krow turned and looked at Darius. His face couldn't be seen, only a red X as if Darius didn't wish to remember his face.

"Looks like you failed to live free again."

He walked past Darius and disappeared. Darius stood in front of Nami and stared at her in silence.

"...…."

Only the sound of rain could be heard. It Darius drenched Darius and washed away Nami's blood

*Thud*

Darius fell to his knees and tears of blood started flowing from his eyes. He bent over and lifted Nami's body off the ground and started caressing it.

Cold. That was all he could feel from the woman he spent so many warm days with. He looked at her one more time.

"AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

He let out a heartbreaking wail and shook the area. It was as if the tormented souls of the underworld were all channeling their sorrow through his wail. After a while, he froze. It looked like he was still screaming but no sound came.

*Crack!*

The world Miko was watching cracked like a mirror that had fallen to the ground. Even Miko himself cracked.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH?!"

He also released a sorrowful wail as all of Darius' emotions flowed into him. Tears of blood flowed from his eyes endlessly. It was as if someone was beating his heart with a hammer while drilling into his brain. His sense of reality also started to become distorted.

Everything he saw and what he didn't see started pouring into him. He could see Darius carrying Nami's body and leaving her at the footsteps of Hina's apartment. He could see Darry being buried in sorrow and disappearing from the world leaving Nebulous to deal with everything. He could see Layla mourning Nami's death.

He could see him spotting Hina from afar, only to feel unknown sorrow and pain. Unable to cope with it, he decided to torment her. He could see everything. Before long he could feel everything Darius felt throughout his life.

The pain, the joy, the hatred, the sadness, the love, the madness. He could feel it all.

The world around him crumbled and his body was constantly being torn apart, before being stitched together, only to be torn apart again. After what felt like forever, everything started to calm down.

When he opened his eyes the look in them was completely different from before. He looked like a completely different person.

(Looks like the diamond has been polished.)