The forest clearing that had served as a battlefield was now blanketed in white smoke. At its center bloomed a giant nine-petaled lotus, with Tsukihi at its core.
A gentle mist fell from her hair, cascading over her shoulders and down her body like a veil. Meanwhile, thick white smoke exhausted from her tails in continuous streams, rolling across the ground into the white lotus.
Leon had tried to interrupt the spell casting with a kiss, yet it hadn't worked. Now Tsukihi clung to his chest, smiling and blushing as she leaned against him for support, using his body to keep herself standing.
She spent all that time casting. There's no way this is just a smoke bomb.
"Tsukihi, what is this?"
"It's a sixth-level spell I invented."
Her voice was fragile, exhaustion finally catching up to her now that the fighting had paused. Even so, her eyes brightened with excitement. Despite barely being able to stand, she looked delighted that Leon had asked about the spell she had created.
"This spell completely covers the surrounding area in this white air. It acts as snow to enhance my cryomancy, ash for my pyromancy, and smoke for my illusionism!"
She pressed her chest into his proudly. Her grin widened as she looked up and squeezed him tighter, her tails wagging faster despite her fatigue.
"But it's not just a powerful buff spell! I can read the air while everyone else is completely covered in smoke."
A one-way smoke screen that covered an entire battlefield while amplifying her offensive magic... It's scary all right but that means no one's been hurt yet.
Leon looked down at her. Tsukihi was clearly waiting for praise.
"It's an amazing spell, Tsukihi!"
"Say my name again! No, kiss me again first, then say my name! Do both! Yeah, do. Woah!"
Tsukihi suddenly pulled Leon down with her to their knees as a beam of blue light tore through the smoke where he'd been standing.
"How are they able to see through the smoke?... They're all outside the lotus now. They shouldn't even know where we are!"
Tsukihi's eyes scanned through the smoke, trying to figure out how they were tracking her.
Maybe her spell isn't as one-sided as she thought...Still, that beam was aimed directly at me. Could it have been off target?... Come to think of it, how did they find me exactly?
Leaves came next, spinning through the air like razor blades. Tsukihi waved her hand, and they burst into flames before reaching him.
Okay, that's definitely aimed at me! Did they put some kind of tracker on me?
"This makes no sense. If they could see through the smoke, then they should be able to see me too. This fight has been going on forever. Why aren't they forgetting?"
"Tsukihi, no one is going to forget you anymore as long as you're with me. The reason people can't form memories around you is because you're passive consuming them. Mine too. But I'm out healing it. All night you were feeding on me and that's why they're not forgetting."
"I… I… can't! It hurts! No! Stop talking about it! Stop! You're a miracle! More than I ever could've hoped for! This is too much!"
She shook her head violently.
"It doesn't matter if they can see me! In here, I can't lose!"
Wisps of flame ignited around her, flickering like unstable sparks before erupting outward. An Itano circus of fire burst from the white lotus, scattering into the distance. Vanishing from Leon's view only to be felt a few seconds later as the ground shook.
Before he could speak, he felt an old friend.
The Overseer of Death.
But not outside the smoke where Tsukihi attacks had just landed.
Leon's eyes searched through the smoke. He couldn't see anything, but he knew where it was coming from.
While Tala was strongest, Rika was the deadliest. The others had fought to try and restrain Tsukihi. But she was too strong. Now Rika was hidden in the haze. Death was certain should Rika strike.
Leon looked into the smoke and shook his head.
I can't see where you are, but I know this feeling. You have to give me more time. I'm going to save her!
The Overseer lingering a moment longer before Leon felt his presence leave.
Thank you Rika! Now how do I reason with Tsukihi?!...reason?
"That girl is calling out location... With the Ram horns. Wait, she's a succubus!"
Leon had stopped noticing the variety of attacks aimed at him. Lost in thought only for Tsukihi to grab him eyes wide in fear.
"Leon!... you're not mindless? How is she tracking you if she hasn't enslaved you?"
"I told y..."
No, I already tried to reason. She's afraid, traumatized...
"Tsukihi I'm scared. I don't want to lose you but I don't know how to save you."
"What do you mean?! You can remember me!"
"Then why are you still hurting? Why are you still scared?"
"I... I.."
Leon stood in front of her. His fingers intertwined with hers.
The attacks kept coming. Hitting against his back as he held her hands.
He didn't flinch. He didn't yell.
"Leon stop!"
"I can't watch you die, you've suffered so much. So this is all I can do for you."
"You'll die!"
"No I won't. And neither will you."
"Leon!"
"We'll stay like this. Till the smoke drops. Or the attacks end. Till the sun sets. Till you or them fall asleep. Till this forest withers away. But I'll be here. Holding your hands."
"...Even if they forget?"
"I'll be here."
The mist stopped falling from her hair, the exhaust from her tails gave their last puff. Only tears poured from her eyes as the white lotus fell.
Leon pulled her head into his chest.
"Silly girl"
With the smoke now clear, the other girls began to circle in. Cautiously at first, but as Tsukihi continued to cry into Leon's chest, they lowered their weapons.
"Hey! Good to see you. This is Tsukihi. She got a bit lonely but she's nice. She actually eats memories so she doesn't have any friends but I'm going to be feeding her starting today so don't worry."
Valeria and Celestine walked up to Leon's side.
"Hi. I'm Valeria. I've been alone for a while too, so I don't have many friends either. I'm also a vampire and I feed on Leon as well. Let's be friends Tsukihi!"
"Yeah. Yeah I'd like that!"
"And I'm Celestine. I'm Leon's first wife and"
"Is this really the time for that! And I'm going to be his first wife!"
"I'm giving a proper introduction! You're the one who introduced yourself as 'feed on Leon'. That's on you."
Really you two? Really?
Tsukihi stood up and rubbed the tears from her eyes.
"Ummm... I'm going to be his wife too! I'll be his 9th!"
9th?! Where'd the other 6... Other 5 come from?!
Despite his shock, a soft giggle passed between the 3 girls
A slow clap rang out from the edge of the forest. An unfamiliar voice spoke as he walked towards Leon and the girls.
"After all that, you're all just going to make up. Crowding around one human like a little harem. Disgusting. Absolutely abhorrent! I suppose I'll have to tear this ending apart"