---One Day, in Kage's Mansion---

"Welcome home, Rikka." A figure appeared in front of a young lady with purple hair, who actually has just come home from somewhere

"Oh, if it isn't Kage. Good afternoon." The said lady replied. "It's strange to see you by yourself. Isn't Aigo always with you?"

"Well, she's out with Kazato this time, Irithel's being so busy and so Kazato asked her to help him, and there she goes."

"That's quite unusual." Rikka replied. "Why don't you help him too?"

"He didn't ask me. Besides should've someone take care of this mansion? I took that role since both of you are out.

"There are the ML heroes to staying here, you know?"

"Nah...they're guests so I don't think they're reliable for this task." Kage replied. "Why don't you take a bath now? It's almost evening and you know you can't wash your hair at that time."

"You sounded like my parent."

"I'm just telling you my parent's advice. Am I wrong to do so?"

"Whatever you say..."

Rikka then proceeded to her room, taking some clothes and went into the bathroom. Her thoughts, however was still loomed over something.

"Kage is acting weird. He seems like not himself."

She entered the bathroom and realized that a warm bath has already been prepared.

"Is Aigo preparing this? No, she's out with Kazato as Kage said. Maybe she prepared it before going out?"

Still looming over the thoughts, she gently dipped herself in the bath. She knew something is not right but she can't figure it out.

"Come to think of it, how did Aigo and Kage know when I will come back? If I said that I'm going on a date then they knew I might also go home late. Besides, Aigo is a Sohee, a captured Sohee..."

.

"W...Wait a second!"

Rikka's comprehensive ability took over her.

"Aigo is a Sohee...a captured Sohee...she will not be able to work or do something without her master, which is Kage.

That means, it's impossible for her to tag along with Kazato, without Kage joining them.

But Kage is here...so Aigo should be here...but...how..,"

A burst of room freshener came out automatically in the bathroom.

"That's strange, haven't Kage replaced the freshener..."

---Rikka's PoV---

*Ring* *Ring* the sound of my cellphone interrupted my thoughts. Well it was common for me to bring my phone into the bathroom since it was waterproof.

"Um...hello."

"Rikka, have you been home?" It was Kazato at the phone.

"Yes."

"What are you doing right now?" He asked again.

"Um, taking a warm bath?"

"Huh? A warm bath? I'm surprised you can prepare a warm bath yourself."

"Are you mocking me?" I replied angrily. "Besides, someone prepared it for me. I guess it was either Aigo or Kage, or maybe you?"

--Silence--

"Hello, Kazato?"

"That's impossible, all of us had been away since four hours ago!"

Wait...WHAT?

"All of you? But Kage decided to stay here, right? He might be possibly..."

"You joking? Kage is here with me, also Aigo since she's always accompanying him..."

---Thump---

That...is...not...right.

Then..who is that Kage I met?

...

...

"You're...the one...who's joking...right?" I said, suddenly taken over by fear.

"I'm not joking! Do you want to talk with him right now? I'll give the phone to him now."

"That's...not...possible..."

I suddenly felt dizzy, like I'm getting a sudden headache.

I dropped my phone.

"Hi Rikka, it's Kage. I'm here with Kazato, is there something wrong?"

No...how...

I felt my vision suddenly blurs, my head hurts, and slowly I begin to lose my hearing.

Something is wrong...It's so illogical but it happens...

"Dean, help...me..."

Then everything went black.

---Kazato's PoV---

"Hello? Rikka? Is there something wrong? What's with that noise?"

...

"Hello? Hellooo?"

"What's wrong, Kage?" I asked the familiar guy before me.

"Rikka's not responding to my question. And the call was still on..."

"Then let me..." I took back my phone and noticed that the call was still ongoing. "Rikka, Rikka?"

No answer.

"That's very strange..." I said. "No, even if she tried to joke before..."

"Joke?" Kage asked.

"She said that Kage or Aigo is preparing the warm bath for her. But u all know we are out for long, right?

Aigo was speechless, Irithel and Aomori was confused but not even trying to butt in our conversation, while Kage showed a surprised face.

"What's with the long face? You know she must be joking, right? Besides, I doubt Reiito could prepare a bath since he was too young."

"I might want to think about it." Kage replied. "But I was somehow worried."

"Hm?"

"You know last night I can't sleep and keep mumbling during my sleep?"

"That's unusual, but that's probably just because you're so tired. After all you were taking massive weights from the gym yesterday."

"I know...but somehow I have a feeling that something isn't right. Let's go back home!"

"Well, if you said so..."

*DIIN...DIIN* A car is fast approaching, and somehow it was being driven in a drunkard manner...and towards Irithel!

"Holy s***....Irithel...watch out!"

I quickly jumped and pushed Irithel forward to the pavement, letting me taking the impact.

My body became numb, and the last thing I hear is people calling me...

"Kazato!"

"Dad!"

Then everything went black.

---

---HQ area---

---Third Person's PoV---

"F...Fa...Five!"

"Great! Little Reiito's so clever" A white-haired elf was amazed while playing with a little baby.

From afar, a certain balance mage was talking to her best friend.

"I'm surprised Miya could be able to play along with Irithel's son. And the son looks happy."

"Well, I am also confused, to be honest." Selena replied. "But considering they used to have a little baby then I won't be so surprised, even though it's still as confusing regarding Reiito being a half-elven while their daughter is a pure elf.

"Half-elven or not, they still look adorable though." Lunox replied again.

All of a sudden, the door was opened, featuring a familiar man everyone there knows.

"Hello, everyone."

"Oh, hello Kage, back already?" Miya asked.

"Yeah, today's a tiring work."

"Aren't you going shopping?" Estes asked.

"Yes, and shopping is also a tiring work...Estes."

"Noted." The said Moon Elf King replied. "Anyways, why are you here alone? Where are the others?"

"Unpacking the stuffs. I was here to get Reiito back." Kage said approaching Miya, or rather the baby which is playing with her. "Her parents might have missed him..."

"Well, they must be." Miya said. "C'mon little boy..."

"Wait, Miya, don't give him!" Suddenly Estes said loudly.

"Eh? Why?"

"Kage, you forgot your own warning?"

"Warning?" Kage suddenly was confused.

"Yes, I remember. Before you're going, you said to us that we shouldn't hand Reiito to anyone other than his parents." Lunox said.

"So what? I'm his uncle..."

"Uncle is not part of parents. Besides, you said that not even yourself could take him, just to make sure he is safe under his parents' protection." Selena said.

"That's why we won't give you, just as you said." Estes said.

Kage's face changed into anger as he growled with a low tone.

"Teru...you bastard..."

"Or maybe you are not Kage." Estes said as he used his 2nd skill, trapping Kage inside the barrier. "Who are you?"

Selena and Lunox, reacting to Estes' attack, used their skills onto "Kage" and hit him bulls-eye.

"You're not much of a fighter, so just get out and call Ito's parents to pick him up."

Inside the barrier, "Kage" was struggling, but suddenly he just smirked.

"Well, you'd better rethink."

A force made of darkness suddenly emerged from his body, and broke free from all the attacks.

"What?"

"That's pure dark energy! Kage can't use that! You're not Kage!"

He smirked. "It's already too late, Moon elf King, if you just knew me now. Give me the boy now."

The dark Kage then flings a kind of abyssal arrow, just like Selena's, towards Miya, who was holding Ito on her arms.

Of course, it was deflected by a light carpet-like attack by the balance Goddess.

"Miya, take Reiito and the others to safety." Lunox said. "Selena, help me!"

"Anything for you, Lunox."

Lunox then attacked the dark Kage, together with Selena and Estes.

"M...My king..."

"Escorting Ito to safety is our priority now. Don't worry about me."

Miya then runs outside the room, while Estes kept trying his best to restrain the dark "Kage".

"Stubborn fools..." the dark Kage said.

"Who are you and what do you want with Reiito?"

"It seems that you really wanted to know me, huh?" The dark Kage said with a wicked tone of voice. "I'm Kage, at least the dark part of him."

"Dark Part?"

"You see, Kage means Shadow, and his kind is made of Light and Dark at the same time. He balanced and so we dissolved in union."

He paused for a moment.

"However, his depression lets his balance to weaken, and at one night during his extreme tiredness, his balance wavers and he splits himself into two, the Light part and the Dark part of himself. And I acted as the dark part of himself." He said. "By the way, since you questioned about my name, then let me tell you.

My name is In'ei, and you have no right to know why I wanted that boy. But I assure you I won't harm him."

"Listening all that just increases my distrust with you." Estes said.

"Then you leave me no choice."

Using his darkened hands, he created a surge wave made of darkness, so big that it could swallow the three of them at once.

"Ergh!"

"Different from Kage or his Light part...I know no mercy. Even if I want to erase you from existence, I will just do it."

"We...will...not...be...defeated."

"Your attitude amused me." In'ei said. "Too bad that couldn't save you."

He clicked his hands and the waves suddenly changed into a fire wall surrounding them, its spinning sucked the energy of everything inside.

"If this is my end...I will not regret as long as Miya is safe."

Estes kneeled powerlessly.

"King...Estes..." Lunox realized what had happened. "Selena, since you're of the abyss, is there something you can do."

"This abyss is too pure, my powers are incomparable...Aaaaahhhh!"

"Selena! No! This...can't...be...the...end."

Both balance mages fell to the ground powerlessly.

"Now you understand about my pure power. If only you didn't resist me..."

"I'll be finding that boy now, and no one will stop me. And after that, It will begin...

---With Kage---

"Kazato! Kazato! This can't be happening."

"Calm yourself down, Irithel." Kage replied. "He's still alive, it seems that he used his power at the right time."

"*sniff* You sure about that, Kage?"

"But there's something worse. I felt like this accident was staged, someone wants him dead."

"Eh? But isn't the car going after me?"

"This guy knows Kazato's selflessness, and so he knows Kazato will jump and save you like that."

"B...but...who is this guy?"

"I'm going to tell you on the way. But now, we have to go home quickly...everyone is in danger! And one other thing."

"Hm?"

"For now, call me Teru."

---It Splits: The Beginning---

---

I'm trying to insert a villain here.

And well, sorry if it was so horrible since I never write Dark-Themed stories before.

Teru is written as 輝, which means Light (at least in Chinese), while In'ei was written as 陰翳, actually means Shadow but also means Darkness.

Yeah, Kage's Depression splits himself into two...

What will happen? Let's see in the future.

Thank you and see you soon!

Kage (as Teru, you can still address me by Kage tho)