Mission 18
Reverberation of the Oracle
"... Abylum did succeed in bestowing immortality on the ruler of the demon world, but not Mundus as a habitus. After all, in his spell, he spoke of 'that ruler', so the demon who was the ruler of the demon world at that specific time, and that had been Mundus. Due to my new abilities I had acquired, I watched the ritual very well in retrospect as I was not allowed to be personally present when it happened."
"That means -"
"That means -", Futuras is interrupting, "that Mundus is only immortal as long as he is the ruler of the demon world. If someone would push him off the throne and take the place of the demon king instead, Mundus would lose his immortality, and that is exactly what Vergil intends to do!"
"Okay ... That's interesting ..."
"Abylum certainly wanted to create a general immortality for Mundus but because of his clumsy language, he even manipulated himself. Well, Abylum was not a particularly intelligent demon. That is what happens when you work together with someone like him!"
"... But that doesn't mean that Vergil's gonna be immortal as a demon king, right?"
"You've got it!"
"... That's why Mundus comes back all the time even though Sparda beat him ... And then I a few years later ..."
"That's how it is! One of you should have taken the throne to put an end to his infinite life!"
"Vergil's got the hang of it ... And what about the Blood Angel? What's that all about? What's that with her life task?"
"I remember the apparition of the Blood Angel as if I had just seen it. A woman who unites good and evil inside of her, represented by her unequal wings. I saw the Blood Angel's sacred site and the crystal sword. Then there was a second vision. A kind of vision within a vision. It seemed as if the Blood Angel herself wanted to show me what she would have to do to restore the balance and what the world would look like afterwards. Then the vision ended. I wrote everything from my visions in my journal in a secret language which I had developed, because I first assumed that this information was only meant for me. But then I realized that I had probably only gotten this impression because I was the only existing being at that time with such grandiose predictions! So I wanted to spread this message further but I did not get around to it as my imprisonment was imminent. Since I did not want my journal with all its valuable entries to get burned in the Fire Hell, I had to part with it. I was able to hide it just in time in one of the demonic libraries, and from then on I could only leave it to fate whether the information contained in it would get outside, but apparently that is what happened anyway!"
"... Was that demonic library inside of the Temen-ni-gru tower?"
"Yes! Then it was you who found it there?"
"Nope ... The book came to me by another way ... It has had a long journey ... But now, what about the Blood Angel?"
"Yeah ... Right ... The Blood Angel ..." Futuras says "I'm going to read you the relevant passage from the book ... Or better said, I'm going to translate it for you to understand ..."
Futuras flips through his book. It takes a while and the page turning is getting more chaotic. He flips back and forth. Finally, he stops at the place in the book which Dante had looked at in his office when Hera gave him a new assignment.
"Where is the page?! ... Oh, I can't believe this! Somebody must have torn it out! ... And what are these scribbles in my book anyway?!"
"Like I said ... The book has had a long journey ... Some beings permitted themselves to perpetuate in there ... For example that sinful divinity ..."
Futuras looks up at Dante and stares at him for a while with a grim expression that now seems petrified and rather thoughtful. "... That angel with black wings ... The origin of the Blood Angel ... I do remember ... But that does not give him the right to deface my book like that!"
"These scribbles are supposed to be a translation. Are they correct?"
"... He was able to decipher my secret language ...?" Futuras says to himself and reads when he finally replies: "Well ... For the most part, yes, but this is presented here as if it were certain that the Blood Angel will fulfill her task ..." He continues browsing.
"Oh ... That's not even sure? I thought it was all predicted this way?"
"Regarding this, I was only shown a variation of a reality ... I did not mention at any point in my book that I was shown prophecies concerning re-equilibration to happen certainly. I only predicted the existence of the Blood Angel. Also that she would be given the task of restoring the balance, but not that she actually will fulfill it and that from then on good and evil will be equal again. The first two visions guaranteed me Sparda's deeds and the existence of the Blood Angel as fixed future events. The following one - that was what I meant when I talked about 'a vision within a vision' - was pure 'What if ...?'!"
Dante grins and shakes his head. "... Okay ... Well, tell me then. What if the Blood Angel restored the balance? How would the future look like? And more importantly, what does she have to do to achieve that?"
"... Now that I cannot read it, my memories have to serve me. Good that I have an excellent memory! So ... First of all the question concerning the restoration of balance by the Blood Angel", Futuras starts telling. "If the Blood Angel wants to follow her calling, she has to ensure that the demon world is equal in power to the Empire of the Gods. A direct hierarchy is not intended in the Empire of the Gods and therefore there is no angel existing who leads that world. This means that the demon world has to be adapted to this, and in order to be on the same level with the Empire of the Gods, the demon world has to be without guidance in every aspect. It does not matter who exactly is in the fore of the demon world, whether it is Mundus or Vergil or some other being. As for the higher-ranking demons, such as Berial as the Conqueror of the Fire Hell or Abylum as the King of Slaves, they are no longer an obstacle to the balance since they are all dead. Unless, of course, more of such significant demons have formed in recent years, but I dare to doubt that. As a second and last condition, both worlds have to be open, meaning, connected to the human world ... That's it, principally. At least according to that vision."
"I see ... If that vision within a vision you were talking about had been a real prediction, so if it were one hundred percent certain that the Blood Angel will fulfill her task, then that would've automatically meant that one would know from the outset that Mundus will die someday anyway and that Vergil will either never become a demon king or - if he's really gonna make it - that he will also die in the end; if one could appeal to that model solution for restoring the balance you just mentioned ..."
"Precisely!" it bursts out of Futuras. "Now for what would happen if the balance were restored ... Well ... The answer is relatively simple: Balance were restored. To someone like me, it sounds rather unspectacular, but for someone like you who has never experienced the balance as it once was, it must be something completely new and extraordinary! The demons would again be reduced to the meaning of their existence, and that is to punish humans for their sins without being a superior force. The guardian angels would watch over the innocent and even in the case of minor attacks by the demons, there would be enough other angels to intervene."
"If that really happens, I'll be jobless!"
"If you ask me, it is always good to have a demon hunter nearby. Who knows how long the balance will remain this time. Equilibrium will never be set in stone. I can imagine that one day a demon will rise up in the demon world again. Somehow, the want of growing in strength and power seems to be in the nature of a demon; as if it were almost a demon's task not to follow its own rules. One thing is certain, however: There will not be a second Mundus. He is truly unique in his kind. I've got to hand it to that Belua."
"My knowledge of Latin is limited, but yet I know that word", Dante replies. "But what will happen to the Blood Angel herself? Especially if it ain't certain that the balance, should it really be restored, will last forever? She will never be able to fulfill her task properly, will she?"
"The Blood Angel's task will never be completed. As long as the Blood Angel lives, she has to maintain the balance. So to say, it is a real life task. You even used that term yourself. Currently, it is just that the challenge of restoring the balance is greater and more difficult than ever before ... And what do you think will happen to the Blood Angel?!"
"Won't the Blood Angel get any superpowers or something? So that she could rule about all the worlds? After all, the peculiarity of the Blood Angel is that she's connected to every world. That would be the best way to make sure that the balance stays as it is ..."
"Rubbish! How did you get that idea? Her power grows only through experience! It is not her purpose to seize power over all three worlds! Even if the Blood Angel were to attain higher power and become a kind of deity, her existence would still be a contradiction in terms! As a ruler of all worlds, the Blood Angel would thus be above everything and that is the exact opposite of balance! It is not enough that the Blood Angel harmonizes her abilities and unites good and evil inside of her!", Futuras says, browsing through his book again. "Here it is: 'Az proncipá tempori. Renio aevii brune, nago, legéta vit' ... And that is even translated correctly with 'Back to the beginning of time. Restoration of equilibrium, nature, law of life' ... Because in the beginning of time, there had been no one who ruled about anything. To rule means control and control means power. Not compatible with the balance."
"So all of that was pretty much nothin' but hot air and manipulation ..." Dante murmurs.
"Pardon?"
"Nothin' ..."
"... I think you should ally with the Blood Angel! Since you ask so many questions about her, I assume you've already met her. All in all, you both have a common goal!"
"I'm wondering why there has to be a specific being for all that crap anyway. I've been managing things all by myself somehow, and also without any angels."
"Do you really want to discuss with me the general meaning of life? I know it bothers you not to play the leading role anymore, but you have to get through it!" Futuras says provocatively. "Is there anything else you want to know or are we done here?"
"There's one more favor you can do for me. Then I better go before I get into mischief and maybe put you back in the dungeon ... If I shouldn't get a more creative idea in the meantime ... You told me you're able to see the past and present instead of the future."
"That's right! Now that I am free from suffering and pain, I should have enough strength to use those abilities!" It bursts out of Futuras as if he could not wait to take a journey through the past for Dante or to tell him what events are happening right now elsewhere. "What do you want to know?! Is it about your father?!"
"... About my ... father? I was rather thinking about telling me what's the current state of Mundus and Vergil ..."
"Oh, yes, I can find that out for you, of course! I just thought you would want to know if Sparda is still alive! According to rumors, he shall be dead, but no one can say for sure!"
"... So you would be looking for Sparda in the present, or what?"
"Yes, and if I should not find him there, I'm going to search for him in the past! Just give me a moment! I need to get used to my abilities again first!"
"... Okay ...?"
Futuras closes his eyes. He lets them closed for some time and Dante watches how Futuras squeezes them more and more, making his face look even more wrinkled. He brings his stumpy hands to his head and appears strained.
"... So ...?"
"Ssssshhhh!" Futuras utters.
Another moment of silence passes as he finally stops his effort with an unsatisfied face.
"... I thought so ..." Dante says.
"... I could not find him in the present nor could I learn any new information about him from the past. After Mundus' revenge, the image before my eyes breaks off. Then there is only ... nothing!"
"So he's dead ..."
"But if that were the case, I should have seen his death! Maybe it is because of my power which is not enough or he is disguising himself and able to ward my seeing abilities ..."
Dante's face shows a questioning look.
"Let me test my skills now with Vergil and Mundus ... I ought to be able to get a result there ...!"
Again, Futuras closes his eyes. This time, however, he does not look as strained as he did on his first attempt. Moreover, his facial features relax relatively quickly.
"Well, well ..." He finally says with surprise.
"What?"
"It is true ...! ... Your brother ...!"
"Hey?! What about some details!"
"Enter the Castle of the Master and you will see it with your own eyes! The image I'm observing is far too impressive to describe!"
Dante knew that he would pass through this tempting passageway, located at the starting point which shows different directions, during his journey through the demon world at some time. Now that moment seems to have arrived.
"What an encounter!" Futuras continues speaking. "... But wait ...! That woman ...!"
"Woman?"
"... This day could not get any better! ... That one day I would be able to experience the being from my visions so vividly ...!"
Hera?! She is in the demon world?! With Vergil?!
"Okay, enough! Thanks for the chat! Gotta go now!" Dante replies tersely and hurries off.
Startled by Dante's abrupt reaction, Futuras had his eyes opened widely. He barely manages to call after the devil hunter:
"Good luck! ... I will stay here and ... watch!"
Dante hurries through the ice cave. "She's nothing but a troublemaker ..." He murmurs as he then switches to his devil mode to increase his running speed and to reach the cave's exit as quickly as possible.