"It will not go as we planned. He'll never go along with everything."
Spoke the elf in a room of barely twenty of her kin.
"And why not? He fights for good not ill." Another elf replied, almost angrily.
"He fights for not a side but revenge, have you not heard? That life of his is spent hunting... not protecting. We are going to the wrong person for this."
"Celebrian, we have no reason to assume he'd not help."
"We have every reason to assume so." She corrected.
"You fear him and his aid... because of that blood." Was the other's confident reply.
"If I feared him I'd have never followed him." The elf maiden left the room in a hurry, clearly distraught by their false hope. It was something she didn't understand. How they could believe that the Hunter would help them? He never helped without a purpose and, even though they had one, he'd never completely believe them. It was too unreal. And his lack of help would end up destroying everything in the world, allowing the Underworld to reign supreme.
The elf was so lost that she decided to prove herself wrong and find him again. Realizing that taking a chance with him would be better than not trying at all, she walked briskly to her room and wrapped her cloak around her nearly-bare shoulders. She left their houses in the trees near the Dreaming Tree and, quickening her pace, directed herself, through the rain, into the town. Her first thought was, because the walk was rather long, to take her unicorn companion along with her but the elf knew that the people of the town would not respond well to the sight of one. The woman already understood that she was taking a rather large chance going herself, because of the race to which she belonged . Not many people had seen an elf before and she wasn't sure of how they would react but she had to go. For the sake of the world.
Dante had just come back from the upstairs of his home and was heading towards the door, getting ready to leave. He grabbed his keys from a hook next to the door but, before he could reach out his arm for the doorknob, there came a knock at the door. Opening it, Dante was shocked at what he saw.
A cloaked woman with long, brown hair was standing in front of him. She was shivering from the ghastly cold weather and rain; her hair and clothes were wet from the walk. The wet drops glided down the velvet of the cloak like a skater on ice. In perfect movements. As he looked at her for another minute, Dante realized that she must of been of some importance because of her elegant dress and cloak. And, after he'd stolen a glance at her from under her cloak, he saw that not only was she a very attractive woman, but she was, quite possible, the fairest and purest he'd ever seen.
"What do you need?" He asked, deciding to take it a little bit easier on the beautiful woman who'd found him.
"Your aid." She replied simply. The voice she spoke with was so melodic and ethereal that Dante, literally, felt his spirit rise. A feeling he'd never felt before and one he didn't understand at all. And, when she lowered her hood, he saw that she was even more beautiful than he'd noticed before.
"Been gettin' that a lot lately, my aid with what?"
"Saving the world. Again, as I have been told." Finally catching on, Dante remembered one thing from old legends that his mother had told him about so he boldly reached out a hand and brushed back the hair covering the woman's ear. He bit his lip as he saw that the tip of it was pointed.
He had found words with which to reply to her words but, before he could, a man walked by that he had a bad feeling about. The thug had almost passed Devil Never Cry but he noticed Dante shooting a very warning and upset glare at him. But the man made no effort to direct his gaze away from the elf, after he'd apparently he'd noticed her ear. "An elf...?" He asked as if it was a glorious thing.
She spun around quickly, understanding her situation by merely the tone of his voice. He wasn't pleased or honored to have seen one of the rare race. No, he wasn't happy enough with sight because he pulled out a chain that was hanging from a pocket on his jeans and started walking towards her. "You oughta catch a hefty price back home." He said greedily.
The elf tried to move but found that she couldn't. She'd been told of people like this man and had been assured that she could protect herself well enough against them but, as she stood there, she was frozen with fear and uncertainty. As she looked back at her arm she saw a strong hand. Dante grabbed a gun from his black, leather coat and aimed it at the thug. "Try it." He had to laugh because he had just seen a bandage under the man's torn shirt and coat. It was the same man that had attacked him the night before.
"Gladly." Replied the thug. As he moved towards the elf maiden, Dante pulled her back, gently, into his place, turning himself so that he was blocking the immortal. Then he fired at the man's leg, dropping him to the ground, and quickly aimed at the man's forehead, pausing his movements. The white-haired man stepped back, continuing his protection of the woman behind him, and saw that the man's "comrades" were there, too. So he quickly kicked the door shut and, letting go of the elf's arm, locked the door.
"I... I didn't mean to cause you any trouble." She spoke quickly, fearing that she may have caused harm or angered Dante.
"No, it wasn't any trouble." And he wasn't lying or joking. From the first day his mother had taught him about them, Dante loved elves. In fact, out of all the races that had occupied the Earth, elves were his favorite. He had more respect for them and held them in greater awe than he held anything.
Dante, letting his childhood feelings out again, caught a reminder of how much he adored them and of a promise he'd made his dying mother, the one who made him understand just how special and beautiful the elves were. He had told her that, because she had loved them so dearly, he would do anything an elf asked him to. Guaranteeing her that, in any way he could, he would protect the last of that fair race. And he wasn't about ready to go back on his word.
"So... why does the world need saving this time?"
"You're not even going to bother wondering why it's an elf who's coming to you?"
"That's the reason I'm asking." That was his subtle hint of his love for the race.
"Well, you're not going to believe me."
"I'm gonna try, okay? It's the least I can do."
She looked up at him with curious and questioning eyes, knowing that, from everything she'd heard about the man, he was never this kind to anyone. But she dismissed that thought. "There is a tree... called the Dreaming Tree. It is the giver of all life on this planet. And it is under siege."
"A tree?" He asked, skeptically.
"Yes."
"And it's under siege?" Dante asked again, trying to believe.
"Yes."
"By who?"
"Demon-kind. Beings of the Otherworld." Dante nearly laughed, happily, knowing that elves always were a lone race. The names they gave things and places were their own, as was the name "Otherworld."
"Well, I guess this is my kinda business after all."
"That's why I'm here."
"But, honey, I'm gonna need more information than that. Like, first of all, where this tree is." Dante replied softly.
"So you're telling me that, though you've lived here your whole life, you've not seen this tree? This tree that is very visible?" As Dante let his gaze fall on her, her eyes seemed to be laughing at him. Something he wasn't used to.
That shocked him. "And you're telling me that it's here...?"
"Yes. In fact, it's barely outside of town. It's in a clearing in the forest. Honestly, I cannot believe that you live here and you haven't even noticed it's towering boughs."
"I guess I never paid much attention to it before. But, what are the demons doing to it?"
"They are trying to cut it down."
"Why is that such a big deal, I mean, it's just a tree... right?"
The immortal laughed. "You really are naive, aren't you?"
"Why do you say that?"
"Because it's not just a tree. The Dreaming Tree is the source of all life here on Earth. Every living thing gets its strength and power from that eternal being. Even you." Dante smiled again. "Which means that if it is destroyed then everything will meet the same fate. A black plague will spread across the lands, devouring all in its path. A plague that will leave no life."
"Wait. It won't affect the demons, will it?"
"No."
"Then how do I get my life from the Dreaming Tree?"
"You don't get all of it from the tree. And, considering that, you wouldn't die if it was cut down."
"What'll happen?"
"You'd be living a half-life. Death will not have taken you but you wouldn't be alive. You'd be living but you'd be dead. And you'd be completely demonic, because the human side of you needs that tree to survive."
"So, the human half of me would die and the demon side would take over?"
"Yes and, most likely, you'd join with them. Becoming a demon, until... the end of time."
"Oh, well that's something to look forward to."
"And why not? He fights for good not ill." Another elf replied, almost angrily.
"He fights for not a side but revenge, have you not heard? That life of his is spent hunting... not protecting. We are going to the wrong person for this."
"Celebrian, we have no reason to assume he'd not help."
"We have every reason to assume so." She corrected.
"You fear him and his aid... because of that blood." Was the other's confident reply.
"If I feared him I'd have never followed him." The elf maiden left the room in a hurry, clearly distraught by their false hope. It was something she didn't understand. How they could believe that the Hunter would help them? He never helped without a purpose and, even though they had one, he'd never completely believe them. It was too unreal. And his lack of help would end up destroying everything in the world, allowing the Underworld to reign supreme.
The elf was so lost that she decided to prove herself wrong and find him again. Realizing that taking a chance with him would be better than not trying at all, she walked briskly to her room and wrapped her cloak around her nearly-bare shoulders. She left their houses in the trees near the Dreaming Tree and, quickening her pace, directed herself, through the rain, into the town. Her first thought was, because the walk was rather long, to take her unicorn companion along with her but the elf knew that the people of the town would not respond well to the sight of one. The woman already understood that she was taking a rather large chance going herself, because of the race to which she belonged . Not many people had seen an elf before and she wasn't sure of how they would react but she had to go. For the sake of the world.
Dante had just come back from the upstairs of his home and was heading towards the door, getting ready to leave. He grabbed his keys from a hook next to the door but, before he could reach out his arm for the doorknob, there came a knock at the door. Opening it, Dante was shocked at what he saw.
A cloaked woman with long, brown hair was standing in front of him. She was shivering from the ghastly cold weather and rain; her hair and clothes were wet from the walk. The wet drops glided down the velvet of the cloak like a skater on ice. In perfect movements. As he looked at her for another minute, Dante realized that she must of been of some importance because of her elegant dress and cloak. And, after he'd stolen a glance at her from under her cloak, he saw that not only was she a very attractive woman, but she was, quite possible, the fairest and purest he'd ever seen.
"What do you need?" He asked, deciding to take it a little bit easier on the beautiful woman who'd found him.
"Your aid." She replied simply. The voice she spoke with was so melodic and ethereal that Dante, literally, felt his spirit rise. A feeling he'd never felt before and one he didn't understand at all. And, when she lowered her hood, he saw that she was even more beautiful than he'd noticed before.
"Been gettin' that a lot lately, my aid with what?"
"Saving the world. Again, as I have been told." Finally catching on, Dante remembered one thing from old legends that his mother had told him about so he boldly reached out a hand and brushed back the hair covering the woman's ear. He bit his lip as he saw that the tip of it was pointed.
He had found words with which to reply to her words but, before he could, a man walked by that he had a bad feeling about. The thug had almost passed Devil Never Cry but he noticed Dante shooting a very warning and upset glare at him. But the man made no effort to direct his gaze away from the elf, after he'd apparently he'd noticed her ear. "An elf...?" He asked as if it was a glorious thing.
She spun around quickly, understanding her situation by merely the tone of his voice. He wasn't pleased or honored to have seen one of the rare race. No, he wasn't happy enough with sight because he pulled out a chain that was hanging from a pocket on his jeans and started walking towards her. "You oughta catch a hefty price back home." He said greedily.
The elf tried to move but found that she couldn't. She'd been told of people like this man and had been assured that she could protect herself well enough against them but, as she stood there, she was frozen with fear and uncertainty. As she looked back at her arm she saw a strong hand. Dante grabbed a gun from his black, leather coat and aimed it at the thug. "Try it." He had to laugh because he had just seen a bandage under the man's torn shirt and coat. It was the same man that had attacked him the night before.
"Gladly." Replied the thug. As he moved towards the elf maiden, Dante pulled her back, gently, into his place, turning himself so that he was blocking the immortal. Then he fired at the man's leg, dropping him to the ground, and quickly aimed at the man's forehead, pausing his movements. The white-haired man stepped back, continuing his protection of the woman behind him, and saw that the man's "comrades" were there, too. So he quickly kicked the door shut and, letting go of the elf's arm, locked the door.
"I... I didn't mean to cause you any trouble." She spoke quickly, fearing that she may have caused harm or angered Dante.
"No, it wasn't any trouble." And he wasn't lying or joking. From the first day his mother had taught him about them, Dante loved elves. In fact, out of all the races that had occupied the Earth, elves were his favorite. He had more respect for them and held them in greater awe than he held anything.
Dante, letting his childhood feelings out again, caught a reminder of how much he adored them and of a promise he'd made his dying mother, the one who made him understand just how special and beautiful the elves were. He had told her that, because she had loved them so dearly, he would do anything an elf asked him to. Guaranteeing her that, in any way he could, he would protect the last of that fair race. And he wasn't about ready to go back on his word.
"So... why does the world need saving this time?"
"You're not even going to bother wondering why it's an elf who's coming to you?"
"That's the reason I'm asking." That was his subtle hint of his love for the race.
"Well, you're not going to believe me."
"I'm gonna try, okay? It's the least I can do."
She looked up at him with curious and questioning eyes, knowing that, from everything she'd heard about the man, he was never this kind to anyone. But she dismissed that thought. "There is a tree... called the Dreaming Tree. It is the giver of all life on this planet. And it is under siege."
"A tree?" He asked, skeptically.
"Yes."
"And it's under siege?" Dante asked again, trying to believe.
"Yes."
"By who?"
"Demon-kind. Beings of the Otherworld." Dante nearly laughed, happily, knowing that elves always were a lone race. The names they gave things and places were their own, as was the name "Otherworld."
"Well, I guess this is my kinda business after all."
"That's why I'm here."
"But, honey, I'm gonna need more information than that. Like, first of all, where this tree is." Dante replied softly.
"So you're telling me that, though you've lived here your whole life, you've not seen this tree? This tree that is very visible?" As Dante let his gaze fall on her, her eyes seemed to be laughing at him. Something he wasn't used to.
That shocked him. "And you're telling me that it's here...?"
"Yes. In fact, it's barely outside of town. It's in a clearing in the forest. Honestly, I cannot believe that you live here and you haven't even noticed it's towering boughs."
"I guess I never paid much attention to it before. But, what are the demons doing to it?"
"They are trying to cut it down."
"Why is that such a big deal, I mean, it's just a tree... right?"
The immortal laughed. "You really are naive, aren't you?"
"Why do you say that?"
"Because it's not just a tree. The Dreaming Tree is the source of all life here on Earth. Every living thing gets its strength and power from that eternal being. Even you." Dante smiled again. "Which means that if it is destroyed then everything will meet the same fate. A black plague will spread across the lands, devouring all in its path. A plague that will leave no life."
"Wait. It won't affect the demons, will it?"
"No."
"Then how do I get my life from the Dreaming Tree?"
"You don't get all of it from the tree. And, considering that, you wouldn't die if it was cut down."
"What'll happen?"
"You'd be living a half-life. Death will not have taken you but you wouldn't be alive. You'd be living but you'd be dead. And you'd be completely demonic, because the human side of you needs that tree to survive."
"So, the human half of me would die and the demon side would take over?"
"Yes and, most likely, you'd join with them. Becoming a demon, until... the end of time."
"Oh, well that's something to look forward to."