Hero of Remnant: Veil of the Aether

by Aetherveil

Following after the events of the Volume 3 Arc, Dante, and his partner Inuba travel across Remnant to make their way to Haven, searching for clues that will lead them to the real mastermind behind the attack on Vale 6 months prior. They will meet allies, both old and new, and face challenging new enemies on their journey. Secrets will be revealed. Continuation of Hero of Remnant.

68. Chapter 68: The Glint of Silver

Hey everyone, been a bit, huh? Sickness, family, traveling, the whole works. Again.

I literally just finished writing this and editing it, so I hope its good.

Other than that, things are heating up a bit. Remember, keep a close eye out guys. There could be all sorts of things hidden here and there.

In any case, I'm off to bed. Sorry for the delay, again, and I hope you all enjoy that chapter.

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Chapter 68: The Glint of Silver

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- Nearly two years ago -

"And that's the report for the day." Dante spoke, placing the folder on Anya's desk.

"Thank you, Mr. Dante." She said, working at her holographic terminal without looking up, "Ah, just a minute please!"

Before the teen left the door, he turned back to see the president switch off her terminal and walk up to him.

"About that case I asked you to look into…"

"Oh… That." Dante shut the door and turned around, "It's being handled."

"Is it?" Anya asked, crossing her arms, "Like the last one?"

"Like I told you before prez, I've got my way of doing things. I'm not here to be perfect and pretty. I'm here to get you results. Sometimes things get unavoidably messy in the process, but nothing all too terrible." Dante shrugged, "Don't worry. I'm getting it handled and trying to be as… delicate as possible."

"Considering the case, perhaps I…"

"You're too busy, remember? So I'll handle it. Besides, if I told you I got it, then I got it."

"I understand that, but this is-!"

"Prez." The teen said, getting closer to the girl, "I got it. Trust me."

Usually, anyone that suddenly found themself close to Dante tended to take a step back. But the president stood there, staring deep into his eyes to see how serious he was about it.

"Please don't hesitate to call on me for assistance." She sighed, "And please, leave the person in question 'intact' for the police so they can bring him in for questioning instead of waiting a few weeks to interrogate him."

"I've got no idea what you're talking about."

"You know exactly what I mean." Anya said, walking back towards her desk, "The PE teacher accused of abusing members of the volleyball team didn't just happen to have his arms and legs permanently broken."

"Like I said in my report from two weeks ago, someone got to him before I did and messed him up. I just called it in, against my better nature of letting him shit himself before dying."

"Regardless… Remember that you are the head of the disciplinary committee. Your duty is to help students within your power. Investigate issues concerning the student body and solve them, while maintaining the school's peace." Anya reminded him, "With that in mind, I understand things won't always be… clean, or perfect. Just don't get carried away with your position."

"I thought we got past the whole 'abusing my power' accusations I was getting."

"Yes. We did. However, that doesn't mean I still don't get complaints now and then." The girl sighed as she sat in her chair, "I know you aren't abusing your power. Your methods, if anything, are precise, dare I say surgical even with the amount of results you've brought in during your time so far. I'm only giving you a friendly reminder so that you don't accidentally forget if you ever happen to get caught up in the moment. I trust in you. If I didn't, I wouldn't have brought you in, nor gone through the efforts I did."

Dante rolled his eyes, not because he was annoyed with the president, but because her compromising attitude made her words feel right. In fact, she was right.

Admittedly, he could have been… gentler with some of the perpetrators he had caught within the last month. Perhaps even with that gym teacher that was hitting some of the girls of the volleyball team as "punishment" for their mistakes. But when he admitted to Dante that he deliberately hit them in places that clothes wouldn't cover, and offered the teen "his pick of the crop for eventual personal use", he didn't really feel the need to "think", and just unloaded on that filth.

Because he was much stronger than any human, breaking bones was easier than snapping a toothpick. Just a swift kick to the shin was enough to bend the PE teacher's leg in the other direction, before his other leg, arms, and hands were subsequently crushed.

The real pies de la resistance of the punishment was when Dante implanted some of his Soul Energy in the filth to fry the nerve endings where he stomped the legs, arms and hands. That way if they tried amputating his limbs to have him fitted with prosthetics, his Soul Energy would travel further up his nerves to practically destroy them, making it impossible for the scummy teacher to ever walk or have use of hands ever again.

Cruel? Without question. Necessary? So-so.

Having the power of a Dark Entity, he could see the "evil" in others should he "see" their Soul. In spite of the teacher's woeful pleas for mercy, his Soul betrayed his words. He wasn't repentful, nor was he sorry.

If Dante heard right, the filth's Soul gave him away, already plotting a way out, and was thinking of other terrible things to do should he ever leave prison.

So the teen made sure something like that would never happen.

Killing him and dumping him somewhere wouldn't have solved anything, nor would it have taught the supposed adult a lesson. Which is why he settled for permanently disabling him. That way, he gets to live. Albeit in eternal pain and misery. For Dante, the end result was satisfying.

For other parties, they'd either be disgusted or argumentative.

Not that he cared really. He just didn't want them to annoy him with their naive views of justice and what's right.

So Dante did his best to live by society's standards while maintaining his own views and thoughts. It was necessary to blend in.

Yet despite his own feelings on the matter, Anya managed to make him feel a very small flicker of distaste with his own actions. She was… convincing like that.

It was a strange thing really, hearing her talk. Not because she had a strange way of speaking or anything, but… he felt compelled to listen to her.

That feeling of compulsion is what felt unnatural to him.

Was it some sort of secret power she had? Or was Anya that naturally charismatic to have such an effect on him? He didn't know.

And he didn't feel like asking either.

After just being hired as Head of the Disciplinary Committee, him bringing something like that up would be strange, or would show he'd been untrusting of her the whole time, which would be rude.

Whatever the case was, ignorance was bliss this time.

"You might not believe me prez… but some of the people out there, even with this… age where we aren't at war, and figuring out ways to help each other rather than kill one another… aren't all as good as you or me. There's still things out there in the Dark that'd make today's people shiver." The teen turned around, "While human kind is more united now than it's ever been in the last fifty years, and while we've made peace treaties and exchange programs with the Yōkai denizens of the Apparition World, there's still evil people and beings out there looking to ruin it all."

"Are you suggesting humanity, and the Yōkai for that matter, have become too soft?" Anya asked.

"Not at all." Dante shrugged briefly, "Humanity and Yōkai coming together peacefully is the best thing that could have happened. Even now, newer magical beings and entities are coming around to get involved so we can all come together peacefully, with us learning more about them and vice versa. Peace isn't the problem."

"Then..?"

"It's what we can't see that's the issue."

"What do you mean?"

"While we're reveling in the start of our 'Golden Age' in this World, we've been getting lax with security, if you catch my drift."

"You mean those creatures... those Dark Entities?" Anya asked, her fingers tensed and tightly clasped together.

"Unfortunately so. Police and security agencies in each of the kingdoms have been getting more and more cases of brutal murders at night. Aside from that, only recently did various leaders come out and admit the existence of Dark Entities, considering the Black Knight and his allies' battles worldwide have been pretty public."

"The Black Knight… What's your take on him?" The girl asked.

Considering Dante was him, it was a bit of an uncomfortable question to answer.

"I think he's keeping us safe from all the otherworldly and supernatural threats out there. Well, human affairs too once in a while when something huge comes up. Regardless, him and his people have been doing good."

"What do you think he is?"

"A hero?" Dante scoffed a little.

Anya gave the young man a roll of the eyes, "I meant as to what kind of being he is."

"I don't know. And frankly, I don't care all too much. Human, Yōkai… Hell, he could even be a Dark Entity himself and I wouldn't really care all too much. As long as he's protecting everyone, and I mean everyone… It doesn't matter all too much."

"I see… So I wasn't the only one to think he might be a Dark Entity."

…

Really now?

"I mean, with the kind of power I've seen him use on television, you'd think he was one of them, and that he's been fighting his own kind." The girl said.

That very well could have been the case. Dante… didn't know what he was. He looked human, but knew full well he was anything but with his power and his abilities.

Particularly with his "True Immortality".

"That could very well be the case." The teen said with a sigh.

"What do you think?"

"Hm?"

"If he really is a Dark Entity… do you think there's more like him out there? The good kind that doesn't want to cause harm to this World."

"If there was, it'd be hard to believe. The only things we ever really hear about is their kind killing and torturing others, either for power plays or their own amusement. If there were any 'good' Dark Entities out there… They'd likely make up 1% of the whole collective."

"1%, you say…"

"Maybe 10%, if I'm being generous."

"That seems a bit harsh… The Yōkai could have easily been just as bad. If I recall, while very few, there were attacks made on Humanity."

"Yeah, but that's the kind of stuff you'd hear from history books that took place, what… Five hundred to a thousand years ago? The last few centuries they've just been keeping to themselves without their leadership, The Nine Yōkai Families, or The Eihei Nine (Nine Guard Families) making any attempts to cause humanity harm. And when they did step out of the Apparition World, it was only ever to create treaties with us. Unlike the Dark Entities, they proved their good intentions through their actions, not just words."

"What if Dark Entities were the same, then?"

"What do you mean?" Dante asked, crossing his arms as he listened with interest.

"If ever some form of leadership from the Dark Entities stepped forward to attempt to make peace, just like the Yōkai… Do you think it would be possible?"

…

…

It was an interesting thing to think about it, even with how unlikely it was.

"Who's to say?" The teen sighed, "The day might never come with how things are going now. But if it did… Hey, at least we have to worry about one less thing trying to kill us, right?"

"Right… It would certainly seem the road to peace would be extremely difficult…"

Dante glanced at Anya, seeing her being… unnaturally pouty. Well, pouty was just being generous. She looked… sad…

"What's got you so depressed?"

"N-Nothing… It's just…" she sighed, recomposing herself, "It's just hard to think that an option for peace is impossible when we've achieved so much already and still are achieving more."

"Ah, I think I get it… You're like one of those types that can't resist helping a stray puppy."

"I-It's not like that!" She said flustered, raising her voice a little as she shot out of her seat, "I just think that if there's a chance for peace instead of death, we should take it!"

Yeah, she's definitely the type.

"Honestly… Your jokes aren't always that great…"

"Who said I was joking?" The young devil asked.

"Mr. Dante…"

Uh-oh. She bust out the "Mr.".

"Sorry sorry… I'm just messing around. You know how I am sometimes."

"Unfortunately I do…" Anya sighed, "In any event… Please use caution in this case, and don't resort to any extreme methods."

…

It's like she knows, but she isn't coming out with it. Maybe she does know. She was seriously pushing the idea behind her scolding and her warning. Even so… Part of me feels like she's right. That I didn't need to go that far. The other half is just calling her naive, which to some extent I agree with. She's naive… but idealistic at the very least. She'll be going places for sure. That's if the "mud" around her feet doesn't drag her down first, like it's done with so many others.

"So don't break anyone's legs?" Dante half joked, smirking as he spoke.

"Yes, Mr. Dante, do not break anyone's legs. Do not break any part of any person's body period."

"Sure thing, boss."

He had to admit, his work would be a bit harder without some extra… means of motivation. But it made it fun no less to try something different. Then again…

Maybe she knew more about him than she let on, and wanted to change him. From what he'd seen so far, she hadn't tried in the slightest to change his ways with either coercion or manipulation. She was always… straightforward, without having need of tricks or manipulations to get her way. Anya was just that overpowering with her attitude and her presence.

Dante enjoyed that part of her quite a lot because of how impressive she always was when facing opposition. It was like she had the power to silence anyone with logic and reasoning so impressive, that the person on the receiving end was just simply amazed or stupefied.

As someone who has been on the receiving end, even the young devil found himself always unable to reply against such a powerful force of nature bundled into the body of a girl his age.

Anya was indeed a person of majestic nature.

So out of respect for the power of her presence alone, Dante complied with her demands always.

"I know, Dante."

"Hm? Know what?" He asked, shutting the door.

"The first… I know it was you who injured the previous PE teacher. I know because, in spite of your impressive tactics of erasing evidence of your presence at the scene along with the camera footage nearby, you hadn't anticipated a tail."

So I was followed that night. I underestimated her.

"And? Why didn't you report me?"

"Because he was alive, at the very least."

"Odd reasoning."

"I believe in justice, and in doing what is right. While I do believe in just punishment, I don't exactly agree with your methods. At least, not always. The reason I've said nothing is because… I believe I can make you see a different way. A different path to walk."

Interesting… So she wants me to see a different point of view and learn a new way of approaching things. I'm intrigued by her direct approach, as well as the "how".

"Why?" He asked.

"When I think of you, I think that we aren't so different, you and I. At least, when it comes to recognizing what is wrong in the world and wanting to make a difference. It isn't so much that our own personal grief is our reason, but because the suffering of others pains us. In turn, the pain of others motivates us forward to change what would otherwise be a cruel outcome. To right wrongs."

"The key figure in this whole equation is that while what we want to achieve a similar result, our methods are different when it comes to righting those wrongs." Dante added.

She was getting more impressive by the minute.

Anya wasn't entirely wrong though. Seeing others suffering from injustice was a difficult thing to see, especially when they didn't have the power to change the outcome. This was especially true of "the higher powers that be" when they abused their power for selfish ambitions or simple cruelty.

The most obvious difference was indeed their methods, but also their walks of life. Though frankly, it'd be arrogant of Dante to assume she had a "cushier" life than he did. For all he knew, she could have had it tough herself. Maybe things weren't as difficult for her as it was for him, but making a comparison was unnecessary.

She had her own reasons unique to her, and that didn't merit any form of contradiction of beliefs, or to insult hers. Still…

What made her so firm about her beliefs? What had Anya experienced to make her so fierce in her convictions?

"So what was the second?" Dante asked.

"I know you think me naive. You needn't come out with it in words, since your general manner of speaking and attitude says enough, but I know that's how you feel about me."

There's no way..! She's gotta be a witch or something! That, or she's studied psychology and deception to the point she can make accurate predictions of what someone is thinking.

"And?"

"And… I wish for you to see things my way. Or at the very least, to learn from me, as I learn from you."

That was… unexpected…

"What possible insight could you gleam from a ruffian like me?" Dante asked with a challenging smirk.

"Maybe I can learn why you resort to the methods that you use. Maybe… I can learn why your viewpoint is the way it is."

"Let me save you the trouble." Dante waved with his hand as he moved from the door to the desk, "In spite of all the good that is in the World today, there's still a whole shitload of bad lurking in the Dark out of plain sight. Logic, reason, kindness, understanding… Yes, all of those are very nice and good, but it doesn't always solve the problem. Sometimes… harshness is the only way to stamp out some of the terrible shit in this World."

"Not all wrong that exists in the World needs to be solved with the edge of a sword."

"Huh?"

"You are not wrong. Sometimes, fierceness needs to be answered with fierceness. But it is not the answer to a majority of life's problems. Goodwill has been allowed to prosper in this day and age, but it can still be furthered. We've changed so much for the better, yet we have left a great deal behind us in the Dark."

"Your point?"

"We need not hide from the Darkness that exists in the World and in the hearts of sentient beings. We need to embrace its existence, understand it thoroughly. And from that understanding, become better as a result."

"Kindness and understanding don't always work."

"They won't unless it's given a fair and proper chance."

"Alright… What about me then?" Dante said as he leaned on the desk, almost coming face to face with Anya, "A person with my reputation and my shit attitude… You think people like me are worthy of kindness and understanding?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Everyone deserves their chance at happiness. Regardless of who they are, where they come from, or what they are. The only thing that matters… is how they use that chance. Do they waste it for selfish gain or to inflict harm to others? Or do they use it to obtain true happiness?"

Dante let out a steady, silent breath as he pushed himself off the desk, heading for the door silently as he opened it. Instead of moving through the doorway, he stood there silently for a few brief moments before he slightly turned his head to the girl.

"You've got a good head on your shoulders… And a good vision too for that matter. But sometimes… you can't always get the outcome you desire. No matter how good you or your ideals are."

With his solemn words spoken, the young devil closed the door behind him, making his way down the corridor to find an exit. His "case" was going to take him off campus, and he'd prefer to finish things as quickly as possible to devote his time to other things. Yet as he roamed the halls silently, his mind had not been quieted.

Why did she look so pained by his response before he left?

---

Dante's eyes snapped open, seeing a dim light dancing across the sky from the mountain range.

Early morning from the looks of it.

…

It's been ages since I've had to think about that year… My time with her. And now… Now it's more frequent. Is it because of my epitome? My renewal on life after that battle with Scylix? Or maybe…

Before Dante could continue his thoughts further, his forehead had been harshly smack with the butt of red, metal object, making him flinch as he rubbed his forehead. Two silver metal, ornate heeled shoes stomped side to side of his head, almost grazing his ears.

Looking up, Sêrythîl was standing above him, casually tapping her spear against her shoulder as she fixed a stern stare on him.

"Enjoying the view?" She asked.

"For the most part, yes." The teen answered honestly, rubbing his forehead, "Was that necessary?"

"You were supposed to be awake two minutes ago."

"Seriously?" He asked in a deadpan matter.

"Seriously." She said, swinging her right leg backwards to let Dante up, only to kick him lightly in the sides, "Now hurry up. From what your machine displayed, we are but a few miles away from the proposed enemy territory. We made good time and managed to arrive in a day and a half. So we'll use our last day and a half solely for training."

More training with a spear… He was never really a fan of spears, but he figured it was time to learn how to use one properly with all the changes he was making to his way of fighting. Just the fact she was able to stand on equal footing with him in terms of weapon combat spoke volumes of her skill. Even without it, she was still amazingly skilled with her bare hands given she tossed Dante around like a toy on their first meeting.

Already within the day and half they spent traveling and training at campsites, he had learned a great deal from Sêrythîl. His hand-to-hand combat had improved tremendously with her teachings to make his movements more flexible and fluid. Packing force was well and good, but precision, speed and focused power was excellent with wearing down the opponent. Especially when the targets were larger.

And the spear techniques… Sêrythîl's style was complex and difficult to study, but like her hand-to-hand capabilities, her movements were fluid and precise in order to deliver shock blows that either disoriented or put an enemy off balance. When either of the two conditions were met, she swiftly moved in to strike, like a viper springing forth.

While some movements seemed irrational, confusing or absurd, there wasn't a single wasted technique. If the movements were confusing or seemingly absurd, there was a point to it, that being to distract the opponent or to make it harder to keep track of with the wild movements.

Needless to say, Sêrythîl's way of fighting was effective, and Dante needed to be more effective now rather than simply crush his opponents with brute force.

"While the two of you take your time training… I'll be going on ahead."

Sêrythîl and the young devil looked to Noland with quizzical glances as he stood up and closed his Grimoire.

"Going for a beer run, friend?" Dante asked.

"Not quite." The black haired teen replied, "I may have neglected to mention this earlier, but… Our destination would seem to be some old ruins beneath ground."

"And you know this how?"

"More importantly, why mention it only now?" Sêrythîl asked.

"I wasn't quite sure at first and only had a suspicion, but as we got closer, it became apparent where our destination was. As for how I know…" Noland looked to Dante with a serious stare, "I buried something there. Something that will be useful to not only your efforts, but mine as well. I knew that the original route I used to leave Atlas wasn't something I could use again, should I ever plan to return. As such, I asked my pilot back then to make a brief stop near those ruins so I could hide the Ace up My Sleeve inside. Hearing from your uncle that you were planning to head through Argus to reach Atlas made me quite joyful, since not only I'd be complying with his request to join you, but that'd I also have the opportunity to claim my prize."

"This prize… Is it a weapon?" Dante asked.

"One that I discovered before my departure from Atlas, but could never make use of. And so until I acquired power once more, I hid it away for the right time. That time… is now."

"It'll be dangerous going in there."

"I'm aware of the infestation. I'll be fine. I'm sure the chamber I sealed off is still intact, so I will be relatively safe inside. Once I sense your approach, I will make my way towards you."

Dante let out a silent exhale before nodding, "Stay safe out there then."

Giving a nod in reply, Noland walked off, cane in hand as he disappeared into the thicket.

"You don't suppose he ran, do you?" Sêrythîl asked.

"Him? No. As weak as he seems, believe in the fact he's on a mission of his own. He's not gonna run."

"Don't you think it's a little suspicious? Him bringing something like that up at a convenient time like this?"

"I do, but… I've gotta put faith in the fact that he's on our side, however shady his own agenda is compared to our plans. That's why I'll continue trusting him. And if he is planning to betray us, well… It won't really matter much in the end. Whether he knows it or not, he's practically surrounded by us. So betrayal wouldn't be a smart option period."

"Here's to hoping then." Sêrythîl shrugged.

Dante looked over, and briefly saw her eye give off the kind of twitch that signaled pain. And in the brief glance he got of her free hand, he could see it twitching too, as if her hand was seizing up. Yet as to "crush" her pain, she clenched her fist tight, and breathed silently as she clenched her fingers a few times.

He was about to ask, but with how much he had learned about Sêrythîl so far, he was sure she'd give him a smirk and a deceptive answer.

"Your hand-to-hand techniques have improved greatly. I suppose the rest will come naturally to you over time, given your vast imagination. So for today onwards, we'll be working specifically on techniques. Your grasp on controlling the flow of your movements down to your control on power is excellent, so it shouldn't too difficult for you. Watch my movements closely. Then… in the final three hours before we move in, we shall spar, spear against spear. If you manage to knock me off my feet and pin me down, I'll consider my teachings a success."

He had a grasp on her style, even without showing the full extent of her power. But if he could fully understand her style and even mimic it to certain extents… he was confident he could best her.

Every now and then at least.

So with a silent nod, Dante summoned Eclypse into his hand, her form resembling her Longsword shape, only the blade was a little shorter and the handle was extended greatly so that she could be used like a spear, and followed Sêrythîl deeper into the woods away from their campsite.

The quicker he could learn from her, the quicker they'd be able to take care of whatever lay in wait inside the ruins.

---

"Boy, that was a close one, huh?" Tâz said, flying steadily next to Noland as they braved the darkened forest, "Good thing they bought it."

"You make it sound as though I lied to them." the teen replied, keeping his eyes forward.

"Well you certainly didn't tell them everything."

"A bridge we'll cross when we arrive at that point. For now, I told them everything they needed to know. After all… the secret I've hidden here will be quite… shocking to see."

"Tell me about it… I still think this is a bad idea."

"Not to worry. I'm sure I'll be able to smooth things over. That aside…"

Noland came to a halt, Tâz perching on his shoulder as they breached the forest clearing. The land in front of them was purely rock formed into a crater not too deep. It had been smoothed out perfectly, and in the very center of the crater was a massive obsidian column.

Nothing special about it really. To anyone else, it would have looked like some sort of monument. But underneath it all was actually a complex series of tunnels that were intricately carved out. From what Noland deduced the last time he was here, it was actually a sort bunker facility, meant to hide away large masses of people in times of emergency.

Knowing the truth of this World's past, and cross referencing it against the disturbingly well preserved bodies he had found inside, this was likely built during the age of the Brother Gods around the time Salem began gathering her forces. Perhaps the people inside had the foresight to see that not only would the Witch fail, but that the World would be destroyed.

The hundreds of thousands of runic carvings seemingly saved them from disentegration, but they unwittingly sealed themselves in. Many likely starved to death, where as some of the bodies showed signs of suicide to escape the eventual madness.

When he conducted his brief examination, Noland at the time ventured deeper into the ruins, finding a secret passage of sorts that lead to a sort of treasure room. The riches were likely stored in there for use after the people escaped the wrath of the Gods, but seeing as they all perished…

…

Regardless, it was the perfect place to hide his "secret", since it took a particular kind of activation sequence to open the path to the chamber. Even better, the chamber had a secret exit, most likely to transport the treasure more easily, so Noland could take the easiest path in without meeting resistance.

Closing in, the raven haired teen could see the remains of a battle.

Blackened blood and disappearing corpses… The Grimm where here earlier, only to be subsequently slaughtered and ripped to pieces.

"So even Lesser Dark Entities are more than a match for the Grimm…" Noland's face twisted with a pained smile, "If they truly mean to invade this World…"

He shook his head. With Dante and the help of his allies, such a thing would never come to pass. Then again…

The future was never set in stone. There was always a chance that an individual like Dante Aetherveil could fail, regardless of how powerful he was. And yet…

Noland needed to have faith in him now more than anything. He was the key to putting a stop to all this madness, and the key that would set the teen free from his shackles.

Minutes had passed since Noland unsealed the escape exit and entered inside the dark ruins, using the handle of his cane as a light. All the while he roamed the long tunnel, he could hear their horrid screeching echoing through the walls parallel to him. The teen had only read of their various kinds in his Grimoire, but never did he have the displeasure of confronting one, nor listening to their wretched cries.

He would have liked to keep it that way.

"This shit's freaking me out…" Tâz quietly called out as he flew ahead of Noland.

Even I haven't felt fear like this… Not since…

A memory of the past stirred briefly, making the young man fix a focused, harsh glare ahead.

Things will be different this time… It won't go your way like it did years ago. I've had time to prepare.

"Hey! Genius!" Noland came to a halt, Tâz quitely calling out to stop him from walking into a wall.

Almost walking into a wall… How foolish…

In front of a solid wall of obsidian, Noland stuck his hand out to Tâz, who gently cut the tips of his master's five fingers with his talons. Using his index finger, the young man began with drawing a perfect circle, then pressed all five fingers deep into the stone. As if he stuck his hand in a five finger turnkey, Noland slowly rotated his hand within the circle about halfway, wherein the stone formed a perfect crack down the middle and slid apart into the walls.

Blood Magic It was an incredibly rare practice in this day and age. With the numerous formations of crystallized blood he had found previously in the standard passages, there were implications that made it seem as though it were a more common form of magic in the Old World.

Whatever the case, it made hiding away his secret weapon all the more easier without having need to worry about security.

…

Everything was like he left it last time.

Instead of stone walls, huge tree roots spanned the massive cavern. All sorts of treasures made from silver littered the floors, and in the center was an ankle deep luminescent pool that shone brightly in the dark.

What interested him wasn't what was among the treasures of silver, but what lay in the far end of the luminescent pool.

A crystal coffin.

It was going to take a day to unseal, even with his current level of power. So he tapped his cane into the pool, a small slab of stone rising up as he sat on it. Sitting cross legged, the raven haired teen shifted his cane in front of him, holding it with both hands as he closed his eyes.

Râzla emerged from Noland's shadow with a soft growl, keeping a focused gaze on the door.

"Whatever happens… let nothing disturb me."

"Uh, if we by chance get swarmed and we can't hold 'em back, we might need the Big Guy, you know?"

"Him", huh?

That was only ever a means of last resort. Compared to having Râzla and Tâz out at the same time, "He" would consume too much of Noland's Aura in a short time due to "His" sheer size and power.

But to utilize "His" power while in the process of unsealing the coffin… He might as well die right there and then. What was inside was more important than anything, so he would not allow himself to be disturbed.

"Best not let it come to that then."

With his final reply, Noland focused all his thoughts and his Aura towards the coffin, his power already making a small crack on the Seal. He hoped he could crack the Seal by tomorrow, otherwise…

Things would get a whole lot messier.

---

On the last day, Dante had taken the time to methodically learn Sêrythîl's techniques. Her forms, her precise control of strength, her footwork… Everything was carved into his mind deeply. The teen wanted to say "painfully carved", but as it stood, he felt almost no pain at all.

Now… During the final half day they had left, Dante had been fighting Sêrythîl nonstop. No pause, no breaks. Just a battle that felt like it lasted for an eternity.

It was like dancing on the edge of a razor; the fight was easier because the young devil had her movements figured out to a tee, and it was more difficult because he was using her own techniques against her, trying to throw in variations wherever he could.

Sêrythîl showed no signs of slowing down either. A full out brawl, and she kept up the entire time without so much as a scratch. It was a testament to her skill as an amazing warrior.

But he had to end this soon.

It was playing a little dirty, but the teen made a stab for the woman's face, who raised up her spear to direct the point above her head as Dante anticipated. Thinking he had an opening, the teen made to tackle Sêrythîl to pin her to the ground, but she too had anticipated this action.

She reacted by running backwards to give herself space before jumping up and latching onto Dante, wrapping her long legs around him tightly. Both of their weapons dropped, the devil made to grab hold of her, but she swung herself around onto his back. Before the spear wielder got the teen into a chokehold, Dante quickly brought his arms to his neck to prevent himself getting choked out.

This was his chance.

Using his strength, the teen spread out his arms to get out of Sêrythîl's grip, grabbed hold of her wrists, took a step back, and flipped her over him onto the ground. With that, he quickly jumped on top of her, keeping her hands pinned against the ground.

Both were breathing heavily, simply staring at one another before Sêrythîl let out a light chuckle.

"I anticipated… your little maneuver… and still lost… Not because of brute strength… but because you were quicker to react…"

"You almost got me… with that chokehold…" Dante chuckled, standing up as he helped the spear wielder to her feet, "Not that it would have helped you anyway."

"So bold…" the woman said, dusting herself off, "And yet you were the victor in the end. Congratulations, you're the first in a long time to-"

Sêrythîl cried out in pain, clutching her head as she fell to the ground. Before she tumbled completely, Dante caught her and propped her against him.

"What's wrong?!" He asked, looking her over.

She isn't injured… so what's-?

Dante looked down and started to see faint crimson particles emanating from her body, and she was… a little transparent.

Think you idiot. She's a Guardian Spirit on a level that's not quite Divinity but close to it. Regardless, she follows the same rules as all other Guardian Spirits or Divine Spirits. If her Spirit Core was damaged, she would have faded away ages ago.

The young devil's eyes perked up as realization dawned on him.

"You're not connected to any Leyline..!"

"You're… much brighter than I originally gave you credit for… you know..? Yes… I'm not connected to any Leyline… because they've either dried up… or are incredibly scarce…"

"Then how..?"

"Residual magical energy… in the air… The Extinction Wave disintegrated... all life in this World, a majority versed… in magic… Thus their energy… and the Leylines… were all that remained…

"Surviving on scraps basically all this time… You're seriously one tough woman, you know that?" The teen said.

She chuckled at the remark, her grasp loosening slightly as her crimson spear… began to dissipate. But it wasn't so simple. Impressively, this seemed to be the original spear and not a duplicate like the ones she usually tossed around. When the Aura patching it up disappeared, all that was left was a charred, rusted spearhead, one that Sêrythîl was passing off to him.

"You're… the quickest to learn… all that I had to teach… Now that I've passed on... all of my teachings… you…"

"Not a chance."

"Don't be… foolish…"

…

…

What could he do? From what she managed to explain, the Leylines of Remnant were practically nonexistent, and the residual particles of magical energy were also dried up given her state.

…

…

Could it…

Without delay, Dante propped Sêrythîl against a tree carefully, taking a few steps back as he clutched the ancient spearhead tightly.

~Hey! Are you serious right now?!~ Eclypse's voice rang out in his head.

*No, he may be onto something, my Senior!* Navâra pointed out.

He wouldn't exactly die from this… though he wasn't sure this would work either. But if he did it once… he could do it again.

"You know… With the kind of power I've got… all I've ever really done with it is just Destroy. Break things, and cause total collapses. I wondered a few times, 'Is this really all I'm ever going to amount to? Breaking things with this power of mine?'."

Dante stared at the spearhead, a brief, lustrous shine glistening under the light peeking through the treeline in the forest.

"Getting this Semblance… My True Power... It made me rethink the possibilities. What I could do. It took some time, and a great deal of pain… but I'm pretty sure I got things figured out this time around."

The young devil looked at the jagged end of the broken shaft, seeing it was sharp enough.

He didn't think about anything else, and shoved the broken end into his palm, blood spurting out briefly as it coated the weapon.

"If I can manipulate my Aura freely to Destroy things… then who's to say I can't Create things with this Semblance of mine?"

Platinum Aura crackled to life before bursting into a small torrent, his blood and his Aura combining together into a swirl that covered the entire spearhead. As he drew the end from his palm, the teen's Aura crackled like lightning, the spear's shaft now forming as he drew it slowly.

Drawing the weapon fully, Dante twirled the reformed and reforged platinum spear, the only thing to change being its color, not its design. As he twirled it, his blood and his Aura slid off with each spin, unveiling the weapon in its pristine, sleek glory, giving off a final crackle of platinum Aura as he held it.

He approached a confused Sêrythîl, kneeling down next to her.

"You deserve better than dying out here in some dank forest."

"I deserve… far worse to be honest…"

"You didn't have to teach me your ways. And yet you did so. So I'm going to pay you back in full. And I always generously pay back others for the kindness they show me."

"You'll end up… going broke like that…" she laughed weakly.

"Maybe… But it'll be worth it in the end."

Dante's eyes drifted up towards the sky, recalling a memory from the past.

"Once upon a time, a girl I used to know convinced me that kindness and goodwill can still win, even in the darkest of times. It might be tough, and it might take some time... but putting some of that goodwill out there will eventually change the World around you for the better. You just have to try is all."

Sêrythîl weakly kicked the teen in the shin, "As handsome and... gentlemanly as you are… you still lack tact at times… A beautiful woman… is before you… and you're talking about… another woman…"

"Sorry."

"It seems… there's still a great deal… for you to learn…"

"Would you be willing to teach me more?"

She giggled to herself, finally glancing up at Dante.

"I… lived for so long… I've seen this World… four times over… And now and then… I see something truly… exceptional…" she pushed herself off the tree, her body now more transparent and the particles of her Aura flowing with more volume, "Can you show me… a truly exceptional journey..?"

He chuckled, raising his hand up to give her a peace sign, "You'll have a Hell of a time! That much I can promise!"

Sêrythîl smiled, reaching her hand out to the teen as she interlocked fingers with him.

"I… am a Spirit of Old… My body… shall become your Sword... Your will… shall form my edge…"

Her body began to shimmer with her crimson Aura, becoming more solid and less transparent as she felt strength returning to her.

Dante picked up after her, "Our Fates from this day onward shall be intertwined. Our Destinies the blade to carve the path to the ever changing future. This day..! I shall raise you as the Blade Sêrythîl! The spear that pierces through the Uncertainty that is the Universe!"

The shine from their intertwined Auras grew large, and would have blinded anyone near them as a gentle, warbling hum danced through the trees.

As the light died down, Sêrythîl sat near the kneeling Dante, now whole once more as she opened her eyes, a faint shimmer of crimson and platinum dancing through her eyes.

"How peculiar… I haven't been genuine flesh and blood for nearly two thousand years now… I've all but forgotten…" she giggled to herself, "To think some boy would allow me to truly 'live' once again… The idea is ludicrous! And yet… all the more intriguing… Who are you? Really." The woman asked.

"I'm… just Dante Aetherveil. Your resident Stick Waver that's gotten extraordinarily lucky as of late."

"Hmph… Very well, Dante Aetherveil, Waver of Sticks. I will entrust my fate and my future to you." Sêrythîl let go of the young devil's hand, instantly grabbing the collar of his shirt and yanking him forward to plant a long kiss on his lips, pulling away seconds later, "Our 'Contract' is now officialized. Take responsibility and 'wield' me properly, Master."

The master spearwoman winked at him, her body dissolving into platinum Aura that coated the spear he held, which seeped into the weapon completely within a matter of seconds.

^Oh… So this is what it's like inside your Mind and your Soul… How fascinating…^ Sêrythîl's voice sounded through his head.

*We welcome you, oh honored Mistress of the Land of Death!*

~Don't get any funny ideas, old lady.~

^Ho… I see someone is in need of a lesson in manners.^

Guys, come on. Don't fight. Other than that, glad to have you along with us officially, Sêrythîl.

^Glad to be present with you. Now that I am a Blade like these two, I am whole once more. Look forward to seeing me at full strength, and wielding said strength to its fullest extent, Master.^

It feels strange for you to call me Master, considering you were the one teaching me a little while ago…

^Don't think too much about it. Just accept it as it is.^

Easy for you to say…

Dante walked forward a few paces, moving past the treeline to see the clearing in the distance. And with it… the Obsidian Spire…

Something was… off. He could feel hundreds of Lesser Dark Entities underground, scurrying through the ruins, and even pinged much larger presences deeper within.

But even deeper inside the ruins, he could feel a massive Aura Signature at the center of it all.

…

Why did it feel like it was a presence he knew?

~We going in now?~

No. We'll wait a bit longer, Eclypse. We still have an hour before we need to go in, so we'll recon the area. While I map out the tunnel system with my Aura Sensing, I'd like it if you and Sêrythîl watch my back while Navâra keeps up the Threat Tracer.

^What about The Seeker? That girl following you around?^

Dante looked behind him, immediately jumping when he saw The Seeker standing behind him.

"You gotta stop doing that."

She stood there, clutching her staff with both hands, awaiting instruction.

"Uh… Is there any way to keep yourself out of sight with your Aura Signature concealed?"

She nodded wordlessly.

"Ok… How?"

As soon as he asked, The Seeker seemingly began sinking into the ground. When Dante looked down, he barely caught a glimpse of the girl as she sank into his shadow completely.

"Alright. I guess that works if it keeps you safe." He shrugged.

Placing his hands on his hips, Dante looked out into the distance once more, sighing as his eyes shifted toward the left of the spire.

Noland… What exactly did bury here that you needed to keep it a secret until now? A weapon, I imagine. But what kind of weapon? Maybe it's not even a weapon, and some sort of tool. Guessing won't do me any good. I'll just have to see for myself when we meet up. I just hope you're not reaching into the Deep End too greedily.

---

He was growing weary. For hours he had sat in the same position, channeling his Aura into the crystal coffin without pause. Noland was sweating profusely, not only from the humidity of the cave, but from how heavily exhausted he had become from expending so much Aura.

Even Râzla and Tâz were having difficulty maintaining their shape, their bodies rippling like puddles now and then to expose a red glow within.

"Man… this is… getting tough… You done yet..?"

The raven haired teen didn't reply. His thoughts were solely on breaking the seal. It was his only chance, and would become his only means of survival should he fail to take back what was his in the end. Re-establishing his connection… was all that mattered at the moment.

Though admittedly, his meticulous nature was starting to vex him with how long this was taking.

…

…

A cracking noise. The twelfth seal had finally been broken.

Noland's eyes snapped open, dropping his cane to the ground as he wiped the sweat from his face, taking off his coat to leave him only in his white dress shirt and black vest, where he then used his coat to wipe himself down.

His hands gripped the edges of the smoldering, crystal coffin, the leather of his gloves beginning to burn too. With how exhausted he was, he barely had any strength to move the lid, so Râzla moved on over to his position.

The Grimm's form changed from that of the average wolf to more resemble its own kind.

An Alpha Beowolf.

It's upper torso became more like that of a human, now having arms, hands, and fingers while the muscle mass increased in his arms and legs, allowing him to finally stand on his hind legs. Râzla grasped the lid of the coffin with his hands, paying no mind to his own smoldering flesh as he helped Noland steadily budge the lid off.

Once it was off, Râzla weakly retreated, his body slowly changing back to its wolf-like form whilst giving off a gentle growl. The raven haired teen petted his Grimm, scratching behind the ears even as its body dissolved into a black, inky liquid, and plastered itself onto his right arm, forming a sort of four ring tattoo on the teen's forearm.

Noland waved away the smoke filtering out of the coffin, focusing his eyes to see inside.

Those who knew Noland knew that whenever he smiled, it was either very rarely or very briefly. But the kind of smile he had now was the kind of smile a man had once he's realized he's won the lottery.

It was the kind of smile a man wore once he realized he had all the cards in his hand to win the war.

As the smoke finally cleared, Noland could see inside at last.

She was still here. He couldn't mistake her flawless, perfectly smooth, pale skin that seemingly glistened under the ceiling reflections of the luminescent pool below.

Looking upon her naked form, he could see the same waist-length golden hair with short bangs framing the sides of her face and covering her entire forehead. The same inch-wide, rectangular, silver earrings. The same necklace that looked to be completely strung of dozens of long, silver teeth. And…

The same black markings on her torso and her right bicep. They were three sets of two lines intersecting one another.

Each set of black lines was on the right and left side of her body, but the first set covered the sides of her hips and waist, where the lines on each side were shaped like triangles pointing inwards towards her navel. The two intersected triangles looked like perfect mountain peaks.

The same exact pattern was further up her torso, starting at the center of her ribs and going up to her under arms. Each intersecting peak of the lines covered the entirety of both breasts, the points stopping just before her nipples. He could see the ends of those lines perfectly cut off at the center of her clavicles.

The set of black lines was only found on her right bicep, forming a sort of infinity symbol band, the ends of the lines intersecting at her lower triceps and stretching up to end at her shoulder blades.

She was perfect. In every sense of the word. Her beautiful face was absolutely flawless. Her entire body, everything from her long legs to her ample bosom, was shapely and voluptuous, yet perfectly proportioned.

A flawless beauty who had been sleeping in a rough of magical crystal.

At a glance, she looked to be a beauty in her late twenties, but she was much older than that. At least, her Soul was when it spent nearly two thousands wandering The World and the Abyss in Between.

Noland flinched backwards when the woman's eyes snapped open. Her crimson eyes with black slit pupils wandered the room until they finally set on the teen, who immediately backed away and dropped to one knee, bowing his head in reverence as she pushed herself and made to leave her resting place.

"My Queen, long has it been since-"

Before he managed another word, her foot harshly stomped on the back of his head, forcing his face into the ground.

"Oh shit… She's definitely pissed..." Tâz said quietly as he shifted backwards.

Her other foot sank in the blue, glowing pool, the woman crossing her arms as she looked down on Noland with a scornful glare.

"M-My Queen…"

"Fool! You dare show me your face again after what happened last time?!"

"As I said before..! The situation..! Was dire back then..! I needed..! To hide you away..!"

"Hide me away?! Do you think me so weak that I needed to be hidden away like some dusty old treasure?! In this rancid place no less?!" She exclaimed as she looked around the cavern in disgust.

"This was..! The best place..! To allow you rest and..! To allow you to..! Be fed a constant stream..! Of Aura..!"

"Is that so?" She said, grinding the ball of her foot on his head.

"Yes..! I did not..! Choose without..! Putting thought..! To your needs..!"

The woman closed her eyes, uncrossing her arms as she placed them on her hips.

"While I cannot fully agree with 'where' you placed me, I will however grant you that you were wise to place me in a Vein brimming with residual Aura. Hmph. You are forgiven for your transgression."

She removed her foot from his head, allowing him to quickly rise up and grab a long curtain of black cloth from the treasure pile.

"How long has it been?" She asked, raising her arms up as Noland used the cloth to create a makeshift gown.

"A year."

"A year." She scoffed, "And here I assumed I would stay buried for a longer time. So much effort, only to be hidden away for a year."

"As I explained before, I needed to secret you away until the time was right. It was not because I thought you weak, but simply because you are too powerful. Any being whose power could even remotely scale to yours would have sensed you out, and we would have been relentlessly pursued. It was for the best."

"And? Have you made any allies along the way? Other than the three miscreants you've tamed, I mean."

"Quite a few, actually."

"Oh? Were they that agreeable to your plans?"

Noland was silent for a few moments, avoiding eye contact.

"Well?"

"I've told them enough."

The woman chuckled, "I see you still have a fondness for dangerous games. As if I should have expected anything else from you. However…" she said as she stood in front of him, being as tall as Noland was at 6'3, "This seems to be your most dangerous game yet. I wonder… What will your allies think once they know the truth?"

"They won't know. Not until the final moment. I've taken that many precautions, at the very least."

"Tell me… Have you made your decision yet?" The woman asked.

"No. Although… I'm already beginning to lean away from my original plan of action regarding the matter."

"Hmph… I suppose you were impressed then by what you've seen so far?"

"For the most part. Though in reality… I feel as though I've yet to see anything truly special."

"I see… Even now, after all this time, you never fail to amuse or pique my interest. Just like all those years ago…

The woman hummed in a tone of amusement, crossing her arms once more.

"If I am to understand this correctly… you've woken me up earlier than usual because you have need of my power, yes?"

"Your power is something I have need of, my Queen… But more than simply having need of your power, I need you."

"Ho? Is that so?" She chortled, amused with his response, "You have need of me rather than my power?"

"Power on its own is meaningless, useless. There's no sense of purpose or direction. It is the individual who wields power that shapes it into what it is, and what it could become. It is the individual who wields power that is remembered. It is those with power that shape the future, and the destinies of those around them."

"And~?"

"And…" Noland spoke as he knelt to the ground once more, bowing in reverence, "That is why I need you, Cosmos. Queen of Elûvîa, the First True Kingdom to ever exist in the world of Remnant."

The woman known as Cosmos seemed to appreciate his flattery, humming in amusement with closed eyes and a huge smirk on her face.

"Your words please me a great deal. Very well then." The woman said, opening her eyes to look upon Noland once more, "Since I am a magnanimous Ruler, I shall do you the honor of allowing you to raise me up once more as your Blade. Be grateful, Noland. For as with our first meeting so long ago, I remind you that this is an honor I've bestowed upon you, and you alone. I chose you. Therefore…"

Cosmos extended her hand, and in turn, Noland slowly reached out to gently grab hold of the Queen's hand as he continued to kneel.

"As per our agreement… Do not fail to entertain me, boy. Show me a story worth letting unfold."

"I will do my absolute best to keep you amused, my Queen."

Cosmos' other hand reached under the teen's chin, where she then lifted his head and kissed his forehead, a brief flash of light emanating from the point of contact. Moments later, an ornate silver bangle with black etchings appeared on Noland's left wrist, the raven haired teen looking it over once before he was allowed to rise up once more.

With a flick of her hand, Cosmos had raised Noland's cane into the air, the tool slowly spinning about before it floated its way into his hand.

"Our Pact is now remade."

"So it is." Noland spoke.

"Within good time too. You were dangerously low on Aura, boy. Be glad that a Blade is able to share their Aura Reserves with their Wielder."

"I am indeed grateful. Particularly since we have no time to rest." He spoke, looking around the cavern, "No doubt you have already felt their… presence crawling around."

"Indeed I have. These creatures… They aren't Grimm."

"No, my Queen. They are beings that even the Grimm would fear, should these creatures see the light of day."

"Is that so? How interesting. What are they called, if they are not Grimm?"

"Dark Entities. Creatures and beings born in the Dark, who wield its many terrifying powers that surpass logic and reason."

"Magic quite unlike the magic of this World. Or at the very least, magic that once existed in this World."

"I'm afraid that this group of Dark Entities are not of the negotiable persuasion. The Lesser Entities in particular, whose mental faculties are solely focused on the killing of other beings."

"Much like the Grimm, but quite different and unique. I suppose at the very least they'll provide some form of entertainment different from the standard rabble."

As she spoke, Cosmos tore away the black fabric that covered her nude body, silver Aura quickly covering her up shortly.

The Aura dissipated quickly from her legs and hips, revealing silver armor with black etchings. The elegant and wave patterned silver armor on her legs was heavily plated, but still flexible in all of the joints to allow her totally free movement. The plating stopped just at the center of her thighs, where it could be seen that she was wearing what looked like black short-shorts.

Her hips and the entirety of Cosmos' rear were protected by dangling, segmented silver armor. Her entire abdomen and stomach was left exposed, completely showing off her black markings. Her chest too was left unarmored, but she was at the very least wearing a black top now. That shirt looked like a sort of long sleeved, silky black crop-top that was entirely fitted to her elegant form, the ends stopping just beneath the underside of her magnificent, perky bust. It kept her bosom in place, despite the top being completely glued to her form perfectly, allowing her "freedom" without "constraint".

Lastly, Cosmos' right hand was adorned in a silver gauntlet with light plating only on the top side of her fingers, hand and forearm, leaving the underside perfectly gloved in thin black material. Her left arm and hand were left unarmored, a silver bangle matching Noland's now on her wrist.

"Has my magnificent form left you speechless once again, boy?"

"It is as you say, my Queen. Whether completely bare, dressed in the finest of silks, or adorned in armor, your beauty remains entirely unsurpassed."

"Indeed, it is." Cosmos smirked haughtily as she flipped her hand through her hair, "Hmph. Even after all this time you still haven't forgotten your manners."

"I speak no flattery, my Queen. Only what I believe is the truth." Noland replied with a brief bow, "You are the fairest and most beautiful being to wander this World. And I for one believe this World has been absent of your magnificence for far too long."

"Fuhahahaha! You are simply too much at times! Without a doubt, you are worthy of being my Wielder." Cosmos uncrossed her arms, treading through the luminescent pools of the treasure hall towards the entrance, "Come along, Noland. I wish to see what has changed in the year I have slumbered. That aside… These Dark Entities you speak of are your enemies, correct?"

"For the time being, that is indeed the case, my Queen."

"Very well then. As payment for your ever loyal service to me, I shall continue to walk alongside you on your journey, and kill your enemies as your Blade."

"Indeed, I am forever grateful to you and your generosity, my Queen. I shall continue to do my best in pleasing you and providing you with entertainment."

"Then let us go, Noland. I shall see these creatures with my own eyes, and pass my judgement upon them as I see fit."

---

Dante kept his hand pressed against the ground, his eyes closed while his hand glowed with platinum Aura that surged into the ground. As his Aura stretched throughout the earth, he could see the ruins below mapped out in his mind steadily as more tunnels and passages formed in the Dark.

Even so…

"Oh? So you think you stand a chance then, old hag?" Eclypse spoke with a challenging smile as she stood with her arms crossed.

"Oh? Did I say a chance?" Sêrythîl smirked as she defiantly smiled back, only one hand resting on her hip as she used the other to hold her spear, "I think I meant to say that it would be guaranteed."

A vein was throbbing on Eclypse's forehead.

"Please. You're far too old."

A vein was throbbing on Sêrythîl's forehead.

"I think you meant to say young and beautiful." She spoke harshly.

"Please don't fight." Dante pleaded as he kept his focus on mapping out the tunnels.

"You heard her, didn't you Master? She said I was too uncouth, and that my personality is terrible, making me unfit to be your woman."

Oh boy…

"This young 'pup' seems to forget that I have ceased aging since I turned thirty-four, yet insists on calling me an 'ancient old lady'."

Regardless of what they think of each other, both are unfathomably fiery at their respective cores… The two of them attacking each other is like two infernos trying to devour the other...

"Does any of that really matter? Both of you are incredibly unique and beautiful in your own respective ways, whether it's your appearance or your personality. Is it really necessary to make comparisons when both of you are breathtakingly amazing?"

Eclypse wasn't one to blush often, if at all. Especially in public view of others. Yet try as she might, she couldn't completely hide her now rosy cheeks as she crossed her arms and looked away.

Sêrythîl's mouth remained agape for a few brief moments, a small tint of red flushing her cheeks as well as she huffed proudly. She was actually feeling giddy for once like a teenage girl would.

"H-Have you finished yet?" Eclypse asked.

"Almost. I've found Noland, and I think I'm just about done with mapping out the entire ruins." Dante replied, "But something is…"

Something was off. Terribly so. His mapping reached the final layer, which encompassed an unnaturally large room. From how jagged everything was compared to the entirety of the ruins, this cavern was carved out. Recently too. The inside was pulsing with power, power which the young devil peeked deeper into until…

He felt eyes upon him.

Dante's eyes snapped open, the teen slowly standing up as he kept his eyes fixed on the area of the ground where the cavern was located underneath.

What the hell is down there that's giving off such an evil presence? Worst of all… It's like I-

"What is it?" Sêrythîl asked, both she and Eclypse approaching.

"I mapped out the ruins and found Noland, but… I don't know what the hell is down there in the final layer."

"Then we go in and find out." Sêrythîl said, "Whatever evil is lurking beneath, we shall face it and bring it down. With my power added to your own, and with the power of Eclypse and the White Rose Empress Navâra, it shall be of no issue."

*She is correct, Master. We haven't expended all too much Aura, and you have the power of three Blades behind you. It won't be much of an issue with us at your side!*

Even so, he wouldn't simply walk in carefree. Regardless of how strong one was, completely throwing caution to the wind was totally foolish.

As he stood up, the ground tremored briefly, then tremored again and again in rhythmic bursts. Looking up, Dante could see the top of obsidian spire explode into thousands of shards, a massive hulking figure bursting through the blackened glass roaring.

The creature landed a few yards away, kicking up a large cloud of dirt as its heavy breathing and glowing yellow eyes pierced through the veil.

"Well well… Haven't seen one of your kind in forever…" The teen said, staring back with a hard glare.

The beast stood tall at 15 feet, and had a humanoid torso, but hind legs like that of a reptile. In fact, it's entire hide was like a reptile, scaly like a huge Komodo dragon, and a pale, grey color. It's hands were also scaly, with long fingers and sharp black claws, but on its left hand was a huge, tower shield that looked like it was made of molten rock, and had a glowing red gem in the center. In the other was what looked like a massive wooden stick, but knowing Dark Entity magic like he did, nothing was simple.

It's back had jagged notches that ran down the entirety of its spine, flowing into a large, meaty tail, the tip spiked like some sort of flail. It's head resembled that of an arrow-headed snake, like the dangerous rattlesnake. It's eyes however were completely blank, and only glowed with yellow energy.

Melôks. Massive reptilian Lesser Dark Entities. Because they were more intelligent than most of their Lesser tier kin, they often served as field commanders and generals for Ascendant Dark Entities in the Soldier, Knight, Lord, and King class, and commanded their armies of Lesser tiers.

Even if they were of the Lesser tier, Melôks were still immensely powerful and fairly intelligent, able to form strategies that would break armies of lesser men.

Thankfully, Dante was no such thing.

The Lesser Dark Entity raised up what looked like it's massive club, and then plunged it into the ground. Drawing it out, the tip had amassed large quantities of stone and minerals, forming what looked like a huge mace, but inlaid in the center of wood was now a spiraling chain column of black iron.

Right… Primitive Weapon Creation… That's one of their abilities. If I remember correctly, that mace has a chain link now to the head, which means he can turn that thing into a long distance flail. Given their general strength, it'd be no problem swinging that around…

"Well then… I suppose now would be a perfect chance."

"For what?" Eclypse asked Sêrythîl.

"For a test drive." The spearwoman confidently spoke, "So then, young Master… How about you test out your new blade and Her abilities?"

"But of course." Dante smirked, reaching out his hand.

Sêrythîl giggled at his gentlemanly display in asking for her hand, where when she clasped it, her whole body became a vibrant burst of crimson Aura, soon transforming into the spear she herself once wielded, now a dark platinum sheen instead of a crimson red

Holding her in his hand, the teen gave a few quick spins and twirls of his new Blade, noticing how incredibly light she was and perfectly weighted from end to end. No wonder her attacks were so balanced and precise without sacrificing power…

^Take everything I've taught you, young Master, and use it now against this enemy. Wield me with a might that surpasses even my skill in the Old World.^

Yes ma'am.

"Watch my back with Navâra, Eclypse?"

She let out a brief huff, "If she's as useful as a wet pool noodle, don't hesitate to bring me out."

Dante smirked a little, "I will."

Eclypse's body turned into a brief flicker of platinum Aura, surging into Dante's body as his own platinum Aura flared up briefly.

"I guess I should thank you for waiting, Stinky. Then again… I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's because you're feeling confident you can take me… Right?"

The Melôk growled, its voice like a loud, hiss, "Human flessssssh… Failed sssssssservant of the Queen…"

Dante's right eye twitched briefly hearing that, his focused stare now an angry glare. Moments later, the teen sighed, slinging Sêrythîl over his shoulders where he slung his other arm on the other end.

"Now, why'd you have to go and bring up ancient history like that?"

The creature's eyelids blinked vertically, its forked tongue flickering briefly as it hummed, the hum sounding like a stifled, throaty chuckle.

"Something like that… really pisses me off, you know?"

Dante quickly shifted his body so that the spearhead faced the Melôk and surged forward, his feet seemingly gliding across the ground as he closed the gap in an instant. He kept his shoulders sling pose, stabbing at the beast as if he was performing some billiards trick. Instead of pierced flesh, the teen found the monster's shield in his way, the beast knee's lowered to dig in to hold his stance against Dante.

After the brief pause, the devil unslung Sêrythîl from his shoulders and swung outwards across his body, the crimson spear letting out a loud clang as it crashed against the inner edge of the shield and forced open the Melôk's guard. Using the momentum of his swing, Dante immediately entered a stance and held his spear overhead, the back of his left hand resting underneath the shaft close to the spearhead in order to guide his series of attacks to come with precision.

Numerous, blindingly fast stabs began stabbing the creature across its entire body, most of his attacks hitting the arms and legs. Unfortunately, he had forgotten that a Melôk's scales were as hard as diamonds, therefore, his initial flurry of strikes only left non fatal punctures.

So he struck harder.

Immediately stabs were beginning to draw blood and left numerous holes seeping with blood. He broke off, however, when the Melôk tried to bash him with his shield numerous times, mixing in swings from his mace here and there.

After putting distance between them, the beast swung downwards, uncoiling its chain mechanism as the mace head sank into the ground. Roaring, it raised up its weapon, the flail head of stone and blackened iron swinging around violently on a chain as it quickly made its way towards the teen.

But all it really had was just immense force.

It lacked speed, precision… so it was easy for the young devil to effortlessly dodge and weave between the hunk of iron and chain. He took not so much as a scratch as he danced around the creature playfully, shifting and leaping about like some wild hunter of the plains avoiding the attacks of its prey.

Using Navâra's trait of enhanced reflexes, and Sêrythîl's peerless eyesight, he could see everything and flow through the field without struggle, smiling all the while. The teen moved in closer and closer, the Melôk seemingly panicking as it slammed its shield to its front, the red gem at the center crackling brightly with red energy.

Huge projections of red Aura shaped like its shield surged outwards like bolts of lightning, slamming into the crater walls behind Dante as it repeatedly missed him.

Then, leaping high up into the air, the devil twirled Sêrythîl around rapidly using his left hand to guide his aim as he reared back the crimson spear, which crackled with a furious coating of platinum Aura.

As if Zeus himself hurled a bolt of lightning from the heaven's, Dante tossed Sêrythîl with all his might, the sound resembling an echoing, crack of explosive thunder as his throw broke the sound barrier. The spear instantly found its way to the intended target, leaving behind a brief, cracking trail of platinum Aura as Sêrythîl punctured the red gemstone, and with it, the entire shield as it exploded into hundreds of pieces from the sheer force alone.

Instead of crashing into the ground, Sêrythîl seemingly rebounded upon making contact with the ground, the spear flexibly bending into an angle as it straightened out once it was in the air again, heading for the stone spire.

Once it rebounded off the obsidian spire, the spear shot past the Melôk's head and back into Dante's hand, who victoriously chuckled and twirled Sêrythîl around, forcing down the butt of the shaft into the ground. Instead of piercing into the ground, it gave off a menacingly loud clang that echoed throughout the crater, leaving the ground unscathed as the devil stood proudly with a wide smirk.

^Nicely done… Your technique was excellent, and while well honed, your footwork needs to be refined. Still… amazing work. How did it feel to "actually" use a spear for once now that you've been educated?^

It felt… pretty amazing. I never use spears, and when I do, it's usually because some chuckle brother slings one at me, where I then catch it out of the air and send it back.

^As if I expected anything else from a previous amateur… Heh… Even so, I can perfectly imagine you doing exactly that. Now that I am with you, I can continue to 'educate' you properly.^

Thanks. It feels… good doing something new.

Angry roars drew Dante's attention back to the Melôk, its left arm that once held its shield covered in black blood and full of splinters and shards of stone.

"Yeah… I expected that you weren't gonna go down…"

Sêrythîl vanished out of Dante's hands as he cracked his knuckles.

You mind if I tenderize this punk?

^By all means.^

The young devil slowly walked forward, hearing the beast let out its pained cries as it locked its blank eyes onto him.

A swing of a dangerous flail. A total miss.

The Melôk did nothing but take swings at Dante and miss, the teen all the while making no effort to dodge and kept his course towards the massive beast undeterred. Even when the flail came close to scraping his face, he did not move his head. He had no need.

Instead of damaging his skin, a small flicker of platinum Aura prevented any form of damage.

As Dante approached, the Melôk had coiled together its flail back into a mace and raised it above its head to crush Dante. Instead, the devil delivered a wicked right hook to its jaw, a sickening crack echoing throughout the crater as the creature reeled over on its hands and knees, letting go of its mace.

It looked up at the teen, weakly watching him grab hold of its neck to lift it up slightly before another punch with another bone-shattering crack sent it flying onto its side. As the Melôk rolled over, coughing up its jagged teeth and blackened blood, it watched Dante grab its mace, dragging it across the ground menacingly as he approached.

Still having some strength, it made to push itself off the ground, trying to grab at Dante. Instead, for his troubles, the teen gave him a fresh serving of a stone mace to the face, breaking more bones and scales as black blooded flowed profusely. Now on it's back, choking on its blood and bone, it raised up a hand, still trying to stop the young devil from ending its life.

But without mercy, Dante raised up the stone mace and brought it down harshly.

The ground quaked briefly, and as the dust settled, not much of the Melôk's head remained. Just a few bone shards and huge spatter of black blood mixed into the dirt and ground up stone as the teen let go of the mace.

Like the Grimm when they die, the Melôk's body began to disintegrate, its once diamond-tough scales now turning into blackened ash with the rest of its body.

This wasn't just some shit-heel Melôk. This one knew of me. Which means whoever was in charge of the bastard either knows of me from whatever tales leaked out of Primordial, or has history with me. And there's not a whole lot of dickheads still alive from the old days that have history with me. If any for that matter.

Dante's eyes trailed the ground once more, looking down at the area he couldn't map out earlier.

Worst of all, I still have no full idea of what's down there. And yet… I'm gonna have to go down there and kill them all anyhow.

The teen closed his eyes, focusing his Aura Sensing deep underground until he managed to ping Noland.

He's about halfway to that unmapped section of the chamber, and… wait… Who's that with him?

The devil focused his Sensing on the Soul next to Noland, unsure of what exactly he was seeing. Even if he couldn't accurately "sense" Grimm like Inuba could, he could perfectly sense any and all forms of Dark Entities.

Lesser Dark Entities, especially under command of leadership, are extremely territorial. The problem was that like the Grimm, they were abundant, but infinitely more ferocious. Most importantly… regardless of how blackened it was, even Lesser Dark Entities had a soul, already making them more powerful than Grimm.

So if it wasn't a Dark Entity, and likely Noland's Grimm and no other… what the hell was down there with him?

…

No… It wasn't that he didn't know what it was… He was just confused by what it was he sensed.

~It isn't some mistake. It isn't a "glitch" in the system. That presence? That's someone like us down there with Noland.~

…

…

"That" was his secret that he buried here. His ace up his sleeve. He had one too.

A Blade.

…

…

Why?

Why go through the effort? Why leave whoever it was behind here for whatever amount of time? Was Noland that pressed to keep something like this a secret?

…

What if the Blade was the reason?

From what Dante had come to understand, each Blade has their own supply of Aura. They're living beings with thoughts, feelings, emotions, and Souls of their own. And from what he's noticed, each Blade he's come across so far has been extremely powerful. Yes, he could have easily chalked that up to unordinarily good luck. But for once, he was going to do just the opposite of that. So for now, the working assumption is that each Blade is extremely powerful on their own.

Which meant... that of all the possible reasons there would be to hide away a Blade, especially one that was extremely powerful, it would be to avoid detection. Especially if someone had good Sensing abilities like him or Inuba.

Noland… Just what kind of bastard is your father that you're jumping through so many hoops like this? I'm not even pissed that you hid this. Frankly, I'm concerned if anything.

Dante sighed as he crossed his arms, keeping his eyes fixed on Noland's position.

I know I said I'm only going to help you get up close to your old man. What you do then and there when the time comes is your business, so long as it doesn't involve anyone else. But… just what kind of game are you playing in the Dark here?

^Second thoughts, then?^

No. I'm still going down there. I'm just… trying not to think of watching my back around Noland. He's got his secrets, I know. It's just…

*I for one believe you have no reason to mistrust him. At the very least, with concerns of him betraying you.*

~What makes you say that, Little Empress?~

*Unfortunately… the last three years of my life before I died and was reborn as a Blade was filled with nothing but betrayals, schemes and plots. All of which I personally dismantled. I for one see a grand scheme constantly underway whenever I look into Noland's eyes. One where he is constantly gambling with his life.*

^Vengeance burns in his heart. Even I can see as much. At the same time, he recognizes your value as an ally, and supposedly won't risk a betrayal simply to progress his own goals. That's what you're getting at, right?^

*Yes. He has no reason to betray you, nor intends to do so. However… I can't speak fully to his intentions.*

You think there's gonna be an "after" once he gets revenge on his father?

*I don't know, good Dante. I don't know.*

~Even if he's got plans for afterwards that are nefarious, we'll dismantle them without a problem, right?~

Right...

"Let's just hope that's not the case…" Dante sighed with a concerned look as he walked toward the left of the spire.

The entrance was clearly in front of the spire. But from the obvious traces of magic usage towards the left side, the young devil surmised Noland purposely left those traces.

Lo and behold, those traces surrounded a panel of obsidian, that when Dante touched and infused with his Aura, slid open, revealing a stairway of marble that led into the Dark below.

"Well… Here's to hoping it'll be an easy enough kill." The teen said, stepping into the Darkness as the doors closed behind.

This was gonna be a good walk...

---

Hey hey! Look at that, look at that! It seems Dante can "Create" after all. I know, I know, "But Aether, what about his Aura Blades and all that?". Well... that was the prelude really. The tutorial. Now? We'll be seeing more of the real deal as we go on.

And what do you know? It seems Noland had an Aegis Blade of his own hidden away for just the right time. I wonder how he's going to explain that? More importantly, what's their story? More at 11.

Anyway, that's all I have for you guys, hope you enjoyed it.

With that, if you have questions, ask them anytime. I will try to answer them without spoiling anything.

Please remember to review, follow and favorite this story if you really enjoyed it and want to continue seeing more of it. And hey, even tell others about this story! Your support genuinely matters.

With that, I bid you all an excellent week/weekend, and a Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year! And for those that don't celebrate Christmas, peace to you all the same in the hopes of a better year!

Remember... be kind and excellent to one another, stay safe, and stay healthy.