Chapter 228: The Darkness of Tartous
As Dante slowly regained consciousness the first thing that he noticed was the burning each time he took a breath. At least a couple of his ribs were broken from the hit he took from Lucifer, each breath was agony. The next thing that Dante noticed was how weak he felt. Lucifer drained away the majority of his magical power with just one attack. While Dante felt weak, he knew some time had passed since he felt a moderate amount of his magical power.
Knowing that enough time had passed for Dante to regain some of his magical power didn't make him feel any better. The last thing that Dante remembered was collapsing in defeat while facing Lucifer. Sorano and Yukino were with him, Dante hoped that they were able to get away. The next thing that Dante noticed was the simple fact that he was still alive. He had lost against one of the ten demon gates, but he was not killed. Thinking that Lucifer must have some sort of intentions with him, Dante focused on finding more about his situation.
Dante opened his eyes and noticed he was alone in a room. His hands were in chains behind his back. Some sort of strange machine was attached to him through wires across Dante's body. In this position Dante was forced on his knees, unable to move an inch thanks to the way his arms were bound behind him. As Dante looked around the room and wondered where the hell he was, a young woman with rabbit ears walked into the room and started to speak.
"So you are finally awake. It's such a shame that Lucifer had to damage such a handsome body" stated the young woman as she admired Dante who was shirtless. Dante would have normally found the idea of a young woman fawning over him to be enjoyable, but he could detect a sinister energy coming from the woman. The young woman walked up to Dante and ran her hand across his strong chest.
"It's not every day that I am given such a handsome man to work on" stated the young woman with a smile as she caressed Dante's muscled chest. Dante sucked in a pained gasp when the young woman's hand rub against the purple splotches above where his broken ribs were.
"Where the hell am I" asked Dante through grit teeth. Just as the young woman was about to speak, Lucifer voice was heard as he walked into the room.
"You are at the headquarters of Tartous. I hope you like your accommodations" stated Lucifer as he walked into the room. Dante felt anger swell up inside him as he looked at the sinister smile on Lucifer's face. Lucifer seeing that the young woman was still caressing Dante's chest, continued to speak.
"Lamy that is enough. Don't forget why I bothered to bring Dante back to headquarters" stated Lucifer with a smile. The woman who Dante know knew was called Lamy turned to face Lucifer and started to speak.
"Do you have to do this? I would be such a shame to mess with such a handsome specimen" responded Lamy in a pouting tone. The look that Lucifer gave her was one that held no room for argument as he started to speak.
"Don't waste my time. Besides, it won't kill him" responded Lucifer with a sinister smile. Lamy seemed to perk up at these words as she walked away from Dante and stood in front of the controls of the machine that was attached to Dante while she started to speak.
"That's right, we won't kill him so between sessions I can admire his handsome body" responded Lamy in an excited tone as she started to fiddle with the controls of the machine in front of her. Dante was worried what sort of machine he was attached to but he turned his attention towards Lucifer and started to speak.
"Where is Sorano and Yukino" asked Dante, his voice dripping with anger. Lucifer smiled at Dante as he started to speak.
"You're concerned with those insects? They were so weak they were not worth my time. After you collapsed I carried you back to headquarters, leaving those two weaklings behind" responded Lucifer. Despite his situation, Dante breathed a sigh of relief at these words. At least Sorano and Yukino were safe. Lucifer laughed when he heard Dante breathe a sigh of relief while he continued to speak.
"I wouldn't relax if I were you. Not when I tell you what our plans are, especially what I have planned for you Dante Strauss" stated Lucifer in a mocking tone. Hearing these words Dante looked curiously at Lucifer, he still didn't know what Tartous was planning. With a sinister smile Lucifer explained what Tartous was planning. Hearing the plan Dante grit his teeth in anger as he started to speak.
"You never going to succeed, Fairy Tail will stop you" shouted Dante in a panicked tone. Dante couldn't believe that such a thing was even possible. Why in the hell would the magic council ever even think of building such a terrible device? This face system would take away every scrap of magical energy in the kingdom, it would leave everyone without any chance of fighting back. Lucifer laughed mockingly at Dante as he started to speak.
"Hahahaha Fairy Tail is going to stop us? Don't kid yourself. You should be much more worried about my plans for you" responded Lucifer in a mocking tone. Just as Dante was about to demand more answers from Lucifer, Lamy switched on the machine. The instant the machine buzzed to life; Dante felt pain shoot across his entire body as he felt his very life energy be sucked away.
"AGHHHHH" yelled Dante in pain as he felt the machine suck away his magical and life energy. As Dante thrashed in pain he could see the storage container that was attached to the machine be filled with his own magical and life energy. The torture only lasted a minute, but it felt like an eternity to Dante. Once the machine quieted down Dante was left panting heavily, his entire body shaking from the aftershocks of pain. Dante could hear Lucifer's sinister laugh before he started to speak.
"Please allow me to explain. As you have seen this machine is capable of draining away a person's magical and life energy and storing it. Normally this machine can suck a person dry, killing them but that is not what I am going to do with you" stated Lucifer in a mocking tone.
"Then what the hell do you want with me" asked Dante, still breathing heavily feeling like his entire body was filled with led.
"What I want from you is your holy energy. You see with your unique magical energy I can use it to strengthen my own angelic power. I'll keep you alive and suck you dry to the point of near death. For the rest of your days, you will be my living battery of magical power" responded Lucifer in a mocking tone. Just as Dante was about to retort the machine buzzed back to life. Screaming out in pain as more of his lifeforce was drained away, Dante thrashed in pain. After a short while the machine powered down, leaving Dante breathless.
"Hahaha watching the mighty Angel of Fairy Tail shake in agony is the best" stated Lucifer in a mocking tone. Turning his attention towards the container filled with Dante's magical energy and life force, Lucifer licked his lips in hunger.
"Keep it up Lamy, come and get me once the container is filled to the brim" stated Lucifer with a smile as he then walked out of the room. Dante was about to call after Lucifer when the machine roared back to life. Screaming out, Dante's world exploded in pain as the machine sucked away his life force.
Dante didn't know how much time had passed since Lucifer left the room. All Dante could do to stay sane was count the moments between times the machine roared back to life. He had lost count of the number of times the machine sucked away his life energy. It felt like Dante was right on the edge of death, he had never felt this weak in his life. As Dante breathed heavily while he tried to recover from the latest session with the machine, Lamy let out her annoying laugh as she started to speak.
"It's such a shame to watch such a handsome man be in this much pain but this is all for the best. With your life force, Lucifer will become even more powerful" stated Lamy as she fiddled with the machine. While Dante was still breathing heavily, he started to speak.
"You're not going to get away with this. You have no idea what the hell is in store for you once Mira sees what you've done to me" stated Dante in a breathless tone while he laughed. Seeing that he had Lamy's attention, Dante continued to speak.
"You might think you know what a demon is, but you haven't seen real fear until you have to face an angry she devil" sated Dante with a weak smile. Dante had trust in his friends, he knew that they would recue him. These bastards would regret messing with Fairy Tail Dante thought. Lamy then surprised Dante when she started to laugh.
"You mean that ugly woman that we captured? I don't think we have to worry about her" responded Lamy in a mocking tone. Dante felt his veins run cold at these words as Lamy continued to speak.
"She's not the only one we've captured. As we speak Erza Scarlet is being tortured by one of the other demon gates" stated Lamy in a mocking tone. Dante grit his teeth in anger as he stared daggers at Lamy while he started to speak.
"I'm going to kill you" stated Dante in an angry tone as he struggled against his bindings. Seeing his pointless struggle, Lamy laughed before she continued to speak.
"When we captured Mira I couldn't help but think her ugly face needs a makeover. Once we pump demon blood in her, it should twist that ugly face of hers" stated Lamy in a mocking tone before she laughed. Feeling more anger swell up inside him, Dante pulled at the chains wrapped around his wrists while Lamy continued to speak.
"We even have your other sister imprisoned here along with Salamander. We have no use for them so we will just kill them" stated Lamy enjoying the look of furry on Dante's face form her mocking words. Dante's entire body shook with anger as he pulled at his restraints. Pulling hard at his restraints, Dante started to speak.
"You better let them all go or else I will kill all of you" responded Dante, each word filled with hatred. Lamy again let out her annoyed laugh as Dante pulled hard against his chains. The anger filling Dante made him ignore everything expect the desire to tear Lamy's head off her body.
Dante could vaguely register the feeling of his blood running down his arms as he pulled against the chains wrapped around his wrists. He was pulled so hard against his restraints that the skin was tearing. Still Dante pulled, not caring if he tore his arms out as he stared daggers at Lamy. More blood poured down his arms as Dante tore the skin of his wrists while he pulled harder. Slowly but surely the chains started to slip as Dante pulled. Lamy was still laughing at Dante's struggle as he continued to speak.
"I'M GOING TO KILL EVERY SINGLE LAST ONE OF YOU MONSTERS" yelled Dante as he pulled harder. The chains sliding against his hands, but Dante refused to stop. The sound of tearing muscle and skin pounded into Dante's ears as he continued to speak.
"I WON'T LET YOU HARM MY LOVED ONES" yelled Dante as he pulled once more. Dante could feel the skin being torn off his hands and yet he still pulled. He could feel the chains slipping, just one more push Dante thought as he continued to speak.
"YOU ARE GOING TO DIE" yelled Dante as he did one final pull with all his strength. In one push Dante tore the chains off of his hand, the skin being torn completely off. Blood gushed from Dante's wounds; large portions of his muscle was left exposed on his destroyed hands. Despite the throbbing pain screaming at him, Dante rushed forward towards a stunned Lamy. With his white hot anger behind him, Dante clotheslined Lamy's throat. He could feel the bones shatter in Lamy's throat as Dante clotheslined her before he smashed her into the ground. Breathing heavily Dante stood up over Lamy's dead body as he tried to gather himself.
"Ahhh damn" stated Dante to himself, finally acknowledging how messed up his hands were. Looking at his hands Dante saw that they were mangled and dripping with hot blood. The skin was torn clean off and in some cases he could see some bone in some areas. Already Dante was feeling woozy from the blood loss and knew he needed to staunch the bleeding. Looking around for a moment Dante's gaze settled on the white lab coat that Lamy was wearing. It was difficult to do so without the use of his hands, but Dante was able to use his teeth to tear the lab coat and then wrap it around his mangled hands.
"Well, that should stop some of the bleeding" stated Dante to himself as he watched the white cloth stain red with his blood. Dante knew that this was only a quick temporary fix, he would need to have Sorano or Wendy heal him soon. The pain radiating from his hands and broken ribs was intense, but Dante was at least glad that the pain kept him awake.
"I need to get a move on, I need to save them" stated Dante to himself as he remembered that his loved ones were captured. Looking around the room, Dante walked towards the horrid machine that sucked away his magical and life energy. Looking at the filled container, Dante smashed the glass with his foot. After a few strong kicks the glass shattered, and Dante was enveloped by the stored magical and life energy. Feeling the energy swell up inside him, Dante breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the majority of his power return to him.
"Damn now I knew why Lucifer was so keen on making me his living battery. This machine can store my energy and be released in one big shot" stated Dante with a smile thinking he was lucky that Lamy drained him of so much power so he could steal it all back and recover the majority of his magical power.
"Now that I have my power back I just need to find where Mira, Erza and the others are being kept" stated Dante to himself as he walked out of the room. Glancing around Dante saw that no one was coming to attack him, maybe his escape had gone unnoticed. Not wanting to waste his magical energy with how damaged he was, Dante crept into the shadows as he searched for his friends. Dante didn't know how long he had been searching since the constant throbbing in his hands and ribs drowned out his sense of time, but his search abruptly came to an end when Dante stepped into a large chamber and heard Lucifer start to speak.
"My my you are determined. I would have never thought you would have been willing to escape in such a desperate manner" stated Lucifer in an amused tone as he hovered in the air in front of Dante. Dante grit his teeth in anger as he channeled his magical energy and transformed into his Arch Angel Soul Michael form. Glad that his injuries to his hands were gone while he was in this form, Dante spread his wings wide as he started to speak.
"Tell me where my friends are, and I might let you live" responded Dante in an ice cold tone. Lucifer laughed at these words as he started to speak.
"Hahaha I don't think you are in the position to make such demands. Do you remember the last time we fought? What makes you think this time will go any better" asked Lucifer in a mocking tone. Dante grit his teeth in anger, he knew how hopeless this fight was. Lucifer possessed hell flames that could tear away his magical power, Dante would have to make sure it never hit him. On top of that Dante was sure that Lucifer's magic could nullify and weaken his own holy power. In essence Lucifer was the perfect counter to Dante but that didn't matter Dante thought. His friends and loved ones were counting on him, Dante wasn't going to fail a second time.
End of Chapter 228