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The morning of their departure dawned with a bittersweet stillness over the Asterius estate.
Servants bustled to load carriages with luggage while Dabi, Eli, Mira, ready to leave. Aunt Nazu were in the hospital.
The crisp air carried the faint aroma of the flowers Mira had insisted on planting, a testant to the small but heartfelt mark they had left on this place.
Ravier stood on the estate steps, his imposing figure softened by an air of reluctant acceptance.
His usual stern gaze lingered on his grandchildren, pride and regret mingling in his expression.
"You've done more for this family than many who've borne the Asterius na,"
Ravier said, addressing Dabi directly. "Though you walk your own path, rember that you are always welco here."
Dabi nodded, his expression calm but respectful. "Thank you, Grandfather. I'll rember your words."
Tessa approached, her movents unusually hesitant. Her icy deanor from their first encounter had thawed over the weeks, revealing glimpses of warmth beneath her composed exterior.
"Take care of yourself, Dabi," she said softly, her voice almost hesitant.
She turned to Eli and Mira, managing a faint smile. "And you two... try not to cause too much chaos."
Mira grinned impishly. "No promises."
Eli gave a mock salute. "We'll keep him out of trouble. Mostly."
Laughter rippled through the group, breaking the somber mood for a mont.
As the final preparations were being made, Althea appeared, striding across the courtyard with her usual grace. In her hands, she carried a small, ornate box.
"Leaving without saying goodbye would have been unforgivable," she said, her erald eyes locking with Dabi's.
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He inclined his head slightly. "I didn't think you'd let us go so easily."
She chuckled, though there was a note of sadness in her voice. "You've underestimated , Dabi. I ant it when I said I'd support you, no matter what."
Opening the box, she revealed a shimring silver amulet, etched with intricate runes.
"This is a rare artifact," Althea explained, holding it out to him. "The Lumis Pendant.
It's said to strengthen the bearer's resistance to mind-altering magic and illusions. Consider it a token of my loyalty."
Dabi has no need for a rare artifact. He can buy legendary item and artifact any he wants from system shop.
Dabi thinking, Should I decline her?
I have no use for it. It will be waste.
I have system for that. System will notify everything if get ntal attack. But others can use it.
What Should I do. If I refuse she might fell
disrespectful. Let's accept it for now. Later I will give her sothing in return.
Dabi accepted the gift, his fingers brushing against the cool tal.
"Thank you, Althea. I'll use it well."
Her smile was faint but genuine. "I'll hold you to that."
For a mont, they stood in silence, the unspoken understanding between them deepening. Finally, Althea stepped back, her voice steady.
"Take care of yourself, Dabi. And... don't forget us here."
"I won't," he promised."
As the carriages rolled out of the estate, Dabi leaned back against the seat, his thoughts heavy with the events of the past weeks.
Despite his initial reluctance to engage with his royal heritage, he couldn't deny the connections he had forged.
Mira broke the silence, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Do you think Grandfather will keep his promise about Aunt Nazu?"
Dabi glanced at his sister, his gaze steady. "He will. Ravier may be calculating, but he's not a liar."
Eli piped up, grinning. "And what about Althea? She's definitely got a thing for you."
Dabi rolled his eyes. "She's an ally. Let's leave it at that."
You are too young to talk about that.
How do you even know that type of dialogue. 'Thing for you'.
Who teach you that. Eli said, I heard it from so servant taking. But I know what love is. I am young enough to understand.
Dabi scratching behind his head tells, you both are growing up too fast. Don't act like adults. Once you beco adult there's no going back.
He makes a jokes, making his hand as a monster attacking Eli and Mira. Everyone laughs.
Their lighthearted banter eased the tension in the carriage, reminding Dabi of the bond he shared with his siblings.
No matter how complex his journey beca, they were his anchor.
Hours into their journey, as the carriage reach the hospital where auntie Nazu is.
She was healed. She is ready to return ho.
Dabi didn't have the ti talk with her since he rescued from the vampire. He decided to he will talk with her once they are ho.
They greeted her in hospital, Eli and Mira jumps from happiness. After so chit- chat they are in carriage again.
Their destination is ho. After so ti. Aunt Nazu finally spoke.
She can't hold back anymore. Her mind and heart is killing her. She needs to tell Dabi the truth.
She doesn't know how long she will be alive. Her voice was soft but carried an undertone of urgency.
"Dabi, there's sothing I need to tell you," she began, her piercing gaze eting his.
He straightened, his attention fully on her. "What is it?"
She hesitated, as if weighing her words carefully. "The dinsional gates... they're not just random anomalies.
They're interconnected, part of a larger system that few understand. Your parents were investigating sothing far bigger than anyone realized."
Mira leaned forward, her eyes wide. "What do you an? What were they looking for?"
Nazu's expression darkened. "A pattern. Sothing that ties the gates together.
They believed there was a central source sothing or soone controlling them."
Dabi's mind raced, piecing together fragnts of what he already knew.
"And their disappearance?"
"They didn't just vanish," Nazu said, her voice tightening. "They were taken by soone. I've been following the clues they left behind, but I've only scratched the surface.
Their last mission was tied to a gate unlike any other one that leads to a place beyond this world."
The siblings sat in stunned silence, the weight of her words sinking in. Finally, Dabi spoke, his voice firm.
"Then we'll find it. Whatever it takes."
Aunt Nazu's lips curved into a faint smile, her eyes glinting with a mixture of pride and sadness. "I expected no less from you."
As the carriage approached near their house, the forest around them grew unnaturally quiet.
A chill swept through the air, raising the hairs on the back of Dabi's neck.
"Sothing's wrong," he muttered, signaling for the driver to stop.
The group disembarked cautiously, scanning the area.
Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the trees, followed by the rustling of underbrush.
Dabi prepared to summon his magic. Aunt Nazu stepped forward, her hand resting on the hilt of her blade.
"We're not alone," she said, her voice low and steady.
From the shadows erged a figure cloaked in black, their face obscured by a hood. They held up a hand, and the air seed to shimr around them.
"Dabi Asterius," the figure intoned, their voice hollow and chilling.
"You've ddled in forces beyond your understanding. Turn back now, or face the consequences."
Dabi's eyes narrowed, his resolve hardening. "I don't take orders from shadows."
The figure laughed, a cold, hollow sound. "Then you leave no choice."
With a flick of their wrist, the forest erupted into chaos, creatures erging from the darkness with glowing eyes and razor sharp claws.
Dabi raised his hand, his magic crackling to life. "Protect each other," he commanded, stepping forward to face the oncoming threat.
The battle had begun, and the stakes had never been higher.
The air grew thick with malice as the creatures charged. Dabi's magic crackled to life, a searing blue aura enveloping him.
Beside him, Aunt Nazu stood firm, her twin scimitars gleaming in the dim light. Her eyes were sharp, unwavering.
"I'll handle the big ones," she said, her voice steady. "You focus on clearing the swarm."
Dabi nodded. "Understood." Eli and Mira were inside the carriage.
The creatures ca in waves shadowy beasts with razor-sharp claws and glowing red eyes.
Dabi raised his hands, summoning a torrent of fire that roared through the first wave, reducing them to ash.
But more replaced them, their movents erratic and unnaturally fast.
Aunt Nazu moved like a blur, her scimitars slicing through the creatures with lethal precision. Each swing left trails of silver light, and the beasts crumbled into nothingness.
From the shadows, the cloaked figure raised their hand, and the air around them shimred ominously. Tendrils of dark energy erupted from the ground, aiming for Dabi and Nazu.
"Nazu, dodge!" Dabi shouted, leaping to the side. He countered with a quick spell, creating a wall of stone to block the attack.
Nazu rolled clear, her blades flashing as she decapitated another beast mid-lunge. "These things just keep coming!" she growled.
Dabi clenched his fists. "Then I'll make sure they stop." He reached deep into his reserves, summoning a glyph beneath him that pulsed with power.
"Elental Synthesis: Thunderstorm Veil!"
A storm of electricity and wind erupted around him, arcs of lightning striking down creatures in droves.
The air buzzed with energy, and even Nazu had to step back, her scimitars humming with static.
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