Ti couldn't be asured in such a way... But with Dante's conversation... He managed to do sothing crucial...
"W-what is it?" Siren stamred as she saw a light elf in front of her, looking at her and handing her sothing, a... invitation...
"Just accept it," Valentina said, and the elf trembled slightly at the sound of her voice... "It's from my husband, for sure," she added with a smile.
"He wouldn't leave you alone with so many problems happening," Valentina said, letting out a small laugh...
'Right on ti... that bastard went to talk to Vlad...' Valentina thought.
Siren held the invitation in her hands, the paper light, but laden with a gravity that made her tremble. She looked at Valentina, the woman's smile now seeming almost ironic.
"What does he want, sending to a eting in the middle of a war?" Siren asked, her voice full of suspicion and a touch of anger. "Why ? And why now?"
Valentina crossed her arms, her expression turning serious, though a hint of amusent still shone in her eyes. "Dante knows what he's doing, Siren. He wouldn't send you to a place like that without reason."
"Reason?" Siren repeated, her voice rising slightly. "And what reason would that be, Valentina? Does he want to die? To face Velkan in the midst of all this?"
Valentina sighed, losing a bit of patience. "Velkan isn't just your enemy... At least... not anymore. And Dante thinks you might be... useful."
"Useful?" Siren scoffed, stepping forward to confront Valentina. "Be straight with , Valentina. He's throwing into the crossfire without an explanation, and I want to know why!"
Valentina didn't back down, but the smile faded. "Do you think you're the only one he's testing, Siren? We all have our roles to play. And if you think my husband is sending you to your death, stay here, I'll go alone... after all, I'm the last one needed for the plan to begin."
"I'm not a piece in your ga!" Siren retorted, clutching the invitation tightly.
"But you are," Valentina said firmly, her eyes narrowing. "We all are. And the sooner you accept that, the easier it will be to survive."
Siren stared at Valentina for a long mont, feeling the weight of her words. But she knew she had no choice. Dante had put her on this path, and now she had to move forward, even if it ant going into the heart of the war, even if it ant facing Velkan head-on.
"Uuggrrhh!" Siren growled in frustration as the Light Elf disappeared, his ethereal glow fading as quickly as her patience. "Damn it!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the hall, before slamming her fist on the table in front of her, shattering it completely.
Valentina simply watched, amused by Siren's outburst of rage. For soone so strong, she was surprisingly volatile. That was perhaps the curse of strength—the more power one possesses, the lonelier one becos.
"It better be worth as much as you promise!" Siren shouted, her face contorted in a mixture of anger and frustration, directing her fury at Valentina.
Valentina couldn't help but smile, not with disdain, but with a dark understanding. Siren was a powerful woman, but that sa strength made her lonely, trapped in a constant battle against the world around her and against her own demons.
'She reminds of myself... thirty years ago...' Valentina thought, her mind briefly wandering to a past she rarely revisited.
A ti when loneliness was her only companion, when her strength was both her blessing and her curse.
In a way, Valentina felt a bit sorry for Siren being in this situation.
But would she show it? Of course not.
She didn't care on that level.
Valentina was pragmatic, often... crazy, and knew that Siren would have to find her own strength to survive what was coming.
But with her last conversation with Dante... when she sold her soul to him, sothing changed within her.
Perhaps it was the realization that certain things in life needed to be faced head-on, that so battles couldn't be won with brute force alone.
That's why she suggested to Dante that he 'capture' Siren.
Not because she thought Siren was necessary, but because she saw in her a reflection of herself.
Soone who needed a purpose, a battle worthy of her power.
How did she do it?
Why did she suggest it?
These were questions Valentina couldn't answer clearly either.
Perhaps it was the lack of competition, the emptiness of being the strongest with no one to challenge.
Maybe she was looking for sothing more, a rival who could bring back the thrill of the fight.
Like in the old days.
But one thing was certain: Valentina, even if she wouldn't admit it, was eager to see how Siren would fare when she discovered Dante's true nature.
Because, deep down, she knew she needed another strong woman to fight, to test herself, to rember why she had beco the most powerful of all. But she also knew that...
Her husband was ruthless with any strong woman... And she wanted to see how Siren would handle a man so... volatile.
"Get ready... Tomorrow we make a big move," Valentina said with a smile, "Tomorrow you will et the most dangerous man in the world." She confird again.
Valentina's words... were not a bluff.
...
The sounds of footsteps echoed through the luxurious corridors, highlighting the grandeur of the Queen of Witches' castle. The massive golden mana pillars decorating the interior were an exaggerated display of power, almost blinding in their opulence.
It was exotic, egocentric, and, above all, extravagantly ostentatious.
"Hello! Your favorite daughter has arrived!" Lyra announced with a mischievous smile, materializing in Alice Arcano's office. After all, she was the Queen of Witches' daughter, so her presence there shouldn't be a surprise.
Right?
"Get out of here, you insufferable brat," Alice responded disdainfully, casting a brief glance at Lyra. Her glasses were carefully positioned, creating a barrier that made it hard for Lyra to decipher whether her mother was actually looking at her or simply ignoring her.
"Wow, Mom..." Lyra murmured, letting out a sigh as she sat down in front of her mother. "So! Who are you taking to the Rulers' eting? It's going to be in Kryoris, isn't it? It seems like it's going to be quite grand this ti!" she said, her voice filled with enthusiasm.
Almost as if suggesting...
"I'm not taking you, if that's what you want to know," Alice comnted indifferently, her eyes fixed on the docunts in front of her, making no effort to look at her daughter. The response was blunt, cutting off any hope Lyra might have had.
Lyra made a face, clearly disappointed but not surprised. Alice was relentless in her approach to power, and Lyra knew her mother was not swayed by sentintalism, especially when it ca to sothing as important as the Rulers' eting. Still, it wasn't as if Lyra was going to give up easily.
"Mom... You know I'm a powerful witch, right? I can help in Kryoris. Besides, you never know when a touch of extravagance might co in handy," Lyra insisted, trying, with little success, to bend Alice's determination.
Alice let out a tired sigh, finally lifting her eyes to face her daughter. "You may be powerful, Lyra, but you still need to learn to control your impulsiveness. Besides... in About War... And apparently, everyone is going with their elites."
Lyra opened her mouth to protest, but Alice cut her off with a sharp look. "Don't insist. My role as the Queen of Witches is to ensure our position remains unshakable. And for that, I need strategy, not impulsiveness."
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Alice's response was as cold as it was predictable, leaving Lyra with no choice but to accept, at least for now.
She knew her mother was right, but that didn't lessen her frustration.
She wanted to prove her worth, to show that she was not just the Queen's daughter but a force to be reckoned with on her own.
Suddenly, Lyra felt a soft hand rest on her head, caressing her hair with a delicacy that made her freeze in place. "Hello, little sister," a familiar voice said, but the tone was not angelic—it was cold, almost unsettling. The witch.
"M-M-Morgana?!" Lyra stuttered, almost trembling with fear and surprise. Her sister's presence filled the room with an intensity that rivaled their mother's. The aura emanating from Morgana was dense, heavy, and filled with power. Power that Lyra knew should not be underestimated.
"Oh, it's the mischievous Lyra..." Morgana continued, her voice dripping with a mix of disdain and curiosity. "Where are the Anger and the Idiot?" she asked, but before the younger sister could respond, Morgana sliced through the air with a comnt that made Lyra's blood run cold.
"You need to stop poking around in Demon affairs," Morgana declared, her voice now sharper, looking directly at Alice, who was engrossed in her studies. And Lyra, following her sister's gaze, saw what their mother was studying at that mont—Demonic Magic.
Alice did not lift her eyes from the docunts, but the tension in the air was palpable. Lyra swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Morgana's words.
It was rare to see their mother being challenged, especially by one of her own daughters, but there was Morgana, subtly defying Alice's authority with a deanor that exuded confidence and superiority.
"This is none of your business, Morgana," Alice finally responded, her voice firm, with no trace of emotion. "If you're concerned about your sister's safety, you can rest assured. I know what I'm doing."
Morgana stepped closer, leaning slightly over Alice's desk, her eyes glowing with a dark intensity. "I hope so, Mother. Because playing with Demonic Magic is not sothing to be taken lightly... even for soone like you."
"Leave her be, Lyra," Morgana said, turning her attention back to her younger sister. "You still have much to learn. And ddling in Demon matters won't make you stronger."
Lyra rely nodded, lacking the courage to argue.
"Sister... weren't you going to stay with Dante?" Lyra asked, and Morgana smiled at her, "I'm still a witch, not 'Mommy'?" Morgana questioned sarcastically.
"I see... so you're the one going with our mother..." Lyra murmured.
"When it cos to Chaos, I think a Chaos Witch like should be present... Especially when... my husband is the cause of the Chaos," Morgana murmured.
"Six hours left... Be ready," Alice said, as she closed her notes. "Whatever you have planned, I hope it's a show," she added.
"Of course... Mommy," Morgana murmured... 'If you knew I was leading you straight into the devil's lair... you wouldn't be so happy.'
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