"How much ti is left?" Dante asked, stopping on a stone that seed more like a Primordial Demon in the midst of evolution, standing still while ditating and feeling the negative energies of the world.
"Right now, she's going to kill the last two Demon kings. Not that it'll change anything. After those two, she'll probably head to Lucifer's palace to take the Sin of Pride," Alter-Dante said, keeping his back turned to his own self.
"Do you still want to go with the plan?" Alter-Dante asked, and Dante stretched.
"Honestly, I wanted to remain a Vampire, but we don't have many options now that we've lost control of everything," Dante replied.
"Still, trying to absorb Voralith's Blood won't be easy. If it were, I'd have already suggested it to you," Alter-Dante said, glancing at the infernal landscape of the tenth layer.
"I'm thinking of sothing, but I wanted your personal opinion first," Dante comnted, and Alter-Dante waited for him to ask.
"Turning Fey into a Vampire—would that help?" Dante suddenly questioned, continuing his thoughts. "Actually, I've been thinking about doing this with my wives who are human or close to it—Aldria, Sara, and Velryna, mainly. But it crossed my mind... maybe if I turn Fey and try to absorb her blood…"
"You'll kill her," Alter-Dante responded before Dante could finish his thought. "The others, I see no issue with. But Fey is essentially tied to the human world with positivity; it's very likely that she'll either die or suffer a lot. After all, you're not a progenitor of a race, but of a dinsion," he replied.
"I see… so if I ask Vlad to turn her—" Dante continued, and again, "That could still cause problems... I understand our desperation, but that's an irrational thought," Alter-Dante said.
Dante went silent for a few seconds and sighed...
"Although I don't want to do this, I'm thinking about what I can do to increase my powers even more... Facing an incarnation of negativity last ti wasn't pleasant," Dante comnted, referring to his past self.
"Being strong doesn't always an just raw strength. I still don't understand why you didn't ask Voralith to proceed with the plan of bringing Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi back, but if you want a valid option... Why not ask Ophis for help? Or rather, Ouroboros, who's with that Vampire, Rose Seusther?" Alter-Dante suggested. "And what would I do? She's still a child in this incarnation," he added, shrugging.
"Endless Knowledge," Dante spoke, and his eyes widened. "Are you suggesting I—"
"The Dragon of Infinity, do you think she wouldn't know how to turn you into a Dragon more quickly?" Alter-Dante asked.
Dante processed each word, considering his current options... "Well, it doesn't hurt to try," he said, giving a crooked smile.
"How much ti do you think I have until Astaroth kills Lucifer?"
"Considering the ti difference between the mortal world and Hell... Two weeks," Alter-Dante replied.
Dante stayed silent for a mont, his eyes fixed on the infernal vastness before him. The pulsating heat, the sulfurous sll, and the chaotic energy emanating from every corner of the place were familiar, but today they felt more distant than ever. He felt as if the weight of the world, or perhaps Hell itself, was about to collapse upon him.
"Two weeks..." Dante repeated, reflecting on Alter-Dante's words. "That's not much ti."
He extended his hands, feeling the black power running through his veins, ancient and corrupted energies that would never be enough to restore his full control over Hell. Every thought brought him closer to the decision to take a risk, even if it wasn't a perfect choice.
"Ah... I'll be going. I'll wake up Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi first... I was planning to do that once I was in Hell, but... I don't have any imdiate solutions left," Dante said as he began to disappear from the tenth layer of the Demon realm.
Then, in the blink of an eye, Dante appeared silently beside Alice, the room now imrsed in a calmness that contrasted with the turbulence in his mind. She was lying in bed, her body relaxed, breathing softly while the warmth of the night filled the space around them.
The contrast between Alice's peace and the storm brewing inside him felt surreal, but it was the reality he was accustod to.
With a deep sigh, Dante sat on the edge of the bed, observing the soft features of Alice's face as she slept. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm himself before the next step he would have to take.
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"I promised I would protect you, protect all of you..." he murmured more to himself than to her, gazing at her closed eyes, her delicate body spread out under the covers.
He didn't want to wake her, not now. Alice deserved this peace while he faced the dilemmas that Hell and the challenges ahead were imposing on him. He knew that at any mont he would have to leave again, searching for powers he wished he didn't need but were essential for what was to co. But for now, he was there, alone, relishing the silence, his mind torn between the desire to protect everyone around him and the urgent need to change the situation.
Dante leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on Alice's forehead, his lips brushing her skin gently. She stirred slightly in response but remained asleep, the softness of her being seeming to rge with the tranquil surroundings.
"Stay safe. I'll do whatever it takes... and I'll return," he whispered, the determination in his voice a silent promise.
Dante appeared in front of Morgana with a silent step, but upon hearing her speak aloud, an uncomfortable expression soon took over his face. He watched her for a mont, noticing that she was seated at her mother's desk, her personal diary open in front of her, and... reciting aloud.
"I sotis feel lost when I look at that strange man…" Morgana read, letting out a small chuckle. She glanced at the next page and continued: "And, of course, the way he looks at , as if he knows exactly what you're thinking… Oh, what I would do to feel his hands on …"
Dante stood still for a mont, processing the words leaving Morgana's mouth. He approached slowly, unsure whether to laugh or walk away.
"Do I really... have to hear this now?" Dante asked, his voice almost faltering, trying to maintain his composure.
Morgana, with a mischievous smile, raised her eyebrows, clearly enjoying herself. "Oh, it seems my mother had so... interesting opinions about you." She paused dramatically, lifting her eyes to Dante. "Here's a part I loved... 'When he looked at for the first ti, I felt as if my whole body was consud by fire, his eyes pulling in like a magnet. Oh, what I would do to be alone with him…'" She made a funny face, mimicking her mother's tone.
Dante remained quiet for a mont, visibly uncomfortable. "You... you're not going to stop reading this, are you?" He crossed his arms, trying to maintain his composure.
"Why would I stop? This is fascinating!" Morgana said, looking at him with a playful expression. "Seems like my mother really knew how to write about you... even your... 'charms.'"
"I... I don't even know what to say," Dante muttered, feeling his face heat up more with each line Morgana read. "She definitely had a peculiar way of seeing things."
Morgana laughed openly now, setting the diary aside. "Ah, you've got nothing to be embarrassed about. My mother was... expressive." She stood up and approached him with a mischievous smile. "But now you know what she really thought about you, don't you?"
Dante let out a nervous laugh, trying to diffuse the tension of the mont. "Seems like she had a talent for... exaggerating things."
Morgana shrugged, laughing even more. "Well, when you've got a mom like mine... you learn to laugh at everything. But seriously, you didn't know about this?" She teased him with a playful look.
"I didn't know she was... 'enthusiastic' about my presence," Dante said, still flustered, trying to maintain his composure, though he couldn't help but blush slightly.
"Well, how many years did you spend... doing it in that spatial distortion? Should I be thinking my mom's pregnant now?" Morgana asked.
Dante froze for a mont, his eyes widening in surprise at Morgana's question. He clearly hadn't expected that.
"Morgana, you... you're joking, right?" Dante asked, but Morgana's serious expression gave him a clear answer that she wasn't.
"I'm just making an assumption," Morgana said with a mischievous smile. "But honestly, if you spent so much ti together in that spatial distortion, who knows? Ti there must've worked differently... you know, with all those... 'intense monts.'" She paused, watching Dante closely, waiting to see his reaction.
Dante stood there, staring at her.
"What's wrong? Why so serious? Did sothing happen~?"
"Let's talk. I need to tell you sothing." Dante said, halting her completely. In the next mont, he took her hand, and they both vanished.
"Well, it's ti I tell you the truth," Dante said, and they were already back in his realm, Albion.
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