Vexion, though calm on the surface, was seething with fury. The two dark elves dared to raise their swords at her master as if they hadn't the slightest inkling of who he truly was or just how powerful he could be.
Unleashing her full might, she doubled the intensity of the aura they had felt before. The sudden surge made the injuries they'd been slowly healing return with a double the pain their knees buckled in agony and their hands trembled as if they were about to shatter.
Without warning, Vexion lifted her hand and, with precise control, drew out the daggers hidden in both Kai and Lee's pockets. The blades were pulled from their hiding places she angled them menacingly over the shoulder blades of both dark elves. Kai and Lee desperately struggled to fight back, but they were pinned against a surface of the space they were in.
Before they could muster any resistance, searing pain shot through their brains as blood spurted from their shoulders. Vexion's used her skill and drove the daggers along their shoulder blades until, with a final, brutal motion, both left arms were severed.
Kai and Lee wanted to cry out in pain, but they bit their tongues—aware that any further defiance might only infuriate the mysterious young lord, even more.
Dante watched the gruesome display with a dispassionate calm. After a moment, Vexion eased the pressure of her aura and spoke in an even, cold tone, "You may try asking again—this time, mind your tone, your words, and your actions."
The two dark elves, clearly rattled and reeling from the shock, exchanged pained glances. They knew that Vexion was dangerously unstable—mentally unhinged, even— and their defiant behaviour had sealed their fate.
With deep, shuddering breaths, they turned to address Dante with an awkward bow. "Young Lord, please assist us,"
Dante nodded curtly and turned around. "Okay, give me a second," he said calmly.
At that moment, as the dark elves struggled to recover, Lexa and her sister Lexi hurried forward. They fumbled with healing pills and bandages, trying desperately to staunch the flow of blood and alleviate the pain. Then, in a clear, measured tone, Dante announced, "We're here."
Far in the distance, the border that separated the two realms became visible. Dark elves in the area broke into emotional embraces, while the princesses worked quickly to tend to the injured dark elves.
Yawning, Dante turned to his subordinate. "Let's go home, Vexion. I'm tired."
At his words, Vexion's heart softened. Hearing him refer to their shared destination as "home" made her smile gently. She bowed deeply and replied, "Yes, my lord." Dante then moved to activate his skill—a seamless step into a higher spatial layer that would transport them instantly. But before he could take that step, a voice rang out.
"My lord, please wait!"
Dante looked down to see the striking figure of Lexa rushing toward him. As soon as she reached his side, she glanced at Vexion, who still stood calmly by his side. A strange, conflicted feeling stirred in Lexa's heart, but she quickly pushed it aside and bowed once more.
"I wish to thank you again, my lord," Lexa said earnestly. "Normally, elves and dark elves don't get along, yet you spared my life and saved my people. I am truly grateful."
Dante regarded her with a slight nod. "No problem. As I said, I expect to get paid eventually ."
Lexa hesitated for a moment before asking, "About that, my lord—how should I return this favor to you?"
Dante chuckled softly. "No need to worry about that now. When we meet again, you will know."
Lexa's eyes widened with both worry and a spark of excitement. "How will we meet again, my lord? You don't mean… on the battlefield, right?"
Dante's laughter was gentle. "Battlefield? Unless I'm incredibly pissed off or worth the effort I don't go around killing people without reason."
Lexa's expression wavered she didn't know to reply to such a obviously shameless lie , he had killed many here with even less of a reason, still she shook her head with a wry smile, a mixture of relief and uncertainty, before she pressed on. "Then, my lord, how will we meet?"
Dante smiled. "When I healed you back then I also left a way for you to contact me. I don't want you reaching out for a dumb reason so don't worry. If your desperate or about to die it'll work."
Lexa nodded, then asked hesitantly, "Is there anything I need to prepare to repay you for this debt?"
Dante chuckled, his tone teasing. "Hmm… right now, I'm simply too young for you. So give me 5 years . When I turn 18—just wear something sexy stay a virgin. That's all you'll need."
Lexa's cheeks flushed a deep pink as she took a few hesitant steps back, her voice rising in protest. "My lord, that—that is inappropriate!"
Dante's chuckle deepened as a scratched his cheak, causing her blush to intensify. "I know tragic right?".
For a long moment, Lexa pouted and then fell silent, her eyes narrowing in deep thought. Finally, with a mix of surprise and disbelief, she blurted out, "My lord—you wish to tell me your truly… 13 or so!?"
Lexa and Vexion stared at Dante, their expressions frozen in sheer disbelief.
Dante chuckled and nodded. "Yes."
Vexion, still reeling, felt a storm of emotions swell within her—jealousy, anger, shame. Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her robes as she glanced downward, conflicted. Pushing those thoughts aside, she looked up once more, wide-eyed.
"My lord… Master… are you truly only 13 years old? As in—"
Dante scratched his ear and gave a casual laugh. "Yes, as in thirteen years old."
He looked between them.
"What? Did you think I was some ancient monster pretending to be a child?"
He paused.
"Actually don't answer that. That's probably the more reasonable conclusion."
Lexa and Vexion exchanged stunned glances. This man—no, this child—who killed and slaughtered with such terrifying ease, treating lives as if they were nothing more than disposable junk, was only 13?
Dante smirked at their disbelief. "You'll understand later. Vexion, you'll know in just a few hours." Then, turning his gaze back to Lexa, his expression became serious. "Actually Lexa one more thing"
Lexa flinched, her face still burning from his earlier words, but Dante continued, his tone darkening.
"Harden your heart. Or else you'll die"
Lexa felt a chill run down her spine.
"This life isn't easy," Dante went on. "You tried saving people you couldn't protect" "That's not really kindness. It's called stupidity ."
Vexion, who had shaken off her initial shock, nodded in agreement.
The little elf girl before her was naïve. The weak, the kind-hearted, the hesitant—they died.
Vexion had suffered the same. Once, when she was mocked and called a freak and a halfling, there were those who defended her. They suffered alongside her. And in the end, they died, too. She had repaid some kindness in her life, but not always.
Kindness wasn't the problem.
Lacking the resolve to be cruel was.
And Lexa lacked that resolve.
Lexa clenched her fists. "I couldn't just leave them to die."
Dante scoffed. "So you risked getting your sister killed too?"
Lexa gritted her teeth, frustration boiling inside her. "I don't want to be like you," she spat bitterly. "You're cruel. You have a twisted sense of right and wrong. I'd rather die than live knowing I sacrificed others just to survive another day."
Dante let out a small chuckle and turned away. "Then get strong enough so you never have to make a choice. Life doesn't care about your ideals. But remember this—there are fates far worse than death." He glanced at her one last time, his smile returned. "And you know what the funny part? Most of them end up with death anyway."
Vexion gave her a final look—one of pity, as if staring at a foolish child.
Then, in the blink of an eye, they vanished.
Lexa stood there, staring at the empty space where they had just been. Dante's words echoed in her mind, but she couldn't accept them.
He was wrong.
He was evil.
He killed people for less reason than the ones he preached. He acted like life was nothing, as if slaughter was just a game to him. That wasn't cruelty. That was pure, unfiltered evil.
And now, he expected her to act the same?
Lexa stomped her foot, shaking off the weight of his words. No. She refused to be like him.
Turning on her heel, she hurried after Kai and Lee