Not even the darkness of the starless sky, nor that of the ocean floor, could hide the explosion of silver brilliance that made the red extend and capture everyone.
Overcome by uncontrollable rage, Killbit launched himself at Dante. The Homunculus was different than before; his mind had become pitch black, the anger at the scene before him resembling a torch in the middle of a maze.
The red strands hid Dante's eyes of the same color, his large, arched lips parted slightly, showing his teeth and an expression of disgust with the movement of his chin.
With each attack from Killbit, his body was more taken over by the black aura that penetrated his flesh, becoming like long hairs. His black eyes turned a crystalline blue, and his speed became terrifying. Even so, Dante dodged with small jumps.
The red of the evening sword soon disappeared, as Vasily's body struggled, extreme heat was released, releasing a long curtain of smoke that covered everything.
Seeing this, Dante took a step forward. He opened his palm like a lion on a hunt and used his nails as claws, tearing the space between him and Killbit. The latter lost his bestial form.
"When Gustav said he'd do something that would impress me, he wasn't lying. You're a weapon of destruction like no other". He released her wrist. "And he's a builder as avid as my father".
The smoke soon cleared, revealing Vasily's body. There was no flesh, no blood, nothing of the sort, just gleaming metal, a red core in the center of his chest, and the evening sword hovering in the air.
He sighed, picking up the pistol from the floor. "You could have let me explain everything to them, Dante. You're such a sadist". "At least Killbit got rid of his wires on his own".
Unlike what Vasily had calculated, Killbit did not attack him immediately after learning that everything was a minimally planned scheme. Instead, he came to embrace the being with a metallic body and a man's mind.
"I knew there was something behind you being so clever, but you'll never do anything like that again"! He looked at Candela. "Is my sister still trapped in their lines? Is that why she lost her memories?"
The barrier around Candela was being absorbed by her. Killbit turned to point at Dante; he was next to Candela, running his hand over her face.
"So beautiful, so powerful, but so lost. I feel pity". He sat beside her. "Unlike those like her, he was never able to touch her, all thanks to Gustav, but that made everything more painful".
Dante controlled himself from touching Candela's smooth, albino skin again, biting his lip hard. Vasily didn't like this at all and fired a real shot at Dante, but he caught the bullet.
He took the map from his holster. "That doesn't mean Killbit and Candela are yours now. I'm the only one who can be a toy, not someone with such a good heart". He began to write it down. "Please explain everything to Killbit".
Even after having an intense battle that culminated in the shutdown and partial destruction of his system, Vasily could not stop writing things down on his map. In the end, all his steps and actions were all for the sake of Sophie realizing her dreams.
"That's right, your creation was based on me. Vasily's Tempus Fugit was handpicked by me to defeat Ascaris. I've always watched you through your eyes". He dodged another shot. "The banquet Gustav spoke of was a code for the beginning of the rebellion. Now we'll need what I've been searching for for so long".
All this information was more penetrating than the arrows of experienced archers, but even so, it did not have the effect that Dante expected on the Homunculus. He just shook his head.
The barrier completely disappeared, making Candela slowly wake up with jagged eyes. When she saw the silhouette beside her, she thought it was Killbit and immediately hugged him, but after waking up completely, she realized it was someone else.
Dante held Candela's hand. She was still in shock, not understanding what was happening around her, and Dante used this to his advantage.
In ecstasy, Dante closed his eyes for less than a second, but that was enough. Candela summoned her Cleaver, trapping Dante's image in it. Vasily shot him in the face, and Killbit activated his Tempus fugit, trapping Dante to the ground.
His eyes closed, and the evening sword rose up on its own, splitting all of Flamel's waves in half, creating a strong blast of energy that threw everyone back.
"You've cornered me. There really are monsters around me more terrifying than my beasts. Ascaris was truly an empty shell of what I once was, but you have infinite potential, pieces of high value".
Dante got up from the ground and picked up the Vespertina sword, calmly reaching the side of the body that Ascaris possessed.
"Your compliments are welcome, but I want something better than that. Please tell me how you manipulated the Flamel waves, and on top of that, generated them like Candela does".
Right in front of him was an individual with more mysteries about him than Vasily ever thought he could have by his side.
"Don't stoop to that level. It makes me seriously think it was a mistake to save you and give you knowledge. Everything has a price, but I want something in return, Vergil".
Dante had a cynical smile on his face. The crimson threads swayed, and a crimson lightning formed over Dante's back, like wings.
"So you always knew that Beatriz would separate from us to have Vergil again, but how are we going to get there before her?"
With all the sequence of events that happened around him, Killbit forgot about the last piercing look he received from Beatriz.
"Considering all the facts, Vergil has the ability to locate the energetic singularity; that's why he was here! But what does this have to do with Ascaris?"
Even though Ascaris was such a unique being that he naturally distorted Flamel waves around him, how could he have any connection to Beatrice, the objects Vasily could never understand what they were.
"Quite right, my loyal servant, only below Bernard! The black sphere contains within itself, besides the gluttons' banquet, a shortcut to any part of the tower. Bernard used Ascaris as a highway, what a shame. To win, we must sacrifice something, remember that. The energetic singularity is a room in the tower".
The evening sword was wielded by Dante, and with a breath, the black sphere was opened, releasing a mist that took the form of a black portal.
"I must warn you that it will be a dangerous path, so be careful. I'll be coming after you; take care. Now go, if you return with Vergil, I'll answer one question for each of you, just one".
Everyone looked at each other and threw themselves into the black portal. Dante kept his eyes fixed on Candela until everyone disappeared.