A Final Farewell.
It was perhaps the most important thing Helios could do in that moment – one last step that might allow him to somehow carry on with his life. Not as before, certainly not carefree or whole, but at least functional. He needed clarity. Because without it, everything was meaningless. Without a clear mind, he couldn't work – and certainly couldn't develop new medicine.
His thoughts were clouded, laced with grief, with memories that dug into his core like thorns. In this state, sooner or later, he would destroy everything he had built. Even now, he was only a shadow of his former self, driven by guilt, sleeplessness, and a pain that refused to be silent.
He needed closure.
Penelope's death weighed heavily on his soul – more heavily than he could ever have imagined. She hadn't simply died. She had been torn from him, too quickly, too arbitrarily. Her laughter still echoed in the corners of his mind – now just an echo.
And his beloved laboratory resembled a battlefield, after his distillation apparatus had exploded. The bandages on his fingers and the dressing on his right forearm bore witness to the accident that had occurred – all because he hadn't been able to concentrate enough to properly extract his substances.
Luckily, it had only been a mild compound. Nothing harmful to his health. He had only been hit by the shards. It wasn't a lie, but the official version of events. He presented to his father exactly what was reflected in his torn-up inner world. Though he may have exaggerated a little to push through his will without having to explain much.
Or justify his renewed journey.
It was a performance he had carefully crafted. All just to be able to travel to Soley with Dante undisturbed.
In any case, his father had been utterly shocked when he heard about the explosion and found Helios bleeding in his lab. He had made a huge fuss while frantically cleaning Helios' wounds and carefully trying to remove the glass shards. His father's hands were shaking so badly that Thomas had to take over. Instead of removing the shards, he had pushed some of them deeper into the flesh. He had done more harm than good.
Fortunately for Helios, nothing vital had been damaged. His tendons were still intact. The cuts were annoying, but that was all.
Even though they hurt quite a bit.
He had made a real effort to reflect his grief with his entire body. Normally, he hid his true thoughts and emotions behind the mask he showed to the outside world. Only a very few had ever seen his true feelings. Being able to show his sorrow openly had felt strange – but also, in a way, freeing.
He had shed tears and, with a trembling hand, asked his father for permission to visit Penelope's grave.
Reluctantly, his father had agreed.
And with that, Helios had once again bought himself a few more days to travel to Soley – with no one but Dante at his side.
But as much as Helios wanted to visit the grave of his late best friend, that visit would, unfortunately, have to wait. Their time was limited, and every second counted. The guilt threatened to tear him apart from within. He wanted nothing more than to finally visit her damned grave – even if he had been denied the chance to see her one last time.
Forgive me, Penny… I'll come soon to pay my last respects...
The landscape flew by in blurred colors outside the window as the train rattled toward its destination. Far too many hours had already passed, and even though the train had been considered the fastest option, the journey felt like torture.
In the car, with Dante behind the wheel, everything had been much more relaxed. He'd been able to listen to his own thoughts, and every now and then, he'd had the chance to close his eyes and unwind a little.
The train, on the other hand, was loud, crowded, uncomfortable – and Helios was genuinely surprised by how bad some people could smell. He couldn't fathom why anyone would willingly choose to travel under these conditions and actually enjoy the experience.
Sure, he was used to being trapped between his bodyguards in his private car – but this? No. Never again would he take the train, he swore to himself. Once they'd completed their mission, he'd rent a damn car and drive back himself.
Annoyed, he closed his eyes. Still, it was the fastest way to get to Soley.
Even if he deeply regretted ever considering the train as an option.
Or at least buying those damn second-class tickets. For first class, he would have had to show ID—and that, in turn, would've left traces of his whereabouts. A way to track him.
He was sitting by the window, with Dante protectively next to him. Unfortunately, Dante was very broad-shouldered and muscular. Being squeezed next to him wasn't exactly comfortable – just as it probably wasn't comfortable for Dante to try to sit in a way that both protected Helios and didn't crush him.
Helios exhaled in relief as the platform came into view.
"Are we there?" Dante asked in his deep voice.
Helios was already standing and stretching. "We are. Come on, grab the bag, Dante. We shouldn't waste a single second!" he said enthusiastically. Hard to believe how quickly his mood improved, just because they were finally getting out of that damn train.
He grabbed his suitcase and waited for Dante to finally get up so they could leave the stinking metal beast behind. When Dante rose to his full height, he drew undisguised stares from some of the passengers. Children gazed up at him with wide eyes. When Dante noticed their looks, he smiled at them. With the huge scar on his neck and face, the smile looked terrifying. Some children sought shelter with their parents, while a few boys stared at him in awe, unable to tear their eyes away.
The scar had become so normal to Helios that he barely even noticed it anymore. In fact, at this moment, it felt as if he was really seeing it for the first time.
They had always been alone together, and in his familiar surroundings, everyone carried their own scars. Most people ignored Helios' guardian altogether. When he went out, he was the center of attention.
He had never cared how terrible the scar looked. After all, he had assumed that Dante would meet an early death at his side. And now, several months later, Dante was simply Dante to him. The immortal guardian who refused to die—no matter what he had tried so far.
Helios had never asked where the scar came from.
In truth, he had only ever been interested in how to kill Dante, how his immortal body reacted to poisons. How fast he died, and how fast he came back. Dante had been his project, nothing more. And yet…
…somehow, he felt ashamed of that. Dante had truly been there for him these past weeks. He had helped him find a way to cope with his grief, so the least he could do was show a little interest—ask about his past.
But not now. They had a mission, and if everything went according to plan, they would have what they came for by tomorrow morning.
Helios took a deep breath, trying to calm his thoughts and focus on the task ahead. Once the mission was done and Belladonna was dead, he would take the time to understand Dante better.
There was too much unresolved between them, and he wanted to know more about him.
At the very least, he wanted to learn more about his condition. After all, anything could help him develop that damned anti-immortality drug.
But the thought of making Dante mortal again made his stomach clench painfully.
He glanced at his watch again.
They were right on schedule. The train hadn't caused any issues, they had arrived in Soley on time, and they even had enough time to grab something to eat and meet Spider at the hotel.
Spider had arranged their accommodation and relayed the details to Helios through one of his spies—time, location, and room number. That way, no trail would lead back to Helios. Another spy was checking into a hotel under Helios' name in Penelope's hometown.
So far, so good. Everything was going exactly as planned.
"Got everything?" Helios asked Dante as they left the train and finally breathed in some relatively fresh air. His guardian gave a grim nod. He looked a little tense. Helios patted his forearm and flashed a confident grin. "Then let's get started—so we'll still have time to visit Penny's grave on the way back!"
"You sound like you're looking forward to tearing the place apart," Dante said, raising a brow. He looked seriously on edge.
Helios smirked. "What can I say? After all those hours on the train, the thought of finally moving around a bit sounds pretty damn tempting."
"As long as you stay within a safe distance, everything's fine. So please make sure you're somewhere I can protect you," Dante said, still in a grim tone.
Helios stopped, turned to Dante, and stood on his tiptoes to flick the towering man on the forehead.
Oh yes, those eyebrows are definitely furrowed to max grumpiness, Helios thought, amused.
Dante flinched as Helios' middle finger snapped hard against his forehead. His large hand immediately flew to the spot Helios had hit. "What the…!"
But Helios just laughed—a clear, bell-like, almost childlike laugh that had become far too rare. "If you keep looking that grim, people will get scared and start getting suspicious."
Dante rubbed his forehead, pouting, and mumbled something incomprehensible. "You could've just said something.", he mumbled.
"That would've been half as fun," Helios replied. In good spirits, he took Dante's hand and tugged him along. "We should hurry so we stay on schedule. I assume something meaty would make you happy?"
It was strange how free he felt. So far from home, and yet he felt surprisingly good. Light. Unburdened. He had never been unhappy in his lab, never felt wanderlust or the urge to visit specific places. Whether it was just because of the mission, he didn't know.
Even his grief faded slightly into the background.
Maybe it was simply because, for once, he had allowed his gaze to drift beyond the rim of a test tube. And what he saw was an unknown world—one he mostly knew only from books. The mission was exciting and, oddly enough, it was fun.
Soon, he would hold the formula for immortality in his own hands—and for the first time in his life, he'd be the one to retrieve it himself.
No courier, no assassin hired to obtain certain substances.
And unlike last time in Soley, they actually knew where they were going. Spider had scouted everything out, and now all they had to do was refine their initial plan.
Helios loved it when everything went like clockwork.
Dante's hand gently squeezed his.
"Meat sounds good," he said, in a much softer voice.
___
Once more, Helios checked the pockets of his trench coat. Everything was still exactly where it had been five minutes ago. He was perfectly prepared. It couldn't be better.
So why did he have the nagging feeling that he'd forgotten something?
He couldn't have forgotten anything. He had checked everything so many times that Spider had eventually grabbed him by the arm in irritation and dragged him along. Spider had muttered under his breath, eyes rolling, that he was going to lose his mind if he had to watch Helios overthink every little detail any longer.
Was this normal—feeling like this when finally starting a mission? He was so excited. Would everything go according to plan, or would it all go horribly wrong? Would they be able to honor Dante's wish and make it through without anyone dying? Or would they leave behind a goddamn bloodbath and blow the place sky-high to erase all evidence?
His fingers tingled with anticipation to find out.
He wasn't even worried they might come up empty-handed. On the contrary, he was more than convinced that this was where they would find the answer.
Not much longer now…
They entered the library. Helios immediately looked around for the librarian, hoping desperately that the fine-fingered guy wouldn't spot him before they broke into the basement. Spider hadn't found any other entry point, and apparently, the door inside the library was the only access to the complex.
With a bit of luck, there would be an emergency exit—but they'd have to find it from inside.
He spotted the librarian one level above. Quickly, Helios ducked behind a bookshelf so the man wouldn't see him and come looking. He pressed himself tightly against the shelf.
"What's wrong?" Spider asked in a low voice, noticing Helios' expression.
"The damn librarian," Helios hissed. "I don't want him to see me."
Spider knelt in front of the basement door, grinning to himself as he started picking the lock. Dante stood on his other side, keeping watch to make sure they didn't get caught. There weren't many people moving through the library. Getting inside should be a piece of cake.
At least, through this door.
"Used too much charm?" Spider asked quietly with a sideways grin, his fingers working the lock with practiced ease.
Helios snorted. "Just hurry up."
Spider chuckled softly. "Told you—you're the perfect honeypot."
"Honeypot?" Dante asked quietly, his expression confused as he looked between Spider and Helios. Spider smirked silently.
Helios shot Spider a warning glare. "Wrong time, wrong place, Spider."
"So you have thought about it?" the damned assassin grinned.
"Definitely not."
Dante looked like he was about to press further, but wisely held his tongue.
With a soft click, the lock gave way. Spider stood up in a smooth, graceful motion and made a mock-butler gesture as if inviting a lord to pass through. Helios gave him an exasperated look. The wide grin on Spider's face only confirmed how much fun the damn assassin was having. Helios slipped past him quietly and followed Dante, who had already gone ahead, into the hallway.
Given the way Spider was currently behaving, Helios was pretty sure that guy would take any opportunity to get on his nerves.
The door closed softly behind them with a quiet click.
Spider crept ahead, Helios walked in the middle, and Dante followed behind to protect him from any potential ambushes from the rear. While Dante kept scanning their surroundings and Spider focused on moving in complete silence, Helios strolled calmly through the corridors.
He, too, made an effort to stay quiet—and even that huge guardian named Dante didn't make a single sound.
At the bottom of the narrow staircase, which had brought them down a level, they came to a stop. The hallway was dimly lit, the air completely still. In front of them stood a heavy metal door, guarded by two uniformed men—just like during their last visit.
"We're still sticking to the no-kill rule?" Spider asked quietly.
Helios reached silently into his coat pocket and handed him a small orb. "You've got a good arm, right?" he asked, just as quietly.
Spider took the orb, turned it between his fingers, inspecting it. A crooked grin spread across his lips. "Is it poison?"
"Let yourself be surprised," Helios replied. He pulled a fuse, arming the orb he had prepared specifically for Soley. It emitted a soft beep. "You shouldn't wait too long," he whispered to Spider.
Spider's grin widened. Without wasting another second, he hurled the orb toward the two armed guards, who—just like last time—were stationed in front of the hallway's only door.
"Was that… an arm just now?"
"You're imagining things. Just tell me where this thing came from."
"Why is it beeping?"
"Shit, is that a bomb?!"
Pfffsssssch—
Helios calmly pulled his respirator mask over his face. Spider and Dante did the same. He heard the startled shouts of the guards, the faint hiss of gas being released—then, finally, the sound of two bodies hitting the ground.
"Check if they're out," Helios said to Dante. His voice sounded muffled through the mask.
Dante nodded and carefully peeked into the corridor. Moments later, he stepped toward the fallen guards. Helios and Spider followed him.
"Not bad," Spider whistled appreciatively.
Helios knelt down next to the unconscious guards and checked their pulse. Steady heartbeat, stable breathing. Good.
"They'll be out for a while," he said as he stood back up. "Does the door open?"
Spider gave it a try. They watched intently as he worked on the lock. It was a large, heavy metal door, and there was nothing Helios could dissolve with acid to make it easier.
"I can't crack it. The guards must have some kind of special key or something," he sighed in defeat.
Dante immediately crouched down and began searching the guards' pockets with practiced efficiency.
"How long will they be out?" Spider asked curiously.
"Good question. A weaker dose knocked me out for over three hours," Helios replied. "This one's stronger, but I can't say for sure. With a bit of luck, five hours."
"Don't forget the time you were awake and still completely useless," Dante said. He pulled a complex-looking key from one of the guard's pockets and handed it to Spider.
Helios grinned. "Actually, I was useless the entire day."
"Don't say that like it's something to be proud of. We were locked in your lab forever," Dante muttered.
"Oh, come on, you took a nap too," Helios said, giving Dante a playful elbow to the ribs.
"Hate to interrupt your bonding time, but the field trip continues," Spider chimed in. With no further warning, he opened the door.
All three immediately pressed against the wall, tension crackling in the air. Dante's arm instinctively came up across Helios' chest—a protective reflex. Spider slipped cautiously past the doorway and peeked into the adjacent hallway. After a moment, he motioned the other two forward.
Dante grabbed the unconscious guards while Helios followed Spider.
They found a small storage room—empty, but lockable. Perfect. They dragged the guards inside, tied them to a heating pipe with zip ties, and locked the door from the outside.
So far, they hadn't run into anyone else.
"This facility doesn't seem small," Spider whispered, eyeing the long, branching hallways. Then he turned to Helios, and his expression shifted—mischief flashed in his eyes. He stepped closer, wrapped an arm around Helios' waist, and pulled him in with an exaggeratedly theatrical look. With two fingers, he tilted Helios' chin up and gazed deeply into his eyes. "Ready to piss off Daddy a little?" he purred softly.
"Anytime," Helios replied dryly, clearly unimpressed.
He was just about to push him away—when Dante beat him to it. Without a word, he shoved Spider off of Helios, his gaze cold and far from amused.
"Focus," Dante growled, not taking his eyes off him.
Spider raised an eyebrow, the grin never leaving his face. "Does it bother you if I play around a little with the kid?" he asked in a deliberately provocative tone.
Helios took a step back, his voice cool. "This 'kid' still decides for himself who he plays with. Can we move on now?"
"Sure," Spider said with a shrug. "As long as our musclehead doesn't jeopardize the whole mission just because he's jealous."
"The mission's more likely to fail because you can't keep your hands to yourself," Dante snapped back. "What if we get attacked and you can't react fast enough because you're too busy 'playing' again? You're putting Helios in danger for no reason."
Spider smirked, giving Dante a smug look. "I'm a professional. I could give Helios the night of his life right here and now and still take out any potential attackers without ever breaking eye contact with these beautiful eyes," he purred, reaching for Helios' chin again.
But Helios let out a loud, irritated sigh. "Just the thought is enough to make me gag," he growled. "Save it."
Dante grabbed Spider's wrist. "You talk a lot of bullshit when the day's long. What was that earlier about a 'honeypot'?" he hissed.
Spider's eyes flashed—half amusement, half challenge. The tension between the two was crackling, like a lit fuse.
Before things could escalate, Helios stepped forward, his voice cold as ice. "Keep it up, and I'll jab both of you with a syringe full of poison. I can continue on my own—I don't need you. After all, I'm the one who got us in here."
He didn't raise his voice, but the authority in his tone silenced them instantly.
A moment of charged silence followed.
Then Helios walked past them and gave a sharp hand signal: Move.
Dante looked at him in shock. He knew all too well how Helios' poisons felt. Spider, on the other hand, looked amused.
"Aww, such a killjoy! Well, let's get going then," Spider said cheerfully. He wrapped an arm around Helios' waist and pulled him along. "No way I wanna feel that nasty, nasty needle!"
"You're enjoying this way too much," Helios hissed.
"You know me too well," Spider sang.
Dante trudged after them, clearly still more than a little annoyed.