Chapter 8 To New Lands

"Why did you run?" Yuna asked Jevan.

"I was merely keeping the box safe." He said while looking down, it looked quite funny to see a man as big and powerful as Jevan being scolded.

"I can see why despite being one of the first realms in existence, its level of technology and magic is so low." Yuna nodded her head in disappointment.

Aevis was right next to the center of the universe, at least in their section.

The universe is constantly expanding, so this gives Aevis much more time to develop and strengthen their foundations compared to other worlds.

"Are you sure there hasn't been someone in the shadows sabotaging your progress all these years?" Yuna was genuinely confused.

Both Jevan and Vaelir just looked down, the leaders of this world were proving very incompetent.

"I see that I must do my own investigation, I expect your full support." She looked at Vaelir.

He simply nodded his head in fear.

"Jevan." Yuna said.

Jevan looked up and simply nodded before activating his ring. This ring stored the precious box that was meant for Dante.

"I can see it's been tampered with, how disappointing." She simply traced her finger along some parts of the etchings that were carved on the metal box exterior.

After doing whatever she did, she set the box down on Dante's bare chest before it slowly began to turn into some form of liquid and began to seep into Dante's being.

Both Vaelir and Jevan were curious and wanted to ask, but both could at the very least read the room.

"Continue preparing." Yuna waved them both off.

Both wasted no time and practically sprinted out of the room like their lives depended on it.

Yuna turned to look at Dante and all the iciness she had just shown melted away. A mothers love was pure and terrifying.

Hours later, Dante finally woke up and only felt a slight stiffness in his arms. He got concerned for a second when he woke up to another unfamiliar ceiling, but after seeing his mother he calmed down.

"Good morning, sleepy head." Yuna said it with a kind smile.

"Thanks for healing me." He replied.

Yuna just nodded her head before setting down a tray of food for him, she quietly waited for him to finish.

"So what do we do now?" Dante asked.

"We will spend the next few years preparing you and forming your mana core." Yuna said while picking up the tray of food and leaving the room.

Dante silently followed and began to recall what he had talked about with Lucifer.

"Can I join the academy?"

"If you wish, but I'm sure I could fulfill that role better." Yuna said bluntly, she had zero faith from the people she had encountered so far in Aevis.

"I heard that the headmaster is special, I want to confirm for myself."

Yuna knew about Dante's involvement for the most part with the gods, so he didn't hide tiny details from her. Both seemed to have come to an unwritten understanding of living complicated lives.

"Very well, I'll make the arrangements." Yuna scrubbed the dishes while quickly pondering something.

"When you're sixteen I'll send you, until then I'll prepare you." Yuna said leaving no room for arguing.

Dante just nodded his head, arguing with his mother never truly worked out well.

"I've always had this question mother, would you answer me?" Dante asked

"Depends." She said shortly.

"Who are you and who was my father?" Dante had known that his origins were something special and he was curious to how special he truly was.

This question brought a slight smile to his mothers face, she never thought her son would care about something like this.

"Your father was a strong man, he silently abdicated his throne many years ago but when all hell broke loose he decided to take back his mantle to give time for you and I to escape." Yuna began reminiscing on the final few weeks of her world's demise.

"He was the first, and the last Michael." Yuna's eyes began to fill with water.

"He was Michael twice?" Dante was confused, he got the point that his father was a god or something equivalent of sorts.

"Most of the gods you'll meet aren't the originals, most of them have either died or passed on their titles to a successor." Yuna paused for a brief second.

"He abdicated his title to live his life with me, but when his successor died he decided to take back his title and do what he needed." Yuna at this point had tears streaming down her face but she didn't stop cleaning the dishes.

Dante merely watched and didn't utter a word, he at least knew when to shut up.

"All because of his stupid duty."

"He ditched his family."

"He fought a war he could never win."

"All while wearing the same righteous smile."

"Why did I have to love him…."

Yuna weakly fell to her knees and began to sob uncontrollably.

Dante walked forward and rubbed her back, he wasn't sure how to really help with this. Minutes went by and finally Yuna was able to bring herself back from collapse.

"I never knew I could love someone so stubborn and righteously stupid, but here I am." Yuna wiped some tears from her face before dawning a genuine smile.

"Archangel Michael, the 2nd Angel to attain godhood."

Dante already knew who was the first since he's been meeting him for awhile.

"Lucifer was the first?" Dante asked.

"Indeed, one of the only originals around now too."

Dante didn't know that Lucifer was an original but since he was then clearly the man had been working behind the scenes for a long time.

"Is he one of the gods you're in contact with?" Yuna asked.

Dante paused for a second.

"How does she know even that?"

Yuna said his hesitation and just laughed.

"You know your father was also one of the people in that group, I just never bothered asking since I was never personally invited." Yuna just laughed.

Dante's hesitation disappeared after hearing that.

"Yes he is, I believe he's the leader of it too." Dante assumed that since he was the god he had the most interactions with.

"Good choice, not many are capable of outsmarting that man. But do be careful, he tends to cover up his true agenda." Yuna had no qualms with the man but over the millennia she had heard of his escapades.

"Alright! It's time to get started moving towards the elven city." Yuna clapped and opened a portal.

Dante was surprised by how sudden this was but he was excited to finally see what else the world offered after living inside the forest his entire life so far. He was upset his mother deflected his question about her identity but he decided to bite his tongue.