15 A Flame without Ambition

Dante fell into a coma after touching the orb, experiencing such intense pain that his brain shut down to prevent further damage, leaving him in a near-death state.

For the first time, Dante entered his mental world, a place where one's strengths converge—a central hub where their powers coexist and mana is stored—a world shaped by each being's existence. Typically, it takes years to form this world, but Dante's differed. He found himself lying on the ground, gazing at a red sky—understanding it was the color influenced by his race. Dante remained a Noble Vampire, from a distinct lineage, yet his race influenced his dominion.

Rising to his feet, Dante realized he was surrounded by an immense sea of blood, akin to what he had once seen of his mother's...

"I see, she showed me not her aura but her mental world..." Dante stood, observing the endless horizon.

While his mother's mental world showed only endless bodies and corpses, his was a sea of blood, calm and without any waves or breaks, just water extending to the edge of sight.

Glancing behind him for the first time, he spotted an item in the distance—a stone with a sword embedded within.

Dante attempted to approach, but the stone seemed to distance itself. He tried running, but the same occurred—the stone now seemed thousands of kilometers away, unattainable at that moment.

"Strange," Dante muttered, attempting to comprehend why this was happening. However, his attempt was in vain. Time felt accelerated, his world devoid of day and night cycles, yet he sensed the sky changing.

"How long must I be confined here?" Dante questioned, sitting down and closing his eyes, recalling his mother's words.

It was a rainy day, cold and with thunder echoing—a weather that always made Dante fearful, especially in his previous life. He wanted to stay away from anyone who used or controlled lightning.

The night was bleak, cold, and shadowy. Dante wished to sleep but couldn't. His mother noticed, understanding his numerous fears. Valentina was aware of many things about her son, recognizing he had many anxieties. She chose to impart another lesson to her son, eager to awaken his latent powers.

"Dear, calm down and contemplate your fears," Valentina said, caressing her son's head as he tried to rest with her.

"You know, Mom had fears in the past," Valentina began an unpredictable monologue—her son surprised that she was once afraid. Valentina continued.

"It's hard to believe?" Valentina smiled, and Dante, trying to sleep facing the other way, glanced at her and nodded.

"I know you will become very strong, but weakness is not for the feeble-minded; it's for the mindful. Never forget them," Valentina said, as a flame emerged between them.

"One day, you'll face a great wall in your life, a wall significant enough to question your existence. Was the journey in vain? Did I err in some way? These will be your queries," Valentina said, as the flame turned into a flower.

"My love, I want you to understand something. Our flames are fueled by who we are. A flame without ambition won't burn, one without anger won't defeat your enemies, and above all, a flame without love will never flourish," Valentina said, as the flame in her hand wilted and disappeared.

"One day, you will blossom into your powers, challenging greater existences than I did in my youth, and most importantly, you'll live as someone compared to a monster. You'll be a shadow of who I am and bear the worst the world has to offer someone like me. Have the right ambition to get through this," Valentina said, and Dante was now not as calm as before. The thunder no longer frightened him.

Dante returned from his memories, now not as tranquil as before, but with a determination. His mother's words finally made sense in his mind.

"I won't be your shadow; I want to walk alongside you," Dante said, as the sea of blood started to manifest, waves breaking, and peace vanishing amid tremors everywhere.

The sky spiraled out of control, clouds forming hurricanes, a rain of blood initiating, and flames from his heart emerged.

A black flame as deep as the abyss, a golden flame with divine power, and a crimson red flame with golden touches appeared in the sky.

A firestorm erupted, igniting the ground, evaporating the blood. Dante looked at the distant sword, but now he could see it better, though it remained far away.

Smiling, everything ceased, a calm ensued, disturbances vanished, and calm settled after the storm.

Looking at the horizon with his eyes closed, when he reopened them, he saw two beautiful women smiling at him, expressing pride.