Chapter 19: Back on the Road

From there, the party traveled in relative peace aside for Raven and Cleo's constant bickering. After hours of travel, the foliage above them started to lessen. Rays of sunlight began to shine over them, nearly blinding Damien.

"First time leaving New Dawn?" Dante asked Damien, "It's quite the shock to the system, and if you stay too long, your sleep cycle is ruined for an entire week."

Damien would have preferred ignoring Dante's words. For him, just looking at Dante was always a lesson in restraint from Damien, but he knew that he needed to stay on their good side.

"Yep," managed Damien, "First time."

"Hey, do you have a problem with me?" asked Dante as he slew down to match Damien and Krista's speed.

"No, absolutely not," stated Damien wanting to end their conversation as soon as possible, "Why even ask?"

"Aside for the fact that you're trying to blow me off right now," Dante answered, "Back at the field, you were celebrating the fact that I was plummeting to my death."

Damien was now regretting that he had done that, "Was really hoping you hadn't seen that."

"Well, I did, so what gives?" pressured Dante.

Ahead of him, Cleo was looking back intently, obviously wanting to hear the answer herself, while Raven stayed looking forward. Damien noticed that Raven was leaning back slightly, not dissimilar to how he listened in on conversations when he didn't want anyone knowing. Looking towards Krista, possibly for assistance, Damien quickly saw on her face that since he got himself stuck into this problem for no reason, he was going to have to dig himself out of it.

"I have history with your organization," Damien said finally, "Not good history."

"I've done a lot of harm to a lot of good people, how can I make amends?" said Dante almost immediately.

"Make amends?!" Damien yelled furious that Dante thought he could make any amend to him short of everything he loved being destroyed, "You want to make… Fine, I had family in Soaring Sun and during the insurrection that you caused, they lost their lives. The least you could give me is your head on a platter!"

"Darius, what are you saying?!" counter shouted Krista.

While not completely true or false, Damien felt good to let some of his animosity fill the air. Though the blood curdling glare that Cleo and Raven both gave Damien sort of ruined the whole mood.

"Then I'd have to guess that the whole reason you wanted that spot with us was because you wanted to get close enough to kill me, sounds about, right?" remarked Dante.

"Close but no cigar, honestly I don't know why I'm doing this," Damien explained solemnly, "My wife's the one that pushed us here, not that she knew about my history with you, but because she was actually interested in joining you. I only came along to stop her, hence my glee at seeing you fall. Unfortunately, life has a way of playing some really nasty jokes."

Dante didn't say anything for a strangely long time, pondering about what he was going to say next, lucky for Damien he spoke with a smile, "Alright, how about this then. I like my head where it is, so I don't think I can give it to you, but if you stay with us, you can learn all our weaknesses. Like Cleo's weakness for sweets, my inability to refuse a bet, and Raven's, " He glared at Dante, "Well, you'll just have to figure that out on your own."

"So, you're not going to kill me?" asked Damien.

"Hardly, in fact, by the time we reach New Dawn, we'll probably be great friends!" replied Dante excitedly.

"Really?" remarked Damien not convinced in the slightest.

Dante wrapped his arm behind Damien's head, "I'd bet my life on it!"