Chapter 159: Another clash

The massive, imposing gates of the capital city of Vel'ryr stood sentinel, a contrast to the usual landscape of other cities. Crafted from a sleek, obsidian-like material, the gates were etched with intricate symbols that pulsed with light. A myriad of armored guards stood watch.

The guards, clad in sleek, black exosuits, were as ever a marvel of technological advancement. The suits, decorated with crimson accents, seemed to meld seamlessly with their wearers, augmenting their strength, speed, and senses.

There was a line of outsiders seeking entry to the capital. A lone figure approached the gates, a traveler cloaked in a heavy, worn mantle. As they drew near, the two guards stationed beside the gates' attention was drawn to them. A series of sensors, hidden within the gate's structure, scanned the traveler, analyzing and recording their every movement, breath, and heartbeat.

"Halt," a deep, synthesized voice echoed from the guards' visors. "State your business and identify yourself." The traveler, startled, hesitated before responding.

"I seek refuge and a chance to trade my skills for sustenance."

"Very well," the voice replied, with a hint of skepticism. "Step forward and submit to a brief interview." The traveler, though wary, obeyed, approaching the gate cautiously. As they drew closer, the gate's surface shimmered, revealing a holographic interface. A series of questions appeared, each one more invasive than the last.

"Name?"

"Age?"

"Occupation?"

"Reason for entry?" The traveler answered each question, their voice trembling slightly. The guards monitored their every response, cross-referencing their answers with a vast database of known threats and potential infiltrators.

"Your answers have been noted," the voice intoned. "Please wait." As the traveler stood, uncertain, a series of mechanical whirring sounds emanated from the gate. The obsidian surface began to shift and slide, revealing a narrow, bioluminescent corridor. "Proceed," the voice commanded. The traveler stepped into the corridor, and the gate's surface closed, sealing them within. "Next," the guard ordered.

Without reservation, Dante stepped forward, though their helmets hid their faces somewhat, it was obvious they looked at him a bit befuddled.

"State your business and identify yourself," one of the guards ordered, sounding somewhat agitated.

"Sightseeing, Vernart Gears," Dante stated bluntly, without missing a beat. The two guards exchanged glances.

"You're packing some heavy armor for simple sightseeing," one could not help but note.

"I like to be safe."

"I see... well, step forward and submit to a brief interview." Similarly, like with the traveler before, as Dante drew closer, the gate's surface shimmered, revealing a holographic interface. A series of questions appeared.

"Name?"

"Age?"

"Occupation?"

"Reason for entry?" He answered each question smoothly. The guards, meanwhile, monitored his every response.

"Your answers have been noted," the gate's voice echoed. The same mechanical whirring sounds emanated from the gate. The obsidian surface began to shift and slide, revealing a narrow, bioluminescent corridor. "Proceed," the voice commanded. Dante stepped into the corridor and proceeded through it.

It led to another opening, and not long after, the city became visible. A sleek black airship glided silently over the metropolis, its sleek hull mirroring the city's skyline. A blur of light and sound filled the senses. Towering structures, each a marvel of architectural ingenuity, pierced the sky. Their smooth, crystalline surfaces shimmered, reflecting the hues of the sun.

Below, the city hummed with life. A river of people flowed through the streets, each individual unique. Their attire, a fusion of foreign elegance and personal expression, ranged from sleek, form-fitting bodysuits to flowing, ethereal garments.

Hovercars, their engines a soft hum, glided effortlessly through the air, weaving between colossal skyscrapers. The city's central plaza, a vast expanse of glowing, translucent material, was a hub of activity. A colossal holographic display, suspended above the crowd, projected a mesmerizing spectacle of light and sound. The audience, taken in, was lost in the immersive experience.

Though Dante did not care for the vibrant scenery. He moved through populated and sleek streets, his figure drawing various gazes. His stark white armor stood out despite the intense lighting of city lights and holograms.

("I sense the mana of at least two Ancestors currently within the capital,") Dante noted as he continued to move unabated. ("It has not been long yet already they're spread out.")

Aerinon and Lyra were in Galadriel. He came with Maerwynn to Vel'ryr, but he had directed the girl to the capital's neighboring city to cover more ground. He could not be everywhere at once, after all. He would rather deal with the Ancestor threat now before the festival. He briskly walked by what seemed like a cafe, only to stop instantly.

The reason? A golden figure leisurely drinking elegantly out of a teacup. She was seated at an outside table without a care in the world. She got even more attention than he did, and not just for her vibrant golden armor. The attention was drawn, of course, to her immense beauty, which all seemed to pale in comparison to.

"Ancestor of chaos," Dante noted, no surprise laced his tone as he turned to her. His body did not tense, but only the most experienced of warriors would note he was ready to jump into action at any moment. Rhiannon set her cup down, a smirk playing at her lips as she threw him a lengthy stare.

"Whether you're brave or idiotic, I can't say," she mused offhandedly. "To come to the lion's den with such swagger. Are you that sure of your own prowess?"

"It's not about whether I have confidence in my strength," Dante corrected. "I have a goal I will accomplish. The extermination of you Ancestors, even if it costs me my life, I will see it done."

"Still on that, hm?" Rhiannon merely smiled on, intrigued. "How about taking a seat? We need not battle like savages, just a trading of words and conviction."

Dante merely let out a grunt as he glanced around momentarily. The streets were much too populated to wage a battle with someone as destructive as Rhiannon. "I'll stand."

"Suit yourself, boy," she shrugged. "Still, it irks me. I'm sure I would've remembered someone who possessed such strength. Yet that helmet of yours makes it quite difficult, and an enchantment from Lyra to boot. Tell me, Dante, who are you?"

"Hmph, my identity was lost with the passage of time. I do not dwell on who I was, only on who I can be in this current time. But if you must know, I was but another speck in the realm, no more important than a gnat. However, I, like many others, was a victim of the great war ages ago," Dante spoke, his tone steady yet an underlined anger was almost there.

"I very much doubt that," Rhiannon spoke with skepticism. "You matching me tells me all of your worth. More mighty than most Gods I've encountered even, and you call yourself a gnat," She chuckled in amusement. "There's a difference between being humble and self-loathing."

"I doubt someone like you would truly know," Dante shot back. "You're a tyrant with crazed goals that hold no reasoning."

"Mayhap," Rhiannon took another sip from her cup before placing it back down. "How I view things is very simple, however. Only the worthy should be allowed to walk the realm, those weak few are naught but parasites. The weak who try is a different story, I will admit, but those who refuse and merely rely on the strong, now that's sickening. The world I seek to create will be free of such maggots."

"Weakness is no sin, Ancestor of chaos," Dante reasoned. "It's merely a challenge some do not have the luxury to overcome. You spout incoherent ideals that hold no value, you wish to rid the world of those you do not find worthy?" He scoffed. "With that line of thinking, you're destined for ruin."

"I disagree. My goals hold value, the world I will create shall be a utopia. A utopia filled with contributions from even mere babes, I will not settle for anything less," she stated, her conviction and drive, while misguided, was all but palpable. "But...you know I am surprised. Like the Fate Walkers, I would assume you would want to bring about the old age as well. To revive any loved ones you might have lost."

"Things are hardly as simple as the Fate Walkers make it out to be," Dante stated. "You yourself know this. If I could go back... I would change nothing."

"Oh?"

"Though this era is far from peaceful, this is as close to it as we will get. The age of Gods was filled with even more petty squabbles, despair, and strife. Billions of lives were lost in a blink of an eye merely because of the great war that was waged. As such, I will not have those of the past further dictate the events of today. My only goal is to ensure everything remains on its current path."

"What a boring way of thinking," Rhiannon uttered out, though still seemingly amused. "You have too much to consider, my brethren and I aren't the only threats after all."

"You speak of the Fate Walkers," Dante noted. "They've grown weak since their prime, even in their prime, they would be no match for me."

"Oh, but it is not a battle of might, but one of conviction," Rhiannon clarified. "The Fate Walkers, they desperately yearn to bring back their fallen brethren. They will go to any and all lengths to accomplish just that, the two proteges I've taken are proof of that. How strong they've grown due to the sacrifices of their two brethren. And then of course, there's him... Aegraxes."

("Aegraxes...") Dante noted just who that was, he knew him.

"He had conviction that would put us both to shame, I'd wager," Rhiannon stated with a smile. "He seeks to bring his brethren back at any cost. Even should he need to make use of the seven calamities."

"..." Dante's fist clenched tightly. "What?" He uttered out, his voice low yet visceral.

Rhiannon's smile grew at that. "Oh yes, dear Aegraxes is intent on unleashing the seven calamities that will bring this realm asunder, and not just this realm. But the next one as well, and the ones after that. Hell, calamities already plague most of the other realms, it was just a matter of time before they got to this one."

"To evoke those calamities is to bring about total annihilation to anything and everything," Dante shook his head at the notion. "And for what?"

"He wants to... what's to correct term, ah yes 'cleanse' the realm," Rhiannon informed. "If one calamity does not destroy the realm, the next will try, and so forth. He merely needs one calamity, one to thoroughly break down the realm to its most vulnerable state. Though Astrea's anchors around the realm make that quite the task."

"When all is destroyed, he shall rebuild," Dante muttered. Rhiannon nodded with an almost impressed smile.

"Correct, all who he lost shall be brought back," she cracked a smile at the notion. "It's quite the goal, or maybe ambition is the correct term."

"It's merely far-fetched insanity," Dante corrected. "Does he honestly think that those calamities will be fully realized with so many variables?"

"Indeed, there's you. You hold immense physical aspects, you dwarf even myself in that realm of battle," Rhiannon admitted freely. "The God Darkness's child, if he's anything like him, then he would be quite the force of nature. Then Vagnar's disciple..." Rhiannon grinned, "That one is quite dangerous, dear Aegraxes will be hard-pressed to even attempt to deal with her. Even more so with Astrea's spawn, being so in tune with the realm only bespeaks of her absurd prowess. Though she seems content in hiding her true strength for whatever reason. The spawn of Octavia as well, she seems the heroic type," she mused. "And then of course, Mikoto Yukio, the wild card in this whole game. But even with all of this, the amount of destruction one calamity can bring is not small."

"No, it is not," Dante turned away from Rhiannon, eliciting a raised brow from the woman.

"Leaving already? Not looking to kill me anymore?"

"Hmph, though I do not trust your words, I would think lying beneath someone like you," Dante stated. "As such, you present yourself as a lesser threat than Aegraxes. I will track him down and end him. After that, I will see to dealing with you and your kind."

"Then I will look forward to another clash of ideals, Dante."

"Hmph."