Darkness...

That’s all I saw.

A lightless, hopeless darkness..

But then,

Shingggg!!

Light.

It was small at first, then it became brighter and brighter still, until eventually,

WENG!!!!!

The darkness was banished.

I found myself standing on a ruined battlefield.

I looked around.

Corpses.

Everywhere.

Beast.

Human.

Elven.

Demons.

The number of corpses were so many they formed literal mountains, with rivers of blood carpeting the whole landscape..

It looked like something pulled straight out of a horror flick, or someone’s worst nightmares.

"Heh! It’s been quite a while since I was back here." I scoffed.

This wasn’t new to me.

It couldn’t have been.

Not after being forced to experience this same nightmare for thirteen horrible years, being back here wasn’t surprising.

"So, where is it? Where is my torture?" I looked up, waiting for the inevitable act to play out.

Waiting to once more watch as my parents die before my eyes, while I look on, helpless.... Weak.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. To think you could’ve already activated the soul imprint I left on you, and you’re what? B-rank?? Damn! Seems even I myself underestimated you, hahahahaha!!!!" A boisterous laugh sounded from behind me, my body freezing at the sound.

"No..."

"Are you going to turn around, or are you still disappointed in me? So much so that you wish not to see my face?"

My body trembled violently.

"No... it can’t.. it can’t be.."

"Little Dante..."

Slowly, fearfully, I decided to turn around, eyes closed, afraid I might wake up when I opened them.

"You can open your eyes... I’m not going anywhere.." hearing the soothing affection dripping from that voice, I finally caved, my eyes opening,

"..."

Drip!

Drip!

You might say I’m a whimp for all the crying I’ve done lately, but I couldn’t help it, not when the person I was facing was,

"...Dad."

"My son... it’s good to finally see you again."

.....

Knock! Knock! Creak~~~

"Dante..." Khalifa knocked twice before letting herself into the room, calling out softly.

"Dante... are you already asleep?" She walked towards the bed, there, lying peacefully, was Dante’s figure, yet, something was amiss.

"Dante? Are you....."

gasp!!!!

"DANTEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" She screamed in horror as Dante... was no longer breathing, his body cold and pale.

"No! No! No! Dante! Dante! DANTEEEEEE!!!!!"

....

I couldn’t believe my eyes, it felt like a dream, and maybe it was, but,

"How??"

"Hahahahahahaha!!! Look at you! Crying like a baby, I bet sera would love to see this! Hahahahahahaha!" The man just laughed, loudly, freely.

"And what do you mean how?" He approached me, placing his hands on my shoulders firmly, "you didn’t truly believe I’d leave my son without a proper goodbye did you?" He smiled, wiping my eyes gently, "now stop crying, or else sera will have my head for making her baby sad." The way his expression turned horrified was so comical I couldn’t help it,

"Heh! Still scared of mom huh?" I laughed.

"You would be too if you had met the side of her that I did." He visibly trembled at what looked like a very traumatic thought.

"Hahahahahaha..." I laughed..

"Hahahahahahahaha..." he laughed along with me.

......

"My son..." we were now sitting on the bloodied floor as the old man looked me up and down, "you’ve grown up wonderfully."

"It’s all thanks to aunt v, I would still be lost without her." I smiled fondly.

"Ravena huh? I wonder how she’s doing? Hope she’s learnt to be more free with herself?"

"She’s doing fine, dad."

"Hmm.. I wonder if you two truly did get together." He suddenly muttered, hand on his chin.

"Wha... what?" I choked.

"I mean.. she was pretty determined about making you her husband or whatnot, almost fought me over it too, brrr.... Crazy woman that little girl." He shivered, "so, have you two gotten together yet? If not, how are you still alive?"

"Wha.. what do you mean how am I still alive?"

"I mean, I was for sure certain she’d kill you just to kill herself and make sure you two spend eternity together, like I said, she’s crazy.." the old man just shrugged.

.....

......

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"That’s your sister. My aunt. How can you call her crazy with such a straight face?"

"Because she’s crazy? I don’t get it? Just tell me! Are you guys together or not?" The old man shrugged before pestering for answers.

"Uhhh... ummm...." Well shit!

How does one tell his father that he’s been sleeping with his aunt? His father’s sister, with a straight face?

"Oh! Seems like you are together!! Congratulations my boy!! You hit the jackpot!! Well, I’m sure you’re the only one allowed to hit such a jackpot, but nevertheless, that’s my boy!!"

Never mind, seems I was worried for nothing.

"Oh and, also, it was nice knowing you."

"Now what are you on about old man?" I sighed, somehow already exhausted.

"I mean, you’re with Ravena now, so that means, Dakota is probably going to kill you for daring to take another woman instead of her, so, yea, nice knowing you." He shrugged, almost as if he didn’t just tell his son that he was about to be killed.

"Haaa.. what are you saying, old man? Aunt k is sweet and nice and very cute."

"Eyy? Say what now?"

"We met not long ago and she was absolutely lovely, especially her murderous and jealous nature, so cute. Oh and she knows about me and aunt v, her reaction was golden, turned an entire restaurant into blood Pastes, hahahahaha..."

"Eyy?? Did I miss something? Did you just call Dakota cute?"

"She is isn’t she?"

"Did you just say she didn’t kill you on sight when she found out about you and Ravena?"

"She was a bit upset, but a little talking to was all she needed, and now we’re cool."

......

......

A few moments of silence passed before,

"GODDDAMIT!!! YOU LUCKY MOFHERFUCKING SON OF A GUN!!!"

"YOU DID IT!!! I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT YOU DID IT! FUCK! BOTH RAVENA AND DAKOTA??? GETTING ALONG??? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... INDEED, I REGULUS MOTHERFUCKING DRAVEN HAVE THE BEST GENES, AND HAS SIRED THE BEST SON."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!"

I just watched on in dumbfounded shock as the old man burst into delirious laughter, his words making absolutely no sense.

"Hoooo..... damn! That was fucking nice!" After laughing for a good while, he finally calmed down enough to talk properly.

"Now, all that’s left is that succubus in human form, Clarissa, but, if you can handle K and Ravena, then you’re good." He gave me a thumbs up.

"Damn! Boy! You are a lot more lucky than me when it comes to women."

I never thought I’d be having this sort of conversation with my dad in this lifetime, but I was loving it, a smile had unconsciously appeared on my face.

"How? What do you mean?" I asked, curious.

"What I mean is... my sorry ass was unfortunate and fortunate enough to fall for your mother, Seraphina, first, and that was my undoing.

Goodbye any dreams of a large and fulfilling harem of beautiful dragoness and big breasted succubi.

Hello single husband hood and responsible lifestyle..

Damn! I swear I can feel her gaze on me even now.

A man can’t catch a break I swear."

"Pft... Bahahahahahahahahahahhaahha....." I laughed.

The old man’s mock sadness being too much to handle..

"But hey, I’m lucky enough that my woman is still the most beautiful in all of creation, and you unfortunately cannot compete."

"Ack!" I choked.

Damn! Talk about being put between a rock and a hard place.

On one hand, disparaging my mother’s uncontested beauty.

On the hand, disparaging my women’s uncontested beauty.

My face scrunched up immediately.

"Pfft.... Baahahahahahahahahahahahaha.. that’s what you get you sorry ass son of mine, ahahahahahahha..."

"Yea, yea, laugh it up all you want, at least I’m still alive."

"Ack!!... that was a low blow you bastard!!!"

"Heh! All’s fair in love and war old man."

"Damn it! This is that bastard, Valen’s fault, isn’t it?"

"Heh! You should look in the mirror first."

"And what do you mean by that, you bastard!!!"

"I wasn’t implying anything, but if your conscience is judging you, then you know what you did..."

"This little.. smug little fucker, aren’t you?"

"Heh! Guess I inherited the right genes."

"Heh! Guess you did."

We looked at each other and then,

""BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH...."

We laughed.

Long.

Loudly.

Pouring out a torrent of emotions that words wouldn’t be able to convey properly.

I was already crying again, yet I laughed.

I couldn’t stop.

For I was afraid I’d break down into tears instead.

But like they said, you can’t run from fate.

Eventually, the laughter died down, and silence settled once more between us.

.....

Drip...

...

Drip...

"Hic... hic...."

"Haaaa...."

"I.... I missed you, dad."

"I missed you.... I missed you so much..."

Drip...

Drip....

"I know my son... I know."

"Forgive me, I... have let you down."

I tried...

I really tried...

I was a grown up now, Damn it...

I don’t do tears..

Was what I told myself, but eventually..

"Hic... hic... DAD!!" I broke down into the sobbing mess I had been trying to hide.

"I am here Dante..."

"I am here...."

************

A/N: Father son conversation anyone? Well I’m sat either ways..

Btw.. hall notice how similar these two are? They’re basically the same person!!

Anyways,

***********

Thanks for reading...