Two Wavering Ideals

Astro, Dante, and Lucky arrived at a forest of trees colored in nothing but white, as if snow had fallen for years and tainted the trees and their roots white. It stretched for miles and miles. Dante couldn’t see anything but white trees and snow.

Astro: “Stick with me boys. Past all this crap is the dungeon. The forest isn’t particularly dangerous, but there are some traps set by hunters for animals in this forest. Baby dragons are born in this area that carry Render chaplets that turn your sword invisible. They don’t grow very big though, so we don’t have anything to worry about.”

Dante: “What’s so special about turning your sword invisible?”

Astro: “People use it so that others don’t know what kind of sword they have. You would have a bounty on your head, especially in the City of Thieves if you have a good sword. You wouldn’t be able to close both eyes without someone trying to kill you.”

They came to a strange looking mountain that was all white as well. The grass around it however was green and the rocks were normal colored. A rock wall began to open like a door. “Let’s go,” Astro said with conviction in his eyes.

“It’s dark in here. How are we supposed to get through?” Dante didn’t want to ask Lucky to use his abilities. He hadn’t spoken at all since the City of Thieves. ‘Best to leave him alone I guess.’

Dante: “Hey Astr…”

As he asked however, a row of flames lit up the sides of the cave. In front of them, there were 5 different openings each with a different color flame lining the sides. One was yellow, another red, pink, green, and white.

“What do the different colors mean?” Dante asked.

Astro: “Each one takes you to a different dungeon to conquer. The colors indicate the types of chaplets you can get, but you won’t know what is down there, however Yellow Egress Chaplets are always in these caves along with Blood Chaplets, Recovery Chaplets, Water Chaplets, and Growth Chaplets. If you put your hand out over the chaplet, a blue panel will show you what kind it is, much like with your sword. There aren't many rare chaplets in the one we’re going in, but there are some good ones for starters and you might get lucky and find a Blood Chaplet.”

‘Wait, I never checked my sword since what had happened. Let’s see if anything has changed.’ Dante opened the panel on his sword. ‘What?’ He looked at the top right corner. ‘Level 42? I thought that was supposed to be the rarity of the sword. Why is it showing a level? I don’t remember seeing anything in the memories of this sword that would explain that. Maybe some memories were hidden?’

Dante: “Which way are we going, Astro?”

“The yellow…path,” Lucky mustered under his breath, enough for both of us to hear. “Okay!” Astro said and smiled with his thumb up. Dante was taken back. He didn’t expect Lucky to say anything at all.

The entrance came to a big opening cave full of crystals. The boys looked around. “Oh. Astro, I found one. Wait…It’s not an Egress Chaplet though. It’s called ‘Sun Enhancer.’ Astro what does this do?”

Astro: “This is mainly for blacksmiths. They use this in their specialized hammers to increase the heat needed to craft swords. Regular swords don’t really have much use for it unless your mana connects with heat.”

Dante kept looking before asking again, “How come there is nothing attacking us in this dungeon?”

Astro: “This is only the first level of this dungeon. Small monsters if anything will only attack. You have to go deeper to get better chaplets. Although, I’ll be honest. I’ve only ever come here once in the red dungeon, so this is unknown to me too.”

Lucky ventured deeper into the cave through a small opening unbeknownst to the two of them. He didn’t say a word, but Astro saw him out of the corner of his eye and reminded him of what these caves have done to travelers.

“Lucky. Be careful,” he said…Lucky returned within 5 minutes covered in blood with a dead snake wrapped around his neck measuring at least 12 feet. He pulled out a Yellow Chaplet from his pocket.

Dante: “You got one already? That was certainly anticlimactic. We can get back to your brother now.”

Silence filled the air until Lucky eventually spoke. “I’m not going back. Sorry, Dante.”

Dante: “Wh-What do you mean? What are you going to do Lucky?”

Lucky: “I told you. I’m gonna get stronger and surpass my brothers. I’ve learned enough of the outside world to know that I was sheltered because I was weak. I can’t even protect myself without my brother’s help. You know this. I know you do.”

Dante looked at him with determination in his eyes. “Lucky! I know what it’s like to not care, but you can’t throw everything away. If you go to that place, you’ll die! Everyone has made that clear to me by their reactions. Whatever is there is dangerous! You won’t be alive to prove your brothers right!”

SIlence filled once again before he spoke softly. “Maybe…No, I probably will, but…I’d rather not sit in fear my whole life. Thank you Astro, Dante.” He raised his voice in a serious tone. “If you care at all, come find me! Find me in the depths of hell! Find me where my body is buried underneath the bones of the Devil! Find me where the sun is covered in blackness! I don’t care if I die! If you won’t find me, then I’ll fight the Devil myself. I’ll come back to the surface and prove who I am!”

Lucky held the egress chaplet in the air and spoke aloud, “I’m not weak. I’m strong! To Kastor’s Throne!” Astro and Dante both yelled at once, “Lucky!” but he had already disappeared.

Astro: “Kastor?! When did he tell you he was going after Kastor? Dante, answer me!”

Dante: “I-It was a while ago. He already went to face him once, but he got lost on his way there and I guess something happened to him…I-I don’t really remember. His brother said something about it. Why do you care?”

Astro: “Tch! He’s not going to make it out alive. Kastor has ruled Deceased Paradise for over 400 years. I could call Kento, but I doubt he would be willing to help. He does whatever he pleases without consequences. What should I do? Do I go by myself? No, I have no chance.”

Dante chimed in, “Why can’t we just go? No swordsman has ever been able to beat Kastor? Also, why do you care so much? We hired you and your job is done. I’ll take it from here.”

Astro: “It’s not Kastor that is the problem. It’s his sword’s ability. It creates a copy of yourself that has the same features of you and your sword. Kastor is also already dead, so his covenant with his sword remains intact, which gives him a bigger advantage. He can also see how strong willed you are and uses that against you. I’d be fighting a losing battle against myself. The same goes for you.”

Dante was pissed off. Astro would not answer him and he insisted on helping. He didn’t mind, but he had other stuff on his plate right now. His son was somewhere in this world and every second that passed could mean he was dead. Plus, not only did Lucky just leave, but he left with something important to get to Kastor, which could’ve helped him find Goro.

Dante: “Astro, can’t we just find another chaplet and go after him?”

Astro: “It’s not that simple. Usually, there are layers to this place. Lucky somehow managed to get the chaplet on this floor. Each floor has monsters and even then it is still a hide and seek game to find the chaplets. There aren’t many of them. We could be looking for days.”

Dante: “Crap! We don’t have days!” Call this Kento guy.”

Astro: “It’s not that simple. Kento is considered the 3rd strongest swordsman in this world, but he hasn’t been seen in years. He spends his time with women and drinks all day long.”

Dante thought about what he could do. “We could ask his brothers?”

Astro”: “I don’t think they want to help him considering he just used the very thing that he was supposed to return to his brother. Also…I’d rather not get involved with them. We are just going to have to get to Kento somehow.”

Astro and Dante ran out of the cave as fast as they could. A small white figure flew onto Dante’s shoulder as they ran. “A D-Dragon! Astro, get it off!” Astro kept going in a panic though and wasn’t paying attention.

“What am I supposed to do with this thing?” Dante yelled out.

Astro: “It should fly off as soon as we hit the border. Stop yelling. I’m trying to think.”

They continued to the border, but the dragon stayed on Dante’s shoulder. “It’s not leaving, Astro.”

“They are very territorial. Usually, they all stay and breed in Snow Forest. He must’ve gotten kicked out of the group somehow. Now, shut your mouth.”

Dante thought, ‘I don’t have time for this. Taking care of this thing while trying to find my way home is not possible. I’m sure it will leave eventually though. As long as it doesn’t do anything stupid, then it can stay for now.’ They continued to trek back to the teleporter, but their bodies were repelled back when entering the portal.

“What?”

He tried again, but the same thing happened.

“The hell!. Did they sever the link? Damn! What the hell is going on?” Astro screamed out in rage.

Dante sat in silence not knowing what to do. Everything here was foreign to him. He was just learning as he went. Astro continued to speak. “This is bad. It’s gonna take too long to get back. Taking the waters would be risky, but that might be our only choice.”

Before they had made a decision, a woman’s voice spoke. “Hi there!” Astro and Dante took their swords in hand. Astro thought to himself, ‘I didn’t even sense or hear her. Where did she come from? Masked mana?’

An average looking girl with black hair in pigtails was smiling. She was completely unarmed and wore overalls. “You guys aren’t bad people, right? That wouldn’t be good.” Astro took control of the situation. “Who are you?”

???: “I’m Caroline! Nice to meet you.”

She had a dazed and confused look on her face. “Lots of bad people come out here. Usually I just ignore them but…You guys seemed interesting. Can I come back with you guys through the teleporter?”

“Sure,” Astro said without hesitation. He obviously had something in mind. Dante thought, ‘What?! Are you crazy Astro?!’

She went to enter the teleporter as she too was repelled. “Hmm? That doesn’t seem quite right. Ahhh. I’m too lazy to try and fix it. I’ll just get us all there by myself.” She was pouting now as if she was upset about something. “Okay! Let’s go!” She spoke in a high pitched voice, “Wand of Glory.”

All of a sudden, the three of them appeared back at the City of Thieves. ‘Wh-What was that about?’ Astro was confused as well, but was thinking hard, trying to understand how she did that without a chaplet, but then looked out at the land and its destruction.

Caroline: “Ahhh. What is this? This place is too messy. I don’t like it. Well, I’ll see you later. I’m gonna head back. Bye! Bye!”

Dante screamed out, “Wait!” but she had already left. “Dammit!” They looked at the City of Thieves only to find it completely wiped out. “W-What happened here?”

“This is…! Yasu…Have you really fallen this far?” Astro ran to the tavern to find people covered in blood on the ground. The woman who yelled at him for his tab was among them. He held the woman in his arms. Dante’s mind flashed back to the image of his wife holding his dead child. “Yasu…” Astro whispered, and then screamed into the sky. “Aghhhhh!!! I don’t care what you meant to me! I don’t care what you’ve become! I don’t care anymore! You’ll pay for this! Come! I know you can hear me!”

Black mana lines lit up on Astro in a blinded rage. Coming from below the floorboards, a voice called out, “Tsuna’s Bind!” A seemingly infinite rope came from the ground capturing Astro in it. A man jumped out as well, severely injured and on the cusp of death. “You’ll die for killing my comrades. Those ropes are filled with poison strong enough to kill an elephant. Nice knowing ya, Astro the Reaper.”

He turned his head slightly to look the injured man directly in the eyes, still enraged in pools of mana, not even paying attention to the ropes. “I don’t have time for this! Get out of my sight!”

He began to chant, “Children of Thanatos, Spirits of Shadows, Disperse!” The next thing that happened was a blur to Dante. He looked at the man who now has a scythe pierced through his heart. Astro stood halfway in the ground and halfway above the floorboards as if inside the man’s shadow. The ropes fell to the ground and the man uttered, “Bastar…” as he died with pale eyes. “Yasu! If you won’t come to me, I’ll come to you!” He chanted the same spell again and then disappeared.

Dante: “What?! Where did he go? What the hell? Astro, what the hell! I’m going to have to get back on my own, Idiots! God, I freaking hate assassins!”