Answering The Call [Dante Alighieri]

The call had begun a week ago, a strange sensation permeating the being of the woman known as Elena Marie. A familiar sensation it was, yet something that he did not welcome in the least, as if it were an ancient sensation that caused his very skin to crawl. The red haired female tossed about in her sleep, sheets being ruffled as she found herself bathed within a sheet of sweat when she awoke, gasping as breathing were impossible. Michael was beginning to grow worried for her, but he knew not what to do. Sure they could ask their grandson for help, but how much could the young man know about what afflicted her? Silus was a brilliant young man, one that would surpass his grandmother in time but for now he lacked that spark. A spark of genius that would allow him to help within such matters.

It was within the middle of the week that she began to wake screaming, feeling as if something were squeezing her chest, crushing her lungs. As far as he knew hormones could not do that to someone, which meant that it was something else. A call perhaps that grew painful the more than she ignored it, so much that she eventually could not sleep and that was the final night. The Crimson Witch paced her throne room, decked out in the draconic armor that glistened within the celestial light. She was truly bothered, and Michael felt as if there were nothing that he could do to console her, as if following this calling was the only way that she would find peace with herself now. She would go alone and possibly fix everything, or get herself killed within the process.

’I can’t…..ignore it any longer.” She muttered with a slightly broken voice, dashing a goblet of fine wine across the floor as it went to flowing along the cracks within the floor. Her head was pounding and to those that listened, it would seemed that her heart rate was skyrocketing to unhealthy proportions. The metallic clicking of her metal boots adding a certain rhythm to how she walked about. Michael placed a calming hand upon her shoulder, though the Celestial Dragon growled lightly at him. Arsenal would not flinch however, more than prepared for whatever she would throw at him. ’Michael…I..i’m sorry.” Her expression softened as she fell into his arms, seemingly frail even though she was stronger than any human. He was one of the few that would know the weakness that this woman bore, not even Ouroboros would know this side of her, and Sean barely knew it.

”Don’t worry yourself Elena, say the word and I will go deal with what ails you.” he said calmly, stroking her mane of fiery hair. A look of absolute love flowed through her eyes before they steeled over, as if what he said was a heresy.

"It’s my curse, one that I will bear alone.”

”You gave up that right once you pledged yourself to me, soul and all, regardless of who owns it. Its bound by magic, as you so liked to say when we agreed.” A brief kiss and he pulled away, lips contorting the black beard slightly with his smile. ”If not for me, do it for your grandchildren. I’m sure Silus would not want his grandmother killing herself like this. Going out alone to deal with something that she knows almost nothing about.”

"It’s not that I’m afraid of not knowing what it is. I’m afraid that…I’m right.” She knew the feeling of this call and that if it were who she thought it was, Michael would be forced to see how low that she had sunk, all for love. To see that the powerful woman was just as vulnerable to love as any other mortal could be, which was pathetic enough. ”I know you’re strong, but….I guess I’m just so used to being the strong one.” She sighed leaning into him, feeling his arms caress her gently.

”You’re the strong one? If I remember correctly, you nearly cried for an hour when Sean first went to school, and perhaps even more when you found out he had children, don’t even get me started about h…” A lithe finger was pressed against his lips, quieting him long enough for her to smirk weakly. He had her beaten now. If anything he was insufferable and she loved every moment of it, wrapping arms around his neck and pulling him close, breathing in his rich musk. The feast hall of the Palace felt more inviting now, yet at the same time it still felt small, alien. ”Rest a small while, tomorrow we will go immediately to where you are called. I promise, and I will go with you.” he handed her a goblet of the red wine, forcefully thrusting a plate of the fine food that was laid across the large table, hoping that she would take the hint. There was no way that she could refuse, not with how things were going.
--
The night of sleep was short, but it was enough for the Celestial Queen, who stood on the precipice of the room. Large runes were carved along the floor, each one meant to complete the spell that would move them. With this they could go anywhere with a mere though, anywhere was not out of the Celestial Queen’s reach. Michael was next to her, dressed within black combat armor, pistols strapped to his thighs and a katana upon his back, a few more weapons arrayed along his body, all ready to be used if he needed to. If something needed to be killed, he would help within that, if Elena could not do that alone at any rate. Both stepped into the center of the matrix, hand being held as the bright light flooded into the area, and then they were gone. A weightlessness washed over them and within moments they were within a dense jungle.

The cry of a strange bird rang shrilly through the jungle, Elena jerking to where that originated from with an apprehensive look, feeling an aura of primal intent fall over the forest. Something primal and powerful was within this place, and she had come upon it. The female could feel her husband’s anticipation, as if he could simply fight off whatever stalked this forest, but the more she thought, the more that felt impossible. Even the dragon within felt that it would stand no chance against this thing, one that crawled through the foliage and one who’s presence alone could bring about fear within a dragon such as her. A raging river roared past them, within it many kinds of fish and parasite thriving within it, many unknown to humans. They did not go unknown to her however, most were even named.

Stepping closer to the water’s edge, Marie looking upon the rapids, taking a deep breath before letting a puff of golden flames through her nostril claim a few insects buzzing about her. ’I can feel something around here, but the calling has stopped within me.” She muttered running fingers through her flowing red hair. What could have called her here and was it that presence that was flowing through the very brush that surrounded her. Had an ethereal set this up? No, they would not have even been able to contact her like this, let alone trick the witch into coming out all the way here. The Ethereal King was dead and that meant that Ouroboros was out of the picture, so something else had drawn her here, but what was it?

Michael simply hovered around her, hand ready to reach for a weapon should any suspicious character approach them, animal, man or otherwise. Black combat boots crushed thick pant life under them, as he looked upon the water alongside his wife. ”I don’t have a good feeling about this at all.” Michael muttered, black eyes darting about.

Dante sat within his cave hideaway within the depths of the Amazon Rainforest, waiting for the energies that he was expecting. He had sent word for his thrall Elena Marie months ago, but for lack of communication, she was not informed of Dante's ability to do. Being the owner of her soul, Dante was privy to many different perks when it came to having a talented magi such as Marie under his command. For instance, her knowledge of Celestials was rather vital information, and very much something that would require further study as he went about it. All of this thanks to Elena's sole mistake in dealing with the Fae, the beings that were known for their half-truths and honest wordplay. A debt gave him a soul, and it ended up being far more useful than anything that he could have originally imagined. Now her soul resides within a sapphire embedded within Dante's personal weapon, Caex.

Watching the chamber as he twirled the blade on the ground, Dante noticed that the sapphire within began to glow with a faint light. It was clear that his thrall was no within the forest, it was only a matter of finding her that would be the problem. However, old and weary, Dante knew himself not fit enough for the trip after remaining on the prowl for his quarry, he needed to reserve his energy for the possible conflict that could be plaguing him. That which he hunts was no ordinary quarry, it was a beast that outgoes any beast in all of Creation, and Dante knew that even he was no match for it. So rather than pick himself up to begin his move, Dante instead raised his sword to his mouth and began to speak words to the sapphire within.

"Elena, my servant. It is good that you have finally answered the call. I take it that the stress was far too much to bear any longer. My apologies, I was in such a rush when we last met that I hadn't brought up that fact with you. Regardless, you are here now and it is time that I make use of you. For I am hunting a creature that I cannot face alone, and I require your talents to assist me in the matter." Dante explained through the mental link, Elena should catch every word, and while he said no commands, his words rang with authority, especially to Elena. But another thing Dante required was a tad more personal. "Do you acquiesce to my will tonight Elena? Or will I have to change your will to suit my needs?"