In the Moon estate, a woman was at work alone in a huge kitchen, preparing what looked like dinner for that evening. In the midst of cooking she heard a loud crash in one of the upper rooms. A normal housekeeper would have panicked but she was definitely not a normal housekeeper. With a swift dash to one of the cupboards, she retrieved a pistol and scurried out of the kitchen. She crept quietly towards the room she suspected contained the intruder. As soon as she was in front of the door, with one kick, the door was down and she had her gun pointed at the intruder who turned out to be....
"Dante!"she exclaimed in shock.
" Why the hell do have a gun pointed at me Rena? I'm late alright but it's not a shootable offense." Dante said sluggishly as he lay as though he was drunk.
" What the fuck happened to you, young man?" Rena said as she propped him up.
" The Soliel Order happened Rena. Why do they have those portals if all it does is make you sick?"
Rena slightly gasped in shock but pretended she didn't hear him. She carried him in her arms with the strength a normal person wouldn't have especially a woman. She carried him to his bedroom and tucked him in. She smiled softly as she looked at his sleeping body.
" Very soon, sleep itself will be a luxury for you Dante Moon." She mused.
Just then, a loud ringing interrupted her solitude. It was the phone. She muttered a"dammit" and quietly slipped out of the bedroom.
" Hello." She said as she picked the call.
" Hi Rena. How are you. It's been quite a long time don't you think?"Brane's voice responded from the other end.
" Brane what is going on? I thought we had a deal!" Rena nearly screamed.
" We did but it seems fate says otherwise."
"What does that mean you imbecile?" Rena furrowed her brows furiously.
" Asmodeus cursed him." Brane said simply.
" How do you know it was Asmodeus?" Rena's voice was now a mere whisper at the sound of Asmodeus' name.
" There's a black rose tattoo on his neck. Check it if you want. He's not called the Black Rose Monarch for nothing."
" Why would he even do that?" Rena was a bit doubtful this time.
" His cover is that Dante bullied his son but that's horseshit. The curse is what gave Dante the Sight, which in turn led him to see Chrome and Izalea who then brought him here. I was all a well thought out plan, Rena. That demon could care less about his son." Brane was talking more seriously now.
" What do we do?" Rena sighed.
"Asmodeus is a greater demon, Rena. Only one of the Arcana or the Delta Paladins can defeat him."
" You're one of the Arcana aren't you? The Legendary Illusion master. Get your ass up and go defeat him then. I can't lose Dante, please."Rena begged silently.
" If I kill Asmodeus, Dante dies with him. Dante must kill Asmodeus on his own if he's going to survive this. That's the rule of a Demon Lock. His training commences tomorrow."
" Dammit!" Rena screamed and furiously hang up the phone.
" Are you okay?" Dante's worried voice asked her from the stairs.
" I'm fine. Go back to bed Moon or if you're hungry, dinner's ready." Rena said hurriedly, placing her shaking hands behind her back.
" Nah I'm good." Dante shook his head and headed back to his bedroom.
**********************************
"That boy will be a problem and you know it Brane!" A bulky man barked.
Brane just cocked an eyebrow at the man and slowly stood up.
" The last time I checked, Barus, I was the Head Director. I mean that has to account for some respect doesn't it?" Brane said, a smile that masked great killing intent plastered on his face. Barus quietened down immediately.
"That boy is our greatest weapon. He is the only one who wields the Tenebris and if we take that from him we go back to hiding from the demons."Brane addressed the seven people gathered seriously.
" I agree with Brane. We can rid the world of demons with the power that boy wields."Nadia, a stunning dark skinned woman chipped in. Brane smiled lightly.
"Let's not forget who his father is." Ini, a lanky blonde man tried to protest.
" Who? Anuliel? Don't make me laugh! That being will do whatever it takes to kill the Six demonic generals. Even if it means using his own son." Brane narrowed his eyes making Ini swuirm uncomfortably in his seat.
"I called this meeting to announce my plans to you not for you to debate it. The seven of us might be the directors of the seven divisions but I'm the Head Director and I've decided that we recruit Dante Moon as the Shadow Paladin. Period."
" Can we go now? I'm bored." Rin, a little boy who looked no more than nine years groaned.
" No one forced you to become a director, sweet cheeks." A seductive woman with crimson red hair scoffed at him.
Just then the doors to the huge conference room barged open and a woman walked in. She had eyes as blue as the sea and hair as black as the void itself. In her eyes were a coldness that made even the seven directors of the Soliel Order shudder. Her white dress moved with the harsh winds of that evening's breeze.
Brane immediately disappeared from the long table and appeared in front of her.
" Who are you, woman? How did you find this place?" Brane asked coldly.
" Watch how you talk to me, Illusion master. You might not like it's consequences." Her singsong voice said quietly with a threat hanging in there.
" You morons should really change your meeting place. I mean the Eternal Valley? Really?" She laughed as she approached the long cedar table.
" Who are you?" Brane asked again. Spirals of golden light started to converge around him.
" Oh put them away. You couldn't hope to defeat me darling." She smirked mischievously.
" You morons really thought you could sit here and decide the fate of my son? That's low even for you bastards." She glanced at the six seated people.
" I'm Eleanor Moon, the Arcana Weaver and your worst nightmares"