Yuki, the imposing man with piercing blue eyes, sat behind his large, ornate desk, his fingers steepled together as he listened to his assistant's report.
"So, the Dante has defeated Asmodeus?" Yuki asked, his voice low and measured, a hint of pride and concern warring in his expression.
His assistant, a young woman with a look of intense focus, nodded. "Yes, milord. The reports indicate that Dante used his... unique abilities to outmaneuver Asmodeus and claim victory."
Yuki's gaze drifted off, a small smile playing on his lips. "My son is indeed a remarkable individual," he murmured, a mixture of paternal pride and worry evident in his voice.
His assistant's expression remained neutral, but a flicker of curiosity danced in her eyes. "Sir, shall I gather more information on the Dante's plans and abilities?"
Yuki's gaze snapped back to his assistant, his eyes gleaming with intensity. "Yes, do that. I want to know everything about my son's endeavors. His strengths, his weaknesses, his motivations. Everything."
As Bernice nodded and turned to leave, the angel's expression turned contemplative, his mind racing with thoughts of his son's destiny and the role he was meant to play. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and trepidation, knowing that the Dante's path was fraught with danger and uncertainty.
"Dante," the angel whispered, his voice barely audible, "be careful, my son. The forces arrayed against you are powerful, and the stakes are higher than you can imagine."
He stood up and walked over to the balcony.
"Raziel, your prophecy was probably right."
*******************************************
As Dante and his companions entered the gates of the town of Wiss, the first town one would find in the Shadowfell, they were immediately struck by the vibrant purple hue that seemed to permeate every aspect of the town. The buildings, the clothes, and even the people's hair were all tinged with various shades of purple.
"Wow, this place is... purple," Dante said, her eyes wide with wonder.
William chuckled. "You can say that again. The people of Wiss are a mystery. This is the town at the farthest end of the Shadowfell, if you count out the Daris headquarters."
Luke smiled, his eyes scanning the town square. "I think it's kind of cool. But I have to wonder, what's behind all the purple?"
A group of townspeople approached them, their purple hair styled in elaborate braids and curls. One of them, an elderly woman with a kind face, stepped forward.
"Welcome, Paladins, to the town of Wiss! We're glad to have you here. I'm Elissi, the town elder."
"Wow, they know who we are." Dante said in surprise.
"We're kinda big shots in the Shadowfell. Everyone knows who the Paladins are."Pearl laughed proudly.
Dante bowed his head in respect. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Elissi. We're just passing through, but we're curious about the... purple hair."
Elissi smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Ah, yes! The Wisteria flower is the source of our town's unique trait. It's a special plant that blooms only in these hills, and its essence gives our hair this lovely purple color."
Pearl's eyes lit up. "That's amazing! Can we see the Wisteria flower?"
Elissi nodded. "Of course! We'd be happy to show you around. But first, come, rest and refresh yourselves. We'll have a feast prepared in your honor tonight."
As the townspeople led them to the town's guesthouse, Dante couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder at the strange and beautiful town of Wiss. What secrets lay hidden behind the Wisteria's purple hue?
During the feast, the townspeople regaled them with stories of the Wisteria's magical properties and the town's history. Dante listened intently, his mind racing with possibilities. Something just seemed off.
For starters, the town people were extremely cheerful, and not a single frown even crossed any of their faces.
Also, Dante noticed that a man fell and injured his toe badly but he didn't even wince. He just got back up and laughed it off.
As the night wore on, Elissi approached him, a serious look on her face. "Dante, I must speak with you about something. We've had... strange occurrences in the town lately. Some of our people have been acting strangely, as if under some sort of influence."
Dante's instincts kicked in, and he leaned forward, his voice low. "What kind of influence?"
Elissi hesitated, glancing around the room. "We're not sure. But we think it might be connected to the Wisteria flower. We've noticed that the blooms have been... changing. Some of them are turning a darker shade of purple, almost... black."
Dante's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with possibilities. "I see. We'll need to investigate further. Can you show us the Wisteria fields tomorrow?"
Elissi nodded, a look of determination on her face. "I'll take you myself. We'll get to the bottom of this mystery, together."
Dante nodded and left. In their chambers, Dante told them, everything he had noticed.
"Oh, so you noticed it too! These people are seriously weird. I mean this woman was just laughing while giving birth. If that's not enough then what is?" Izalea said.
"What should we do about it? It's not as if we can trust Elissi. She might be under the influence of whatever is doing this." Maru asked.
"We'll go along with tomorrow's sight seeing to see what happens. We might not trust Elissi but we have to save the townsfolk if there is a problem. We're Paladins, and we protect the Shadowfell. Right?" William stretched his hand forward.
"Right!" the other Paladins echoed and placed their palms on his stretched hand.
************************************
The warm summer breeze rustled through the blue flowers as Izalea and Dante lay side by side in the open backyard, gazing up at the night sky. The three moons, each a different shade of silver and gray, hung low in the sky, casting a gentle glow over the landscape.
"Why are there three moons?" Dante asked, his voice low and contemplative.
Izalea turned to him, a smile on her face. "It's a question many people ask. The truth is, we're not entirely sure. Some say it's because of the way the Shadowfell was formed, and others claim it's due to some ancient magic. My mother used to tell me a story before she died. Wanna hear it?"
"Of course!"
"She used to tell me that after Angel Raziel created the Shadowfell, three sisters wanted it. They were no ordinary mortals but nephilims born from, Lunma, the Angel of the Moon. They were so powerful that Angel Raziel knew if he gave the opportunity, they would slaughter him and take the Shadowfell for themselves. So, Raziel lured them into the Shadowfell one dark night, under the guise of a handsome young man. They fell prey to his beauty and after they realized their foolishness, it was too late. Raziel conquered them in a great battle that took two whole nights. After their defeat, Raziel bound them to the sky, replacing the moon that was destroyed in the fight with the three sisters."
"That's an interesting story."Dante smiled.
"I know."
Dante's eyes remained fixed on the moons. "And what about the sun? Why does it only rise every two days?"
Lyra's expression turned thoughtful. "That's another mystery. Some people believe it's because of the Shadowfell's unique rotation and orbit. Others think it's a result of some ancient cataclysm that changed the Shadowfell's cycles."
Dante's gaze drifted back to the moons. "I like the mystery of this place. It's like there's always more to discover, more to learn."
Izalea nodded, her eyes shining with agreement. "I know what you mean. There's something about this world that feels... unfinished, like the story is still being written."
As they lay there in comfortable silence, Dante reached out and took Izalea's hand, his fingers intertwining with hers. The three moons watched over them, their gentle light casting a peaceful glow over the Wiss fields.