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GARDEN OF POISON
Devil's gift or trouble (Chapter 153)
Several minutes ago…
Dante demanded from her, "Where is Anastasia?"
Anastasia dropped the daggers to the floor and quickly moved her fingers, signing the first word she thought of that would gain his attention—rabbit. This was something only the two of them knew.
When Dante's fist plummeted into the wall beside Anastasia's head, it created a massive amount of dust in the room, momentarily obscuring the area from view, even for Magnus. Using the same hand, he gently placed it on her chest, feeling her heart thud against her chest. 
For a moment, Anastasia wondered if Dante intended to rip her heart out, but instead, she felt him lean closer, his lips grazing her ear, and he whispered only for her to hear,
"Disable the pillar."
Anastasia's eyes widened at Dante's words, and she felt herself being pushed into the hole he had created in the wall, hiding her in plain sight. Simultaneously, an artificial projection of the Elder minister materialised in front of him, positioned against the wall.
Hidden behind the wall, Anastasia watched Dante and the Elder minister fight against each other. Their daggers clashed, giving rise to sparks that ignited before the dust had the chance to fully settle on the ground. She noticed something transparent, reminiscent of water, shimmering in front of her as if to conceal her presence.
And when the moment arrived, Dante acted swiftly, plunging his fingers into Alrad's chest without a second thought.
Anastasia observed the shift in Dante's expression, even though he knew the person standing before him wasn't her. He looked devastated, as if mirroring how he might have felt if she really did die.
Emerging from the shadows, Magnus stated, "She believed you wouldn't kill her, but you did anyway." Unwittingly, he had bought the entire act, not realising that he had been fooled. He continued, "Now, it's time to throw her into the pil—" The next moment, Dante lunged forward, aiming a punch at Magnus, who promptly evaded by jumping out of the tower, and Dante pursued, plummeting after him.
Anastasia had finally caught her breath, and she drew an even deeper one as she stared at the large hole from which the two archdemons had leapt. Stepping into the light and reentering the room, she came to stand in front of the corpse that looked just like her, blood oozing from its chest and its eyes staring wide open.
Tearing her gaze away from the dead body, she walked towards the pillar. She asked in a whisper, "How do you demolish it?"
If Dante believed she could do it, perhaps this was something within her capabilities. She touched the pillar to see it glow upon her touch. As her palm made contact with the floor, she noticed the intricate markings encircling the pillar, bearing inscribed words. Placing another hand on the floor, she whispered,
"Don't forge another hell. The living need a world to inhabit and thrive in."
Upon increasing the pressure of her fingertips against the ground, Anastasia observed the circle beginning to glow, emitting a light from beneath it before it coalesced to form a star inside the circle. She murmured, "Alter the sequence to cause the pillar to self-destruct due to the malevolent force contained within."
With the edge of her wrist, she went as far as to erase a line, after which she retreated into hiding to avoid lingering and being caught, all the while holding onto the hope that Dante would defeat Magnus. However, the demon of mischief revelled in wickedness, pitting people against each other for his amusement.
Back in the present, Dante remarked, "To think you are an intelligent demon is confidence; to believe you are the sole intelligent demon is hubris," he wore a pleased expression on his face. He inquired, "Did you enjoy the show I put on for you? There is a certain delight in seeing someone ascend so high, only for them to plummet back down."
Magnus continued to grit his teeth, his hands clenched, as he hadn't expected Dante to realise that he was fighting Anastasia. He thrust his hand forward, releasing a blast of red light directed at the couple, his fury erupting as he snarled, "I will fucking kill you both!"
Dante pulled Anastasia close to him, and all it took was a single snap of his fingers for the red light to vanish. He said, "It looks like you are unfit to rule this realm, given how easily you were fooled. Your pillar is worthless now that it's broken."
"I have built this pillar once, and I can always build it again." Magnus glared, his canines bared and ready to spill blood.
"Maybe you will, but do you have time to achieve that in the realm of the living?" Dante questioned him, his crimson eyes serious.
Magnus unleashed a red light in their direction, but Dante deflected it with a casual wave, redirecting it to collide with another wall within the room, which blew up upon impact. Seizing the opportunity, the demon of mischief used this moment to fly away.
However, Dante wasn't going to allow Magnus to escape and vanish to repeat his deceptive games. He had been fooled once, but never again. His wings emerged from his back, leaving Anastasia speechless as she watched the two archdemons in the sky.
Dante successfully caught hold of Magnus's foot, and he dragged him down. But Magnus exerted all his strength in an attempt to free himself, and when his efforts proved futile, a fight ensued between them.
"I still have an army of souls present here. You think your so-called soulmate is safe?" Magnus attempted to provoke Dante, launching his fists towards the latter, who evaded the attack by shifting his head.
As Magnus attempted to kick Dante, it was thwarted as Dante swiftly raised his hands to protect himself. As haughty and confident as the demon of mischief appeared to be, his movements weren't as precise as before, creating an opening for Dante to punch his chin upwards.
To Anastasia, who watched them fight above her, the movements were too fast for her to grasp. Having nothing else to do in the tower, she quickly made her way to the ground.
Up in the sky, Magnus somehow managed to strike Dante, but his manoeuvre ultimately placed him at a disadvantage. Dante crushed the demon's hands, eliciting a yelp from him. Before the demon of mischief could escape, his wings were caught as he struggled to regain altitude. One of Magnus's wings tore, rendering him unable to fly.
Dante returned to the ground, his feet touching down with graceful precision, unlike Magnus, who fell to the ground with a hiss of pain. "I will get you back for this!" Magnus barked.
"The souls you claimed aren't yours, as the pillar never created the ideal world to host them. An archdemon with a broken wing, dismissed by all," Dante replied, observing a smile spread across Magnus's face.
"You shouldn't be talking when you left the woman unprotected," Magnus chuckled, before his hand moved in the direction where Anastasia had just appeared. Fire erupted in her vicinity, poised to engulf and burn her to ashes.
But the fire never touched Anastasia and instead veered away from where she stood. This caused Magnus to frown, intensifying his efforts to target her once more.
"There's a reason why the queen holds a powerful position on the chessboard, Magnus. Something you didn't understand the first time," Dante remarked, before a mass of black smoke moved towards the demon of mischief to devour him.
"You cannot kill me, Dante, and neither can she!" Magnus shouted, struggling to get away from the encroaching black smoke.
"No, we cannot. But we can trap you for someone else to deal with," Dante stated.
Magnus scoffed. "There is no coffin here. I will kil—"
"Who said you were going to have a coffin?" Dante raised his eyebrows, and in the next second, Anastasia whispered something under her breath in a language she hadn't heard of until now. The fire dwindled, and so did the black smoke, but at the same time, the demon of mischief transformed into grey smoke, slipping into a bottle that was promptly sealed with a tight lid.
Silence fell upon the surroundings, while the stars glittered in the now darkened sky. Anastasia's breath was rapid as she stared at the bottle lying on the ground, locking eyes with Dante. Finally… finally it was over. She quickly ran towards him before being engulfed in his embrace as he held her tightly.
"You are safe," Dante murmured into her hair before planting a tender kiss on her head. He closed his eyes, taking in her scent, which he could finally inhale with Magnus's charm gone from the vicinity. "They didn't hurt you, did they? Did I?"
Anastasia shook her head and replied, "I am so glad you are here." She hugged him back, as she had been worried since she had been brought to this unknown place. Pulling herself from his embrace, she reached up to touch his face. "That was heartbreaking… what happened in there."
Dante watched her keenly and offered her a warm smile. "I thought about what might have happened if I hadn't realised that it was you… and the mere thought brought on tears."
"Never again," Anastasia whispered, raising herself up on her toes and meeting his lips halfway. "No matter how far, we'll always return to each other's side."
The kiss was warm and full of love, a love that both had been deprived of. And once they pulled away, she remarked, "You have impressive wings."
"You like them?" Dante asked her, to which she nodded. "Your abilities seem to have finally surfaced."
"About that…I want to show you something," Anastasia said, and the chomping plant emerged from the ground. "This seems to have come in handy… though it is a little odd…"
"I think it is magnificent," Dante approved of the plant, and it made Anastasia smile.
Suddenly, the tower through which Magnus had intended to unleash the dead realm shattered and crumbled, collapsing with a resounding crash to the ground. He said, "Time to make the call."
Anastasia wondered what he meant by it as she observed him extract three crystals that emitted a radiant glow without the need for an external source of light. He ran his claw against his hand, drawing his own blood, and then coated the crystals with it.
Out of nowhere, the Devil materialised in front of them, and he looked as bored and tired of life as when Anastasia had last seen him. He stared at Dante before his eyes fell on the glimmering crystals. A twinkle appeared in his eyes, and he said in a grim tone,
"You were able to gather all my crystals. Just as I expected."
However, when Viktor extended his hand, waiting for Dante to hand him the crystals, the latter withheld them. This had the Devil stare at him before he inquired, "Is something the matter?"
Dante stared back at the Devil, and he said, "I am waiting for you to keep your word."
"And what might that be? It seems to have slipped my memory," Viktor slyly replied.
In the meantime, Anastasia observed the hunch on the Devil's back, which was concealed beneath a voluminous cloak. According to the tales among the living, the Devil had once been a handsome man. Could it have been just a rumour to avoid incurring his wrath? she asked herself.
The crystals disappeared from Dante's hand, reappearing in Viktor's grasp. The bottle in which Magnus had been sealed flew into his other hand. The Devil then said,
"It saddens me that you want to leave my side, Dante. There's ample time for it, and I am sure we can come to a suitable arrangement. It would be advantageous to have you be part of both the realms of the living and the dead, as you are an important asset of mine. As a token of gratitude for today, I am sure you both would like to return to your home rather than remain in this desolate land. Yes?" He offered a faint, crooked smile. "Also," he drawled, his gaze falling upon Anastasia, "I think I would like to get some of these plants of yours. They appear quite soothing."
"Ah, maybe next time Dante and I visit, I will have them planted in your…"
"Garden," Viktor completed her sentence, as Anastasia was unsure if the Devil fancied plants.
"Yes, the garden," Anastasia repeated, offering him a bow.
Viktor's gaze remained fixed on the young fae, whom he had been observing since she was brought here. Watching her explore one ability after another and knowing she was now destined for Hell, he softly harrumphed.
"It appears that there is a little hiccup that needs your attention," Viktor said, and the crystals and the bottle disappeared from his grasp. "Time to go home," he stated, snapping his fingers twice.
This time, fully conscious for the duration of the apparition, Anastasia experienced her body being squeezed and her senses scattered before she tumbled to the ground.
"Ow!" She winced and heard the sound of chirping crickets. Blinking, she looked around, only to find herself in a forest next to a familiar-looking bridge. This... This was Hawkshead.
— _____________
GARDEN OF POISON
Arriving at Hawkshead (Chapter 154)
Music Recommendation: Background Noise - Trent Reznor
—
Anastasia felt the cold breeze that swept through the forest, and her breath quickened as she scanned the trees with her brown eyes. In the past, she had envisioned a hundred scenarios for her arrival at Hawkshead, but none quite like this.
Pressing her hand against the ground to stand up, she caught the sound of another crash not far from where she stood. The noise resembled the snapping of a tree, prompting her to briskly stride across the grassy terrain, the hem of her dress sweeping the ground as she moved.
"Anastasia!" Dante called her name, who had been sent here along with her.
"Dante." Anastasia felt relieved upon seeing him, and he quickly walked towards her and enveloped her in a hug. "I thought Viktor sent us to our own homes separately," she said, voicing her earlier concern.
Pulling away from her, Dante's eyes landed on the distant arched bridge beneath which flowed a tranquil stream of water. His eyebrows furrowed as he recalled seeing the same bridge in Anastasia's drawing. He said, "Looks like he provided us with a fast pass to get here."
"I cannot believe we are actually in Hawkshead. It feels surreal," Anastasia whispered, hearing the faint echoes of the villagers' voices in the distance. She could feel her heart pounding with eager anticipation, and she wondered how her parents would react upon seeing her.
"Who is there?!" demanded one of the village men after the sound of a breaking tree branch and whispered voices reached his ears from the forest. Holding a burning lantern, the villager led two other men in his wake. The light soon fell on Anastasia and Dante, revealing that Dante had shifted from his demon appearance to his earthling one. "A man and a woman spending time alone in the forest!"
"It doesn't look like they are from Hawkshead; they must be from the neighbouring village," said one of the men trailing behind the first one.
"I am from this village," Anastasia responded, her memory failing to recognise the men's faces. She continued, "I am the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Flores. Anastasia."
The men looked confused before their eyes widened, and they inquired, "A—Anastasia Flores? Hugh's daughter?!"
Anastasia nodded, and the men became visibly excited to see her. The one holding the lantern exclaimed, "How did you find your way back? Where were you all these years?!" The questions didn't stop, as if they wanted to know every detail.
"I am Jack Mower. You and your sister used to visit our house with your parents! You were so small when I last saw you, and look how much you have grown!" one village man said, stepping forward and coming uncomfortably close to Anastasia for Dante's liking.
Stepping in front of Anastasia, Dante addressed the men, saying, "We would appreciate it if you could lead us to the Flores's house."
"Oh, absolutely! Hugh and Margaret are going to be ecstatic to hear about you!" one of them exclaimed, and with that, they led the couple out of the forest.
When Anastasia entered the village, it was as if she had opened a flood of memories from the past. With the exception of a few additional houses and the trees that had grown tall along with her, everything seemed almost unchanged from her recollections. The memories she had made here remained fresh in her mind, and she could vividly picture her sister and her playing, running, and laughing. Innocence dripped from the little girls, who had been harshly torn from their family.
Anastasia and Dante walked towards the rear of the group, and she whispered to him, "It looks like we arrived earlier than Gabriel." After all, he had boarded the ship only yesterday evening.
"True," Dante replied, while keeping his eye on the men who kept turning around to look at them every few seconds. He grimly remarked, "Seems like everyone in this place is unusually friendly." A few villagers stopped what they were doing and followed them at a distance, wondering who they were.
When they finally arrived in front of the Flores's house, the very place Anastasia called home during her childhood, one of the men eagerly knocked on the door.
"Hugh! Open the door! You won't believe who's here to meet you!" the villager called out to the door with excitement.
Anastasia's heart kept pounding in her chest, a blend of nervousness and eagerness. She felt Dante squeeze her hand, letting her know he was there right next to her.
The door of the house finally swung open, and out stepped Anastasia's father. His once handsome face now bore traces of weariness, with dark shadows under his eyes. Streaks of grey now adorned his hair, serving as a visible reminder that time had marched on, even though he and his wife had been robbed of happiness.
A frown etched across Mr. Flores's face as he asked the men, "What is the pressing matter, Jack?" Yet, even before the question fully left his lips, the man moved aside, and his eyes first landed on the unfamiliar tall man before him. He noticed dark smudges of mud staining the man's clothing. His eyes then shifted to the young woman standing next to him.
Anastasia felt her throat choking upon seeing her father standing at the doorway. How long had it been that she yearned to return so that she could see him and her family? Tears welled up in her eyes, momentarily blurring her vision before spilling down her cheeks.
"Papa…" Anastasia's voice quivered as she called him, feeling her heart clench.
Mr. Flores's eyes widened as he looked at the young woman who had just addressed him as 'papa', and he slowly descended the two steps. He stared at her brown eyes and brown hair. It couldn't be…
"A—Anna, is that you?" Mr. Flores asked, his voice filled with disbelief, his own eyes welling up.
Unable to form a word, Anastasia simply nodded and closed the distance between them. Her lips trembled, and as they stood face-to-face, an instant later, they embraced tightly. She whispered, "I am back, Papa."
Mr. Flores held Anastasia close, tears escaping his eyes as he replied, still in shock, "You are back… I cannot believe it. You are back!"
The villagers, who had gathered near the house, smiled warmly as they witnessed the heartfelt reunion between father and daughter. Upon hearing Mr. Flores conversing with people in front of their house, Mrs. Flores and her son, Tomas, came over to see what was going on.
Anastasia's emotions overcame her, and she began to sob. The ache of missing them all had been profound, and now, seeing them, she felt her heart might burst at any moment with overwhelming joy. This reunion had been her long-held dream, and a part of her dreaded that even if she reached Hawkshead, she might not be able to see them again.
"Your mother and I missed you and Marianne terribly. Always wondering how you both were doing and what condition you were in." Mr. Flores gently stroked his daughter's head. He said, "I looked for you everywhere I could. Some of us even attempted to pursue the pirates, but our efforts were in vain, and we ended up stranded on an island for weeks."
Taking a deep breath, Anastasia replied, "I am so sorry you had to go through that."
Mr. Flores gently shook his head, his voice softening. "It wasn't your fault, my child. It wasn't your fault at all. It was those damn pirates who snatched you away and never allowed you to return." As they pulled away from each other, he looked behind her, searching for someone, before asking, "Where is Marianne?"
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