Dante said it with such determination. He tightened his grip on her hands. Laina wanted to believe him. She really did. But knowing that he was cursed, how would that be possible?
"You promise?" she asked in a whisper.
Dante nodded, "I promise. Even in death, I will never leave your side."
The harsh conditions of the mountains the further up they went, proved to be relentless. It was getting colder with the higher they climbed. At this point, both of them were decked out in their full winter gear.
"We finally made it!" Laina exclaimed with glee as she entered the cave to escape the snowstorm.
Dante followed closely behind.
"That took longer than expected," He commented as he removed his hood.
They were in the heart of the mountain range now. The real training begins. Dante took off most of his clothes, only keeping on a pair of pants. When Laina turned around she was surprised to see that he had stripped down.
