Van sat in Magus's grave, his back against the goddess statue. Curled into a ball, he clutched his hair tightly. Memories surged: times with Magus in both worlds, Amoria's confession of love for Magus, joyful moments in the demon realm shattered by seeing Alicia with another, countless deaths and tortures by the royal knights, lonely nights, and the haunting descriptions of his passives, Dark Soul and Untrusted.He remembered the two faces that had shown him affection, revealed as manipulations by Salem Dyke. His body shivered, tightening as he recalled Magus's plea for visits, a chance for friendship lost to his insecurities.Van pressed his head harder, muscles tensed, trying to shield himself from the painful memories. Despair overwhelmed him, shaking violently, blind to the world, destined to remain in perpetual shadow."Van...?" A soft voice pierced the gloom.Van slowly raised his head, surrounded by an oppressive darkness."...Van...? I'm here..." The voice echoed once more. He scanned his surroundings, but no one appeared in his shadowy realm."Van... Please raise your head and look at me..." The voice continued, its plea soft and resonant amidst the silence.Gradually, Van stood up.His expression was blank and weary as he searched the darkness for the source of that compassionate call."...I am not leaving this place without you. So... Please, look at me..." The voice implored gently.
Amidst the shadows, Van noticed a tiny flicker of light. Persistent, it glowed defiantly against the overwhelming blackness.
Van stood still, observing it with curiosity, half-expecting it to extinguish.But the light persisted, beckoning him repeatedly to raise his head and stand up, gently yet insistently, as if possessing more life than the immortal Van himself.'Well...' Van mused in the darkness, his eyes fixed on the speck of light.'I've got nothing else going on... Might as well see where it leads,' he casually said, his voice echoing in the dark realm as he began taking clumsy, weary steps towards the light.Like a lost traveler drawn to a lighthouse, he moved through the darkness.He then realized he was walking beside a small figure. His gaze dropped to his own hand, led by the figure's gentle grasp, guiding him out of the depths of Magus's grave - into the morning light outside.Blinded by the brilliance of the sun, Van's eyes instinctively twitched. He lowered his gaze to the person guiding him through the light.He recognized her immediately, despite only looking at her from behind. Despite not seeing her in over 16 years, he knew who that was. It was Amoria.Her golden hair shimmered under the clear sky, her movements so graceful it seemed as though the world itself shifted to accommodate her steps.Suddenly, Van became aware of the birds chirping.The wind grazed the grass below and gently caressing his bare skin.He could smell the earth, the grass, and the flowers as they basked under the sun's rays, with the breeze acting as a conduit, delivering the scents to him. The most dominant fragrance was the scent of chamomile emanating from Amoria's glistening, smooth hair, mingling with the gentle lavender from her clothes.This time, Van was certain. Certain that he had woke up from a bad dream, rather than believing he was currently in a good one.Without any particular questions coming up in his head, or ideas for chatter... He just remained silent and followed her gentle lead obediently and casually.Before long, Van was enveloped by the sounds and smells of the city: the chatter of passersby, the clanging of metal, the gusts of wind from people bustling past, the aromas of bread baking and meats sizzling. Guided by Amoria, he looked around, realizing he was deep within the city as he observed the buildings surrounding him.They entered a church. Inside, Amoria gestured for him to wait and approached the altar to speak with the grand priest. Van's gaze lingered elsewhere; he was too slow to meet her eyes. As Amoria conversed with the priest, Van, draped in a familiar black cloth, scanned his surroundings.The grand priest, looking concerned, quickly approached Van after speaking with Amoria.Both Amoria and the priest extended their hands towards the weary Van. He placed his palms in theirs without hesitation, led by Amoria on one side and by the priest on the other. They guided him to the altar, where the priest removed the cloth covering Van and began to pray alongside Amoria.His body was momentarily bathed in a golden light, but as quickly as it came, it vanished—the seals on his body stubbornly remained.Van, not fully grasping the situation, understood the basics: they had attempted to remove the seals that Salem had placed on his body. However, due to his passives, which barred divine intervention, their efforts were in vain.'We need a Dragonkin Priest to remove the seals,' Van sighed internally, 'It's not like I wasn't cursed before... She's supposed to know that. Did she think it would work despite it?' Van thought in curiosity.The grand priest sent a remorseful look to Amoria, signaling that nothing more could be done. As Amoria sighed in frustration, the church doors burst open. Rika was seen escorting Lalyn from a distance. After she walked in, Rika disappeared from sight immediately.Upon entering, Lalyn hesitated at the sight of Van, particularly the potent seals marking his body. Nevertheless, she continued forward, approaching the altar as Rika faded from view."...It seems like I made it just in time. Any longer, and they would've been permanently a part of him," Lalyn murmured, her gaze lingering on Van's weary expression.She then shifted her attention to Amoria. "...He has no other curses bound to him?" she asked, her eyebrow raised in inquiry."No... None other than those runes," Amoria replied, her tone serious."Amoria, focus, please. The spell I'm casting is complex. It requires one to be at peak condition. Physically, mentally, and spiritually. If it wasn't our meatshield here, I wouldn't dare cast it. Understand?" Lalyn emphasized, her voice stern.Amoria flinched under Lalyn's sharp gaze as she recalled Van at the cemetery, but before she could respond, Van cut in."...Whatever it is you're trying to do..." Van interjected, his voice raspy, drawing Lalyn's attention as she turned to face him."Just do it. I'll manage. Even if I starved for weeks, I'd make it," Van declared, his resolve clear despite the exhaustion shadowing his features.Lalyn's eye twitched slightly as she re-examined his weary demeanor and empty gaze. Amoria anxiously fiddled with her fingers, her eyes filled with concern as she watched the exchange."There's no other curse on me besides those runes... And the passives I had when I came into this world. You need to do it fast too, don't you?" Van added.Lalyn clicked her tongue, her expression mixing frustration and a hidden tinge of admiration. "Fine. You're one sturdy meatshield, after all. And, time is of the essence, so there's no time for preparation. Brace yourself," she instructed coolly, readying herself to cast the spell.Lalyn then stood beside him and began to chant in the Dragon tongue. Suddenly, the head of Arlyn, her dragon, emerged from a portal, gently touching Van's forehead.[Van... I really wanted to spend my energy asking how you've been and catch up. But it seems our reunion must be brief. I will use my strength, combined with the magical power of everyone here, to unseal you.]Van weakly nodded, his forehead still pressed against Arlyn's. A circle of frost magic began to encircle them both.[This method would have killed anyone else due to the extreme cold... And overwhelm their minds, driving them to insanity solely due to the intensity of this magic. Thank goodness for your resilience.] Arlyn communicated as the frost sealed the runes on his skin, causing them to gradually flake away into nonexistence.Van looked around as the ritual continued, his expression tinged with confusion.[Van,] Arlyn's voice came through as the portal's strength waned. He turned his attention back to her.[...I sense great turmoil within you.] Arlyn commented as the Ritual neared its peak, [Dark thoughts and urges have shadowed you for a long while... I have also felt this since our days as Party members... Frankly, I do not blame you for having those thoughts and feelings, considering the situation you were put in, throughout your time in this world. Even if you were to surrender yourself to the darkness, I would be the last to judge you for it.] she began, her tone softening.[But I am proud of you for nurturing the light in your heart, allowing it to prevail even in your darkest hours. This confirms what I've learned to recognize about you all those years ago... That at your core, you are a good man. One worthy to be happy.] Her voice carried warmth.[Even if the source of your light is... eh... a little questionable... Haha,] Arlyn quipped, a faint humor slipping into her tone as she sensed the subtle influence of the Demon Lord within Van's heart.Van chuckled softly, surrounded by a whirlwind of ice, the cold gnawing at the runes etched into his skin.'Oh, I'm more than just questionable, Arlyn,' he thought, a resigned grin curling his lips.[Van!?] Arlyn's voice shifted, startled by the sudden shift in his demeanor.'Wanna know something crazy?' Van's thoughts probed, locking onto the dragon's gaze. 'Your master—she was involved with Magus romantically. Hell, her and everyone else.'[I... I know about that... You know I know that! I... I always thought it was strange, but as long as Master was happy, I—]'She was brainwashed,' Van cut in, sneering. 'Magus had her under his spell.'[W-what...?] Arlyn's mental voice wavered, the magic between them faltering."Something's wrong!!!" Lalyn's sudden outburst echoed, catching Amoria and the priest off guard."What's happening?!" Amoria demanded, alarmed.Lalyn's face contorted with worry. "It's Arlyn—her focus is slipping!" she shouted, panic creeping into her voice.'Magus had passive skills from our so-called Goddess. Skills that made every woman adore him... And I knew it all along,' Van continued, his mind sharp and relentless.The dragon's expression twisted into fury, her teeth bared within the storm as she glared at him, the intensity between them mounting.[...]'Well, Arlyn?' Van thought, his resigned smile unwavering as he locked eyes with the raging dragon. 'How's that "light in my heart" looking to you now?'