Chapter Text
Gene wasn’t sure if he was supposed to wake up. But he did…in the middle of a library? He sat up, groaning as he stretched his sore limbs. His armor was gone and he was left in a black shirt and gray pants. His wounds were completely gone and Gene could see again. The center was an open circular space with four colors that met a trophy in the middle. The color of red, blue, green, and yellow had separated the library into four sections, books upon books upon books in each section.
In the main hallway at the end of the hall was a comfortable couch with pictures on the wall behind the couch, a trophy above the couch. In front of the couch was a holographic screen. A man with a goofy smile, brown hair, and deep brown eyes sat on the couch. He wore a red leather jacket, a black shirt, black jeans, and brown boots. Next to the man was a woman with brown hair and eyes. She wore a white shirt, a black sweater, jeans, and boots.
“Oh, you’re awake!” the man grinned at Gene. “Come here, friend. You must have a lot of questions.” The man gestured for Gene to approach the couch. Gene stood up with shaky legs and approached the couch hesitantly. Who were these people? Gene really wished he had his sword on him. He didn’t like feeling vulnerable and unprepared.
“Who are you? Where am I?” Gene narrowed his eyes, staying out of arm's reach from other of them. Neither of them look at him with disdain or hatred. Maybe they were lucky enough to not know of the Nether and the Shadow Knights? Shadow Knights! “Dante!” Gene’s eyes widened and he looked around. “My brother! I have…I have to help him! He asked…I need to go…Dante!” he shouted, frantically looking around, unsure of which direction to start looking in.
“Hey, hey, Gene,” the woman stood up from the couch and approached him. “Calm down. Dante is okay.” She put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Dante is okay. Breathe with me.” Gene looked at her, trying to copy her calm deep breaths. “There we go. You’re in a safe place. You lost against Shad.”
Memories came flooding back and Gene growled. “I should’ve fought harder,” he grumbled.
“Don’t think like that. You protected him,” the woman smiled softly. “Take a seat and we’ll explain everything.” She let Gene to the couch and let him sit in the middle. “My name is Estefani, and this is my husband Mattias.”
Mattias grinned and gave a two finger salute. “And this library is our home. It’s like the Irene Dimension or the Nether. A place outside of space and time. And you, my friend, have a choice to make.” He put a hand on Gene’s shoulder, squeezing gently.
“I don’t understand. Who are you?” Gene blinked in surprise.
“Oh, right. We’re Divine. I’m Mattias, the Divine of Knowledge. Estefani is the Divine of Protection,” Mattias grinned, patting Gene’s shoulder.
“I thought that Enki was the Divine Warrior of Knowledge and Esmund was the Divine Warrior of Protection?” Gene tilted his head. “That’s what all the history books say.” That’s what Shad had told him.
Estefani rolled her eyes. “Historians simply like to refute that I’m a woman. Esmund was just deified by the people around him. Same with Enki. Most of the Divine Warriors were humans who were deified,” she explained calmly. However, her eyes held muted anger.
“What does any of this have to do with me?” Gene asked, frustrated. He was a Shadow Knight who betrayed the Shadow Lord and paid the price for it. Irene, why did he even do it in the first place? He clenched his fists. “I don’t understand.”
“You protected your brother,” Estefani commended. “I want to give you a second chance with Dante. We can give that to you, only if you are willing to give up your magicks in return.” She sat next to Gene. “If not, then you’ll die and it’s over.”
Was it worth it? Losing his magicks, a part of himself, to be with Dante again? Gene swallowed thickly. Dante was worth it. He was his little brother. Gene could lose his magicks for Dante. Dear Irene, when did Gene suddenly gain this conscience and conviction? “I…It’s worth it. I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes. Killed a lot of people. And I don’t really regret any of that at all. I’d still do it all the same. But, Dante is different. I used to despise him,” he wetly laughed, shaking his head. “But, hearing him call out for help from me no less—the one person who hurt him more than anyone else. He asked me for help. How could I ignore that?”
“That, my friend, is why we’ve decided to give you a second chance,” Mattias laughed, smiling brightly, albeit a little goofy. “It’s going to be hard, but you can overcome and get your brother back. All you need to do is trust us.”
Gene warily glanced at Mattias. Estefani noticed and laughed. “Don’t worry about him. He’s just enthusiastic. We won’t send you completely defenseless.” She manifested a crimson blade. “It’s enchanted with my blessing. This blade will never fail you.” Gene took the blade and it felt perfectly balanced in his hand. He smiled softly.
“Thank you,” Gene nodded.
“And my gifts to you!” Mattias beamed brightly, dropping two books in Gene’s lap. “The first book is a journal that connects here to the library and by definition, us! The second book is simply blank. Ask it questions and it will give an answer.”
“From the both of us, we’ll give you a backpack with necessary survival supplies,” Estefani finished explaining.
“I…thank you,” Gene replied, swallowing back his confusion. “What happens now?” he wondered out loud.
“You wake up,” Mattias smirked, snapping his fingers.
“Wha—” A bright light engulfed Gene and he jolted up, coughing violently. The library was gone, replaced by soft grass and a cool breeze. His heart sank as he took in the ruins of a village. “Did it have to be here?” he grumbled. Flashes of fire and smoke filled his memory. Screams of the villagers echoed in his mind. Dante’s wails being the loudest.
“Did it have to be Boboros?” Gene whispered, guilt pooling in his gut.