"Talent markings? Aura?" I asked, frowning. "What are you talking about, old man? As far as I know, my presence and aura are always under control."
Dante shook his head slowly, like a teacher correcting a stubborn student. "What you’re talking about is your Essence control, your ability to rein in your energies. But your presence..." He leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "Your presence is how the natural world reacts to you. It’s your will, bleeding out of you like a damned sun in my face."
I stiffened, his words echoing in my head.
’Is he talking about the Executor’s Halo?’
"I still don’t understand," I said.
"Then let me show you."
He straightened, and before I could react, something changed.
His presence surged, not just his aura, but something deeper. My senses noticed a new weight pressed down on the room.
Dante no longer looked like the bent, hunched old man in front of me; he looked like a giant made of raw energy, towering and impossible to ignore.
The Essence in the hut shifted instantly. The lazy, natural flow of particles turned docile, compliant, like soldiers bowing to a commander. His will pressed against me, but it wasn’t the aggressive force I’d expected. No, it was slippery, subtle. A will trying to vanish, to blend, to become a void.
I stared, my perception picking apart every detail. The way his Essence folded over itself. The way his will compressed into nothing. The way his presence disguised its own shape.
He spoke again.
"Now, this is me. Multiply it by a hundred, and that’s what I see when I look at you.
The Essence around you behaves as if it’s found its Emperor, broadcasting your affinity to anyone paying attention. And your will?" He jabbed a finger toward me. "It’s so damn explosive it’s affecting the entire capital right now. You’re radiating dominance. Suppression. Victory. Everyone who senses you knows you want to be the final winner."
I blinked, genuinely surprised. "But then why didn’t I notice anyone getting affected by it?"
Dante let out a long exhale, almost like a sigh.
"Because no one’s willing to contest you for it. Your will is so heavy, so absolute, that they bow their heads instinctively. They yield before you even realize it. But..." He tilted his head, his eyes sharpening. "You’ll notice the moment someone resists."
Before I could respond, his presence shifted. It was subtle at first, a small ripple, like a current changing beneath calm waters. Then it struck me. His will became something else entirely: fierce, unbending, dominant.
The effect was immediate.
The ground between us cracked with a sharp snap, fissures racing out from where we stood.
The wooden walls of the hut groaned under some invisible weight, deep cracks splitting through the beams.
My Psynapse flared instinctively, my will roaring like an angry beast unleashed, but then, just as quickly, it was gone. Dante’s presence folded back in on itself, disappearing into a void-like calm. The hut exhaled with us, wood creaking back into stillness.
He chuckled, the sound low and knowing. "That was me trying to contest your will. Just a taste." His eyes gleamed faintly as his aura vanished again. "Now you understand how dangerous it is to let your presence roar unchecked. The wrong opponent might decide to answer it."
I drew in a slow breath, letting the tension leave my body. Dante straightened his robes and turned toward the exit.
"Let’s go. We need to leave," he said in his calm, steady tone. "I’ll teach you how to control all this while we’re on the ship to Sukra."
I nodded and followed him out of the hut.
"So, it’s just the two of us going?" I asked, falling into step beside him.
He gave a slow nod. "Yes. Everyone else will stay here. The Emperor wants the rest to keep Peanu under control, frighten the people into submission, stop any signs of rebellion. Once that’s done, they’ll head for Vaythos." His wrinkled lips twitched into a small grin. "Besides, we have your summons. We won’t exactly be alone."
I shrugged, spreading my perception outward instinctively.
Steve was with Edgar, his Essence steady but restless as usual.
North’s presence was softer, vibrant, resonating faintly with Arkas’s powerful aura as the two of them spoke.
And high above, almost lost in the sky, sat the Emperor himself.
For a brief moment, everything seemed calm.
Then Dante’s voice pulled me back. "Don’t stretch your senses too far. The more you project your perception, the more the world feels you
I glanced at him and smirked. "You mean like you?"
He chuckled, tapping his cane against the ground. "Exactly like me. Now come on, monster boy, let’s go see what’s waiting for us on Sukra."
The wind howled as we rose into the clouds, the ground below shrinking into a blur of green and shadow.
Our destination was a small Feran city perched atop a cliff, quiet, unassuming, and perfect for what we needed.
Hidden deep within its slums, one of Dante’s agents had maintained a teleportation circle, undetected by the people of Peanu.
As we landed in a narrow alley, two cloaked figures appeared, their eyes glowing faintly beneath their hoods.
Without a word, they led us to a dimly lit cellar beneath an abandoned inn. Runes carved into the stone floor pulsed with faint white light.
"The circle’s stable," one of the spies murmured. "Coordinates are set for the asteroid base."
Dante nodded, then looked at me. "Let’s go."
We stepped into the circle together. The air around us folded, the light condensed and in the next instant, the city was gone.
We reappeared inside the familiar cave on the asteroid, the one that had first brought us to Peanu. The faint hum of residual Essence filled the air, echoing through the dark, rocky walls.
Dante smiled faintly and motioned forward. We walked out of the cave, the vast emptiness of the crater stretching before us. His ship stood nearby.
As the hatch opened with a soft hiss, I followed him inside.
The interior opened up into a vast command deck, lined with glowing panels, crystalline conduits carrying streams of Essence like rivers of light.
The central chair stood tall, made for command, while the surrounding consoles hummed quietly.
Dante walked straight to the command seat, placed his hand on the armrest, and let the ship recognize him. Runes flared across the deck in acknowledgment. The entire vessel seemed to awaken, its hum deepening as if it had taken a breath.
"Destination?" a calm, mechanical voice asked.
Dante leaned back slightly. "Asteroid PE-X14," he commanded.