A stormy night like these weren’t few and far, but ultimately it couldn’t have came at a worse time for Dante. He had already had a relaxing stay at Ainochi and had plenty of fun and excitement with its Tayuu, even though he was supposedly on a recon mission to obtain any information about this brave new world. But the call from his loins had been too great to ignore (like so many other times in his life), so the demon obliged before begrudgingly continuing on with his mission. He had been wandering about in the middle of the woods for seemingly forever and he was starting to have second thoughts about all of this; maybe one more day back there wouldn’t hurt and could help him to focus. His tongue licked slowly around his bottom lip at the charming thought and was about to turn on his heels to head back when the earth trembled beneath him. Dante looked on with wide eyes as the tremors continued.

“What is this?” The shaking got so intense that he had to hold himself against that of a large tree to keep his footing as it seemed to grow stronger, like something was walking towards his direction. In fact, it didn’t just seem like that was the case, there was something heading towards him. His light blue eyes could barely see something through the thicket and rain, but there was something unnatural coming. “Perfect”, he spoke in a purring tone, though he wasn’t in quite the pleased mood as he circled around to avoid been spotted. Watching on as the pursuer came closer, it appeared to be a leg. Then another leg, followed by a few more legs which puzzled him so. It looked to be some sort of construct, with something on top of it.

Slipping around the tree, Dante followed behind it until he was able to catch up and leap onto one of the back legs. As he climbed, he noticed the form to be shaped like a spider. “If only Rize could see this…”, he murmured to himself. It did beg the question of where she and their other siblings were at. So far the only person he knew that had crossed over was his father, and being the cryptic person he was, failed to mention anything of their kin to him. The climb had taken a while but eventually he lifted himself over top of it and sauntered over to the mansion built right on top of it. “What a pretty little house, but terrible foundation underneath it.” Without knocking, Dante let himself in and peeked around for a bit, unimpressed by the decor and lack of upkeep. Sighing, he ventured up the stairs to take a look at what may be lying in wait for him. If nothing else, then it would at least provide protection from the rain until tomorrow. He could have sworn that once or twice that he felt as though someone was watching him as he climbed to the second floor. He would turn around whenever the feeling became too much to ignore only to catch nothing at all. He really wasn’t one for uninvited and prying eyes, unless it was him that was snooping around and reached the top floor.

“My word… All he could do was stare in wonder as it seemed as though he was met with some sort of maze before him. But how could that be? Hallways in different directions, twists and turns into the unknown and for no rhyme or reason. Who had built this place and why? And why was it on top of a bloody spider? His fingers glided through his silvery locks before he allowed himself to be guided by his own curiosity and headed for the hall on the left. At some point he ceased moving, feeling something familiar on him once more. It was starting to get bothersome that he was being spied on, or at least he believed it to be the case. “You may come out of the shadows, why don’t you”, he spoke, with both hands placed behind his head as he waited to see if paranoia had really sunk into him or not.

The outside world was far from perfect. It was like a never ending nightmare fueled for disaster. If it was one thing it did better, it was that once in a great while something good happened. Though good maybe disguised as evil and evil never really rests. It wasn’t like she was evil, she had just grown up around. She was influenced by it. She had almost been killed by it. Her siblings had been killed or would have been killed but a few had been saved. If it hadn’t been by the gods she wouldn’t have believed they existed at all. Sometimes Gods do good things but… she often wondered why?

She was running today. Her long legs were going leaps and bounds as she started to scale up the top of what appeared to be a monstrous golem. She had never seen one of this size before. She remembered as a girl, her aunt would sound her fascinating puppet shows from smaller golems.

“STOP,” the cry came from below as her followers attempted to climb up the golem. Taking her whip she fastened herself to the leg temporarily and smiled down at them. “Not today Loves. Catch me another time.” They couldn’t climb like she could. They followed her simply because they thought she was evil like they had thought her mother was evil before her. Cyprus had certainly been so. Lotus? She didn’t know herself.

Soon she was at the top and she stared at the large manor. “Peculiar… but the peculiar things are always the most fun.” She pushed her long black hair back as she entered into the manor. Before long she got turned around and ended up getting called out for following someone? It sounded like a male. “The nerve,” She rounded the corner and crossed her arms. “I am following no one but the scents of death and decay. Though I suppose that this whole place is filled with it.” She pushed past him, the pretty little thing that he was.

“I would be careful. Creepy crawlies around every corner would make things too interesting at this time.” She moved her fingers like spider webs before clearing the ones in front of her. She shivered a bit. “This place is a damn maze… better than outside though for certain.”

There was plenty of commotion already going on outside, but Dante put that aside since it was mostly likely caused by the spider golem or something. Perhaps it was strolling through a village and its people were freaking out. The thought of it didn’t really amuse him and stirred nothing more than just a shrug from him as he went back to thinking about where he was to head from here. Too many paths to take, and gods knew what laid amongst them. “Hm, left or right? Forward or should I head back?” He pondered those questions almost like it was forever before he heard movement from behind him. Unlike all the other times when he believed that he was simply hearing things and allowing for some sort of irrational fear take charge, this time it was different. He was sure by now that he could differentiate between reality and fantasy that this house stirred. Dante waited patiently for whoever it was to arrive and his expression turned from minor annoyance to keen interest.  

A young looking lady was the cause for all that commotion and he couldn’t help but to smile as he shamelessly watched her body as she came over. He figured that she must have came here after he had, though that wasn’t the major thing his mind was dancing around. His stare eventually moved onto her eyes right before she passed him by. “Not too sure why that’s the case. It’s just an abandoned house built on a giant spider golem, nothing out of the ordinary in these parts, no?” Dante had a smartmouth for certain, but he wasn’t too frightful of spooky, scary houses. He couldn’t help but to ponder if the woman was though. “Careful? That’s quite the boring way to live, my little buttercup.” He leaned against the wall and flamboyantly motioned his hand to cover his face, and left enough space between his fingers to allow one of his eyes to continue to study her. “Oh, we shouldn’t be worried about rain since this is a place unknown to apparently the both of us. Shall we also remain unknown to one another? His hand slipped down his cheek in a slow motion, “Dante, my little buttercup.” She may have been fascinated in the cobwebs and of this house, but his interest was more so upon her, having felt the familiar rising feeling in him again.

“I suppose then the role of rats must be played, given the circumstances, no?” The demon folded his hands behind his back before pressing forward into the maze. There was no sense in wondering what was waiting for them. Instead he would simply head straight on for it. Whether the woman would follow him or not was her own prerogative. Though secretly he’d hoped that she would follow this rabbit down the hole. The grin grew greater the further he widened the space between the two until he learned her choice. 

Lotus was certainly beautiful, she had the essence of every Rosenite in her. The demon blood made her even more charming.  Her bi-colored eyes stared at him and she ran her finger up and tapped the bottom of his chin. “Eyes up here Love.” It was clear that she was teasing him as she looked around inspecting the building. “I just don’t want a pretty face like yours to get all scratched up.” She gave him a pout lip. “I almost never live carefully but caution is a must at times…” Especially when siblings were involved. She caught the smell of dust and it wouldn’t have irritated her if it hadn’t been moving.

She smirked a bit. “Buttercups? Did you know Buttercups are quite vicious little flowers sometimes… Depending on where the flowers grow. They are all bark and no bite.” She once again hit the bottom of his chin and chuckled. “Lotus Rose is my name.” 

She followed him down the hall and caught that smell again. Her bi-colored eyes stared in front of them. “ELDORA. What the hell.” The woman was colored in a thick layer of dust. Piercing blue eyes turned to them. It was amazing that Lotus had even seen her there… but it was the sack she was dragging. “What are you doing here.”

“Bodies… Lots and lots of bodies. Bones… bodies… Instruments.” Eldora’s voice was low and it didn’t look like her lips were moving. “You should find him you know. Colden is going to get himself in a lot of trouble soon.”

Lotus perked up. “What the hell is that moron going to do now?” She was defensive. Eldora snapped right up in an unnatural movement. She could see the dust flying off the woman's body

“Trouble should just die Lotus… He should just be led astray and taken by the piper. You should have let that happen. If he gets in our way…” Eldora gave a smile. 

“You’re his sister.”

“So is she and yet he hunts. You saved him. You take care of him. He is your problem.” The woman dragged the bag and a body part fell out. “Troublesome… Always so troublesome.” The dusty woman reached down and grabbed the arm before disappearing from her view. "I'm going back to mediation after this…" That was always what it came down to. Eldora never moved unless she had to.

“God damn it.” Her eyes drifted to Dante. “Family drama. I absolutely hate it.” A smile came to her face again but it was clear she was troubled by the elder sister’s words. “Fucking Colden and his god damn ambitions.” She kicked a stack of bones near her. “I’ll strangle him myself. How would you handle a little brother who can't keep his hands out of the cookie jar?"

“Siblings.” The word etched at his mind when he thought of his own kin. Far too many of his father’s bastards to count save for the few that were actually of importance. Did they truly get along? There wasn’t too much love lost among them, but there was loyalty in their ranks to one another, if not because fearing their father, then because it would typically benefit each other. “I know well enough of that aspect and the burden. Not that it doesn’t have its advantages though.” She wasn’t afraid to get right up to him and his skin felt like it warmed by fire wherever it had been touched by her finger. Oh she was certainly someone that he would keep an interest towards.

“No, I hadn’t the foggiest thought about that. Flora isn’t my forte, I must admit. Though I suppose that I wasn’t completely wrong for calling you that, eh Lotus?” Upon saying her name, his smile faded for a brief moment. “Lotus…Rose…you say?” It took him a moment, but the surname was one that he had been familiar with since one of his own carried it still. Of course, the littlest brother belonged to such clans though he was an enigma among them. So this meant that she was somehow related to him as well. Interesting.

Dante kept quiet as she seemed to notice something he did not; his head cocked to the side as a third guest arrived from beneath their noses. The strange woman was cryptic in her words, but one word struck him and confirmed his suspicions. Colden.

He observed and pondered just where he’s estranged brother could be hiding. He had seen him in a few occasions and knew that the boy was obsessed with power. It couldn’t be helped- between his upbringings by that wicked mother of his and the birthright bestowed upon him due to the prophecy, Colden was as broken as they could be. What this Eldora spoke of would likely get her killed if Father had ever caught wind of this- there was a reason why they were born, even the sociopath amongst them. What was going to be important was that he meet up with Father again and let him know that the witch’s clan were sniffing around for the wayward son. After he got done watching her collect the appendages and left them, he stared right back at Lotus. “It is a shame indeed.” He flashed her a grin and simply stood behind her as she expressed her frustrations. “But..as much of a shame that it is, I can’t allow for you to do such a thing. You nor Eldora. Colden can’t help him- he never could. It’s in his blood not to mention Cyprus’s choice in caring for him.” He suppose that the ruse had to cease eventually, he was never such a great liar to begin with. “Our little brother never been good at self-control, not that I have been either, but I have been great at not bringing self-destruction.”   

“Oh, if only Father had been the one to take primary care of him…”

Lotus tilted her head at Dante. She finally understood everything and put her hands up. “I wouldn’t hurt Colden. It would be counter-productive to hurt someone I’ve kept alive all these years.” She could see it now in Dante that he was indeed related to her little brother. Her bi-colored eyes stared him down for a moment and sighed. “As long as I can keep Colden in Parvpora he will be safe. If he comes here I can’t help him. I’m not dying to keep him alive.” Her eyes softened a bit.

“His self-control was lacking even when he was a child. He used to cry for mother continuously as if he needed her presence. I took care of him the best I could but he would always end up at the end of her knife. He’s going to end up pissing off the same person who killed our mother. I’m trying to stop that. If I keep one here in Canelux and keep Colden over in Parvpora… Then we won’t have any problems. I can’t have my little sister and little brother going after each other. Not that Kiki would. She is very peaceful compared to Colden but she wasn’t raised by our psychopathic mother.”

Lotus tapped the bottom of his chin and crossed her arms. “Eldora means well.” She was trying to think of how to phrase it. “She is… more fucked up than Colden is. Which is a shocking revelation. The difference is Eldora is just peculiar and doesn’t move for months at a time. She wouldn’t hurt Colden either. The only one who would hurt Colden is Angela if she caught wind he was going after Kiki.”

She growled a bit and punched the wall for a moment. “I miss him but also at the same time playing mediator with the others is kind of hard.” She rubbed the back of her head. “That being said if you can keep his stupid ass away from Kiki then nothing will happen. I don’t even know where she is come to think about it…” She sighed and put her hands on her hips. “Mother should have been killed three times over for making our lives… troublesome like this.”

She walked with Dante and looked frustrated. “I do love Colden but it is hard to hold my temper with him when he purposely goes against people he is not ready for.”

He thought that it was cute the way she was trying to protect someone that didn’t want protection. Colden wanted war if he couldn’t get the throne. For the life of Dante, he couldn’t see a point in ruling over those that actually might be worse then the demons themselves. “Oh do not fret about about that, if anything Father can control his…urges though don’t be surprised if his ambitions are nurtured by him though.” There was no telling what Xunatar would or could do. He was likely even more centric than his own son.

Had Cyprus did what she should have done and raised the damned boy, then he would have likely been in a better place for himself. Instead, she wanted to be a bitch because she made the mistake to trust demons. Had she done her research, that too could have been avoided. “Oh, if this Angela hadn’t killed her, Father would have. She was never a bright woman, I’m afraid. Someone was going to end her one way or another. Perhaps he will follow in her footsteps, and if Father chooses to support him, then I’m afraid it won’t be an easy matter to contain.” Dante didn’t really care about Colden’s goals but if it was deemed that he would have to help him in this quest of his, then so be it.

From what Lotus spoke of, he gathered that her little sister had taken the throne. Interesting. Dante did get somewhat distracted by her constant touches though he had to resist just enough to pay attention to this conversation. “Some words of advice, my little Lotus. Do not completely trust demons and do not think you can truly get rid of them. We are like a bad itch that go away at times but then. Colden may be a fool, but he’s going to keep at it even if it costs him his life. If he gets his hands on her and then dies, it's likely that he will be satisfied just the same if not just for out of spite of your people not getting their way. It will not matter if he is prepared or not- he will do it all for his sin. That is the cruel fate of his birth sin- envy.” That and their enemies typically had more to lose then they did. For the most sinister, they could have easily did such haughty and twisted things for the hell of it. ,

Perhaps it was odd that he was informing her of all of this, considering that they were potentially enemies, but it was no concern of his. Turning away from her, he looked upon the wall closest to him and shrugged. “I could keep him at bay, but there are risks. Plus, as I had said, if Father wishes for him to indulge in his dream, there is little me or my other kin can do about it.” His eyes slithered back to her and shook his head, “I would find out her location if I was you then.” It wouldn’t be too hard to find Colden tho, since he was around here somewhere in the continent. Such family issues could prove to be hell, especially in their case. So many threads and line were entwined with one another, it could prove to be just as comical as it was tragic by some. Dante reached for a few strains of her raven hair and wrapped them around his fingers. “Your mother did one thing right from what I have seen from both you and Colden; like plants, only the strongest of things can grow from futile environments. Plus, I am sure that my father would agree with me that you are more fetching than she ever was.

"Alas, the sacrifices we make for family, no?"

Lotus gave him a smile as she chuckled. “I just don’t want him to live a short life. Nurturing takes time when it comes to someone like him, Dear.”

She was sure now that Dante didn’t know the entire truth about why their mother was dead. “Mother went and killed a Goddess’s kid to get Kiki back. Ended up dead but no one knows how or why… Not even where. We just knew she was gone. I don’t want to see that happen to Colden.”

A laugh left her lips as she came up to Dante and took his face in her hands gently. “Then I guess you shouldn’t trust me. My mother decided to trade her womb for a set of magic rocks to an Incubus. Then she tried to kill me as soon as I came out. Angela named me.” She chuckled lightly. “Mother is pretty fucked up. I think the only person she ever named was Colden.”

She watched him take her strands of hair and she chuckled. “I’ve heard many people say that. Many, many, many. I’m only half of my father but both of them really aren’t known for keeping their clothes on too well.” She played with the collar of his shirt this time and sighed. “Shame, benefits could outweigh the problems with Colden in this case.” She let go of him and went back to looking around. “Colden makes all these situations so not fun.” She giggled a bit. “Could have had fun with you.”

“Well, that certainly explains a lot.” Messing with a Deity’s kid was one surefire way of getting killed, and somehow he wasn’t surprised that Cyprus would go to those lengths. If she didn’t want Colden to end up the same way, well he would need to be kept on a shorter leash. He knew not where his brother was, nor if the other had met up with him just yet. For now, he could only assume that he and this young queen were on opposite corners of the world.

Apparently Lotus e too had secrets of her own, and for a moment it made him laugh in disbelief. Of course she too would be part demon, especially given who her mother was and what she had done to gain power in her own right. “I could, but not fully, just as you can say the same about me. I’d say we are at a crossroads then. I am merely part demon myself, like the lot of us. Our father is an adventure and in my case, I belong to a particular type of elf centuries ago. My own sin is what drew my father’s interest in me like the others.” It helped to explain why her touches had such effect upon him, making him yearn for more despite their differences. Lust was a terrible hand to deal with, especially when he let it override everything else in his life.

The game was starting to recede, he could tell in her motions and her ceasing of touches against his skin. It was cruel, too cruel to bear and for the first time since their encounter, Dante’s grin wavered into a frown. “Benefits you say?” His interest was drawn up and temptation was getting heavier to ignore. Sucking through his teeth, he weighed his opinions over and over. “How cruel, Lotus. If anything, this serves to prove you are part demon after all.” Eyes coiled around her figure once more again, reminded of what could have been if she was offering. He felt as though he could rip his own hair out, or maybe that of Colden’s if he ever caught wind of him. After much thinking it over, he took a few paces around his spot and closed his eyes. “I’m quite fond of this little game, and though we should be on opposing sides, I do feel some responsibility in protecting the little cretin from getting killed. If I can, I can see to it that he doesn’t get too foolish in his quest and slow him down somewhat. But if we are to negotiate some sort of truce, then I propose some terms to be in order. They can be made now or later, it makes no difference to me whichever.” His eyes wandered for a third time; trailing up her long legs and up her body as he continued. “But for the matter right now, do we have a deal?”, Dante asked, finally reaching her own eyes.  

Her smile came back as she turned on her heel to Dante. “You can be loving and still be just as cunning as a demon should be. If anything I just understand the family ties I should have. I’ve spent my life understanding who not to cross, who to bed, who to follow. I’m not my mother I don’t need to make deals with demons to become stronger.” 

She came back over not quite as far this time. “If you think about it. We’re both trying to save the little one. We’re on the same side for now. I just refuse to die for him is all.” She thought on it and chuckled softly. “Terms later. We will need Eldora to tell us where they both are. She is like a tracker for things like this. Eldora who can see the past and present, if she concentrates she can find where Colden is right now.”

She extended her arms out and gently felt his body now. Electric jumped from her fingertips against his skin and she found herself chuckling again. “We do have a deal. A very good deal.” She broke herself away from him and looked around the manor. “Though I don’t know if this is the best place for such activities.” But what would be better? She was clearly teasing now. “The demon hunters down below will leave when they can’t get up here. We should at least wait that out.”