The Wrong Hero

Chapter 64 - Agitation

"Gau!"

Lilith roared as she let loose a gout of flames. The target of her attack swiftly ducked out of the way before resuming his run. It was short lived, as Dante was able to grab hold of his arm.

Instinctually, the black-garbed warrior thrust his shortsword into Dante's chest with his free hand. The tip went in barely an inch before stopping. In response, Dante swung the man around and slammed him into a nearby dead tree. It was swiftly knocked over from the impact.

"Vermin." Dante coldly addressed the shadow before pulling the sword from his chest and tossing it aside.

"You..." For his part, the shadow could say little after having the air knocked from his lungs.

Dante didn't give him time to recuperate. He pulled the shadow to the ground and shoved a knee into his chest. His hands wrapped around the shadow's head, keeping it from thrashing around. The shadow struggled in his grip, clawing at Dante's arms, but it was pointless.

With a hard look in his eyes, Dante rammed his thumbs into the shadow's eyes. The prone man let out a blood curdling scream for a few seconds before being silenced, his neck snapping when his head was twisted to the side.

Dante breathed in deeply, observing his handiwork.

"I spend hours searching for any of you, and the moment I decide to start gathering kindling, you get close." He scoffed as he quickly pulled what he could from the shadow's person. Once light starting coming off the body, Dante tossed him to the side. "Shield Prison V!"

Seconds after the shadow was surrounded, a loud thud emanated from the skill. There were several impressive cracks in it, but it held.

"Lilith. Come." Dante called the dragon over.

"Gau!" Lilith happily bounded over to him.

Dante gathered up the equipment, mostly items used for reconnaissance and nothing of real note, and placed them in his shield. The weapon was well-made, but it clearly wasn't made to kill heroes. Most of the weapons used by the shadows that attacked the village were like that.

"We are returning." Dante stood and walked over to the fallen tree. With some chopping, it would be good for making the pyre.

Dante had walked the perimeter of the village a couple times before going to his room last night. JoJo and Sadeena were waiting for him, though he found JoJo with his head against Sadeena's stomach as they both lay on the bed. Rifana was still comforting Raphtalia and Atla stayed near Melty, just in case any shadows slipped in.

JoJo had gotten as close to his father as he possibly could before trying to sleep. Both he and Sadeena fell asleep before too long. Dante gave them an hour next to him before slipping out, his restlessness taking over. He knew Sadeena saw him leaving, but they both pretended otherwise. His inability to sleep was still only known by two.

Afterwards, he tried hunting Q'ten Lo shadows for hours before changing to gathering wood for the funeral pyre. Lilith joined him part way through, seeing as she wasn't doing much else at the time.

It was still several hours before sunrise, so Dante got to work. The Vassal Axe was on hand, so he used it to carve up the fallen tree. If his shield had any complaints about using a cursed Vassal Weapon he wasn't bound to for chopping wood, it didn't make them known.

Dante settled into a rhythm with his chopping. In what felt like no time at all, he had more than enough for two bodies. Most of the other people would be buried, with a few being sent off to sea. A cremation wasn't the first idea, but it was mostly for Raphtalia's sake. Neither she nor Dante were ready to say goodbye, so carrying around their ashes was a way to work through it. JoJo would actually be the one to carry Dio. Dante knew he wouldn't be able to handle it. Besides, he already had a piece of her with him.