The Catalyst

Chapter XXXII: One More Kill

Dante woke up to Layla knocking on the door. He looked at the clock and than got up. When he answered the door Layla threw herself at Dante and hugged him. "Goodmorning Cutie!" Layla said. Dante's mind was no longer cluttered. But the thought of his mom still floated around in his head. "Hey baby, we should go say hi to your mom today." Layla said. Dante sighed and sat on his bed. He looked down on the ground and put his hands on his face. "I wish we could." Dante said quietly. Layla sat next to him on his bed. "Why cant we?" She asked. Dante starred at the door and a few tears came out of his eyes. "Baby whats wrong?" Layla asked. "I.........I didnt know. They made me. They did something to my head, and I saw something different." "Dante? What happened?" Layla asked. "I.....killed her. I didnt know though until it was already done." Dante said. Layla looked shocked. She didn't fully understand what had happened though. "Why would they make you do that?" She asked. "I dont know. Dante said.

Layla hugged Dante as the tears ran down his face. "I saw a man at first....and than.....it was her once i did it." Dante said. More and more tears came running down his face and Layla wouldn't let go of him. "Im a monster." Dante said. "No you aren't. You are Dante. You didnt know baby." Layla said. Layla than kissed Dante on the cheek and said she had to go. They hugged one last time and Layla left. "I wish i could believe you." Dante said.

Dante looked at his arm and thought a minute. Last night he thought he just made two enemies. But that wasn't the case anymore. "No more." Dante said. Dante was done with killing, and with the death. He didnt want anyone else he loved getting hurt. Esspecially Layla.

Dante sat at his desk and looked at his arm some more. Than out of no where a pain went up his spine and to his head. Dante dropped to the ground and screamed. Dante than heard luaghing behind him as he continued to clutch his head. He looked and saw Dark Dante behind him. "What the hell do you want?" Dante said. "You think it is over dont you? You think just because you are out of the Catalyst means you have no more worries or enemies. Well you are looking at one." D.D said. "What the hell are you talking about?" Dante said. "You are me how can you........" Dante stopped to a silence. "You fiannly understand me now." D.D said. Dante looked at his knife that was in the picture. "It's either you or me Dante. And i am all real now. But im not going down without a fight!" Dark Dante took out a dagger and the room started to fill with black smoke. Dante got up and grabbed his knife from the picture. "Sounds good to me." Dante said as he put his hood up.

Dante fully understood who Dark Dante was now. All the pain he felt when he saw him was becuase he had escaped. Dark Dante was inside Dante. Dante remembered at the tomb how that was where he first saw Dark Dante. "You got inside me." Dante said. "The tomb brings out the persons gretest fear. And i must say being afraid of yourself sure is weakly." Dark Dante said. Dante than ran towards D.D with his knife. Their blades clashed as they slid by each other. "Lets finish this!" Dante said. As he ran towards Dark Dante again, D.D smiled and than disapeared along with the smoke. "Come to the tomb for that." Dark Dante said as he faded away.

Dante smashed into the wall and dropped his knife. "Dammit!" Dante said. Dante heard a knock on his door and answered it. It was Layla again. Dante's nose was bleeding and he covered it with his hand. "Baby, what the hell just happened?" Layla asked. "It was nothing babe. I just tripped thats all." Layla looked at Dante, knowing he was lying. Layla than saw the burn scar on his arm where the symbol used to be. "Okay, well what the hell happened here? Hm?" Layla grabbed Dante's arm and pointed at the scar. Dante stood for a minute and gathered his thoughts.

"Im done Layla. Im not killing anyone else." Dante said. "They betrayed me and now im left with a fair reminder of that." Dante pulled his arm back and rubbed the scar. "So you just quit?" Layla asked. "Yeah. What else would I do." Dante said. Dante picked up his knife and put it on his desk. He was telling the truth this time. "Well i think that is whats best for you. You haven't been sleeping right. You're always out at night. Its time for you to stay here. With me." Layla than put her hand on Dante's face and pulled him close for a kiss. Dante than sat down and Layla sat on him. They kissed for a while and all that was on Dante's mind was Layla.

But Dante knew somewhere in the back of his head that he wasn't done. He still had himself to worry about. He knew that he would never be relieved until he dealt with Dark Dante. Though Dante was done with killing other people he didn't say anything about himself. Dante had one last kill to make.