25. Dante
25
Dante
K aelen knelt beside Sebastian, his hands glowing with the golden light of his healing magic. Blood seeped between his fingers as he pressed them against Sebastian’s side, his expression tight. “I’m stabilizing him, but we need to get him to the medics now,” Kaelen said.
Dante stood a few feet away, his chest rising and falling with each labored breath. The battle had taken its toll, but seeing Sebastian lying motionless on the floor twisted something deeper in him.
Lucas jogged toward them, sparks flickering around his hands as he scanned the warehouse for lingering threats. “Aiden’s clearing the perimeter,” he said. His gaze flicked to Sebastian, then back to Dante. “We’ve got a transport waiting outside. We need to move him.”
Kaelen nodded, his magic pulsing brighter as he reinforced the light barrier around Sebastian’s chest. “I can keep him stable for now, but he’s losing too much blood.”
His steps faltered as he closed the distance, his amber eyes fixed on his face, his cheeks pale. The silver-gray eyes he knew so well were barely open, their usual sharpness dulled by exhaustion and pain. “Sebastian,” Dante said. “Stay with me.”
Sebastian blinked, his focus wavering but finding Dante. “You’re so… bossy,” he rasped. His lips twitched in a weak smile, his usual humor bleeding through the pain.
Dante leaned closer, gripping Sebastian’s hand tightly and reached up to cup the other man’s cheek. “You’re an idiot,” he said. His flames dimmed as the anger that had fueled him earlier gave way to something heavier. “But you’re my idiot. You hear me?”
Sebastian’s laugh was more a weak exhale, but it still sent a flicker of warmth through his chest. “I hear you,” he whispered, his eyes fluttering. “Guess that makes you mine.”
“Damned right it does,” Dante said, his words filled with an edge of tenderness he didn’t bother to hide anymore. His grip tightened as he added, softer, “I love you, you annoying bastard.”
Sebastian’s gaze locked onto him. “I love you too, Dante,” he said before his eyes slid closed.
Dante froze, his heart lurching as Kaelen’s light magic shimmered around the stretcher. “Stay with me.”
Kaelen’s magic flared as Lucas moved to help lift Sebastian onto the stretcher Kaelen conjured from solid light. “Careful,” Kaelen warned, adjusting the barrier as Lucas positioned himself. “He’s got internal injuries. We can’t jostle him too much.”
The team moved as one, their steps purposeful as they carried Sebastian toward the evac point. Orion kept his focus forward, his magic flickering around him like a shield as he barked orders. “Lucas, secure the perimeter. Aiden, stabilize him if Kaelen needs backup. We’re not losing anyone today.”
Dante trailed behind, his flames snapped at the edges of his control as frustration and fear twisted in his chest.
Kaelen glanced back at him, his honey-brown eyes calm but steady. “He’ll be okay, man,” he said. “He’s a tough sonuvabitch.”
Dante nodded, swallowing hard as he pushed the emotions down. “He better be,” he said. “I’m not letting him off the hook that easy.”
They reached the transport, its magical engines glowing as the team loaded Sebastian inside. Dante hesitated, his amber eyes fixed on the stretcher as Kaelen adjusted the stabilizing spell. He leaned closer, threading finger’s through the consultant’s dark hair gently. “I’ll be there when you wake up,” he said and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Don’t keep me waiting.”
The medics stepped in, their spells humming as they began working on Sebastian.
Orion placed a hand on his shoulder. “Regroup at HQ,” Orion said. “Kaelen’s right—he’s strong. He’ll make it.”
Dante only nodded, his gaze never leaving the transport as it lifted off, carrying Sebastian away.
***
Dante stepped into the briefing room at MAGIIC HQ, his steps measured as he approached the central table. The Inferno Blade rested in his grip, its molten edge pulsing in sync with the fire beneath his skin. Each flicker of its energy carried the undeniable truth—this weapon belonged to him now.
Professor Silverthorn stood waiting, her hands clasped behind her back as her gaze fell on the Inferno Blade. “You brought it here?”
“I did,” Dante replied. He placed the weapon on the table carefully, its heat radiating outward as the molten glow shimmered along its edge.
Amara raised a brow, stepping closer to examine the sword. Sigils along its edge shifted, glowing crimson before streaks of violet danced across its surface. She didn’t touch it, her hands staying at her sides. “And you claimed it?”
“Yes.” His amber eyes flicked to the weapon before locking on Amara.
Amara’s lips pressed into a thin line as she considered his words. “You understand what that means? It’s tied to you, and that connection doesn’t simply vanish.”
“I know,” Dante said, his arms crossing over his chest. “I can feel it. The Blade’s fire—it’s like an extension of mine now. So I’m trusting you to keep it here. Safe. Secured. Until we need it again.”
“It’s more… alive than I expected.”
Dante exhaled, his gaze fixed on the weapon. “It is. And it’s dangerous.”
Amara’s lips pressed into a thin line as she straightened. “Our vault is reinforced with layered wards, designed to contain artifacts of this magnitude. No one will access it without authorization.”
Dante nodded, but his expression remained tense. “It’s not just the power,” he said. “It… gets in your head. Feeds on what’s already there. It’s not just a sword—it’s a test. And if you’re not careful, it’ll win.”
Amara’s brow furrowed, her attention shifting back to Dante. “It’s that connected to you?”
“It is now,” Dante said. “I don’t know if it’ll ever stop being connected, but it’s better here than out there.”
Amara studied him for a moment, her gaze unreadable. “You’re sure you can let it go?”
Dante hesitated, his eyes dropping to the Blade. The flames on its edge flickered, casting a shifting glow across the table. “No,” he admitted. “But I’m sure I have to.”
Amara nodded, her expression softening. “You’ve done the right thing, Dante. This artifact is too powerful for any one person to control. The team’s safety—and yours—comes first.”
Dante stepped back as she summoned a glowing sigil in her hand, the golden light expanding as she moved it across the sword. Its flames dimmed as energy wrapped around the weapon like a cocoon. His chest tightened as he watched the glow take hold, the connection between him and the Blade pulling at his awareness.
As the glow faded, Amara placed a hand on the table, her expression resolute. “It will be safe,” she said. “And so will you.”
Dante nodded, though his chest tightened with a mix of relief and unease. “It better be,” he said.
Amara’s lips twitched into a smile. “Understood.” She lifted the contained sword, its energy now a dull ember beneath the layers of wards. “You’ve carried enough of its burden, Dante. Let us handle the rest.”
Dante watched as the Blade disappeared into the vault, the door sealing shut with a final hum of magic. He exhaled, the fire within him settling as he turned to leave, his fingertips tracing absently along the fiery markings still glowing on his arm.
***
With his plate half-empty in front of him, Dante leaned back in his chair. The ARC common room buzzed with conversation as the team settled into the rhythm of their meal. Plates clinked and laughter broke out occasionally, slowly unwinding from the mission. Lucas, perched on the armrest of a nearby chair, gestured wildly with a fork as he recounted his version of the battle.
“And then,” Lucas said, his electric-blue eyes gleaming, “This one here practically lights up the whole warehouse like it’s gawddamned Luminara in this bitch. I mean, I knew subtlety wasn’t your strong suit but… Blaze is supposed to be just a codename, ya know?”
Dante smirked, pushing a piece of bread around his plate. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“It is when I’m trying not to get fried,” Lucas shot back, though his grin took the edge off the words. “Next time, aim a little farther away from my face, yeah?”
Aiden chuckled from his spot near the end of the table, his green eyes warm.
Kaelen shook his head, golden light visible from his hands as he worked on healing a cut on Orion’s arm. “You’re all reckless,” he said, though more in amusement than disapproval. “But it works. Somehow.”
Orion glanced up from his seat. “Because we trust each other. That’s what matters.”
His smile faded as he glanced around the room. His amber eyes flicked to the table, the fiery marks on his arm hidden by his sleeve.
Lucas noticed the shift and leaned forward, pointing his fork at Dante. “Alright, what’s with the face? You’ve got that brooding thing going on again. Sebastian’ll be fine, he’s got a great team of doctors. With his money, probably the best in the country.”
“Not brooding.” He exhaled, running a hand through his hair as the laughter died down. “It’s just… everything—Lockwood, the Heralds, the Inferno Blade, Sebastian. And what might come next.”
The room quieted, the team’s focus shifting to Dante.
He looked up, meeting their gazes one by one. “I don’t know if we’re ready for what’s out there. Lockwood said the Heralds are just the beginning. And that sword… it was so much more than I thought it’d be. It-it almost broke me,” he admitted. “And it’s tied to me now. I can feel it, even when I’m not holding it.”
Orion leaned forward. “Do you trust yourself?”
Dante hesitated, the question hitting harder than he expected. “It’s not just about me. If I mess up with the Inferno Blade, it’s not just my problem—it might destroy everything.”
Kaelen rested a hand on the table, his honey-brown eyes meeting amber. “And that’s why we’re here,” he said. “We’ve got your back, no matter what. That’s what this team is about.”
Lucas smirked, flicking a piece of bread at Dante. “Yeah, don’t get all self-sacrificing on us. If you go rogue, who am I supposed to smack around?”
His lips curved into a small smile, though his gaze softened as he looked around the table. “Thanks,” he said. “All of you.”
Aiden raised his glass, his cheeks flushed from his beer. “To us, the best damned Arcane Response Coven ever!”
But before they could all laugh, Ezra raised his mug. “Through Magic,” he said, in a rare show of seriousness.
Orion picked up his glass, too. “United.”
“In battle,” Tristan said.
Lucas came next. “Steadfast.”
Then, Kaelen. “By Coven…”
Dante joined everyone as they all echoed the last word— “Family,” their glasses clinking together.