Chapter 34: A Man and a Beast (II)

There was a cat wandering around, chasing a butterfly. It didn't care whether there were creatures below or humans nearby; it just played, carefree. Dante felt a bit envious and smiled at the feline.

Sometimes, he missed home, being with his father, and having only the responsibilities of training, eating, and sleeping. Such calm and peaceful days, with only a few exceptions, but he never let those blemishes ruin the rest.

He missed the Capital, the guys, and Mrs. Dalia. Even if for a short time, the connection he made with those people showed him a path to follow. He hadn't fulfilled his promise to send a letter or even money.

At night, sleeping inside the building, leaning on torn cushions and not-so-clean blankets, he missed everything that was once within his reach. Life in the Capital was far simpler compared to Kappz.

That city, destroyed and devoid of technology, was a ticking time bomb that seemed impossible to improve. And no one but Clara and Marcus seemed to care about it.

"We're running out of supplies again," Clara alerted the two on the roof. Her tone was serious, her gaze heavy. "We delivered half of those cans you found, but the Hunters didn't bring back anything. Not even an animal in that—"

"No swearing, ma'am," Marcus interrupted, the blanket over his head and his one-lensed goggles perched on his face. "We'll find more. Just last week, Dante found plenty, even a tangerine tree, which, honestly, I'd never heard of."

"Those things are important, but there are two things we need more than anything else." She raised a finger. "Energy. Even if it doesn't seem like it, we have plenty of equipment downstairs that everyone else discarded, but no electricity."

Marcus turned his head toward Dante.

"Right, right."

Clara didn't understand the exchange and opened her arms, confused.

"What's this? Are you hiding something from me?"

"It's not hiding, ma'am," Marcus replied. "It's… well. When we went to the reservoir, the old man found something. A different device they had in the Capital."

"A solar panel," Dante said.

Among the best-utilized constructions in the Capital, the panel had been one of the few that actually worked at the time. Dante didn't know the full history—Talia was the one who always told him about energy problems and even wanted to implement one at home, but their father didn't allow it.

They didn't need a luxury that could bring trouble. That's why Talia never taught him how to assemble one.

"My sister said this panel converts solar energy into electricity," Dante explained to the two. "I'm almost sure there's one in the Reservoir. It absorbs energy in the morning, which is why the water turns green, and at night, it starts the treatment."

"Not a bad guess," Clara said, staring into the distance, pondering. "And do you think if you get one, you can set it up here?"

Dante was sure Vick could handle that. Over the past few days, he had been testing the AI his father gave him. It located equipment and resources, even hidden ones, by scanning what had been previously detected while still in use by Render.

His father had given him such a powerful tool, in addition to his skills and training, without ever asking for anything in return.

"The problem with getting it will be the battery, ma'am."

"Battery?"

"Exactly." Marcus pointed toward the Reservoir. The wind swayed the trees that had grown around it, but they didn't hide its forced and broken entries through the walls and roof. "The panel needs a battery to store energy for the night. We'll have to go into the Reservoir and grab some…"

"Some?" Dante laughed. "If we can grab one, that'll be plenty. Each battery weighs nearly a hundred kilos. We'll have to drag it out while the Felroz come after us."

"Then no." Clara immediately waved her hand. "Have you lost your minds? If you go alone, you'll get killed in there. It's too dangerous."

Marcus took a deep breath. The marksman remained incredibly calm under the sun with his gear. He touched the carbine resting on his legs, but when he raised the weapon slightly, it became clear that his feelings opposed Clara's orders.

"If we don't go, the situation will remain the same. Seeing all our daily efforts wasted because some groups can't pull their weight makes me extremely angry. I won't ask permission to go because my heart tells me to do it."

Dante found it amazing that Marcus was so honest about his feelings. Clara, however, didn't wear the most understanding or kind expression. She held one hand with the other, trying to hide the deep grip. She didn't want to lose Marcus.

They were good friends. Like I was with mine.

"I can get the panel and the battery," he said, cutting through the silence between the two. "The panel is easy because I can climb to the roof and pull it out. The battery will be a bit harder because we'll have to clear their Lagmorato."

The two remained silent, completely confused.

"What's a… Lagmorato?" Clara asked, resting her chin on her hand, curious.

"It's a system humanity developed against the Felroz." The answer made Dante question how much they knew about the past battles. "Never seen it? It's a number that shows up when you enter a zone the Felroz have taken—or vice versa. These are places directly tied to importance, like clusters, villages, or… cities."

Dante looked up, searching the air, but found nothing. No sign of those active percentage numbers. How was that possible?

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Marcus said, though clearly interested. "What does it do?"

"It marks… in percentage, how many people and how many Felroz are in a location," Dante explained, still searching. "Vick, is there no Lagmorato around here?"

Suddenly, both of them felt pressure in their heads, recoiling immediately. But then, they heard a robotic voice speak naturally, addressing them.

"Lagmoratos are human creations in all facilities. However, they only take form when a place has sufficient sentimental value. The city of Kappz lacks enough citizens or military power to activate a Lagmorato. The Reservoir, as you say you want to enter, will have one due to its sentimental and survival value."

So that's how it worked. Dante hadn't known that the Lagmorato held so much meaning. This changed everything. Sentimental and military value—a city without armament was nothing. Dante felt slightly irritated because even his presence in Kappz didn't create a Lagmorato.

On the other hand, this was good. Without the percentage presence, the Felroz wouldn't seek them out. They were safe.

Lost in his thoughts, Dante didn't notice Clara and Marcus's stares.

"What was that? An AI?" Clara asked immediately. "You have an AI with you? Where did that come from—is this normal? How…"

"I don't have an AI; it was a gift, but it only answers basic questions," Dante lied again. One week wasn't enough to explain everything he knew to them. "My father gave it to me before I went to the Capital. It was his. I don't know much about it, but it helps with basic notions."

"What kind of basic notions?"

"Answering questions is my primary function. My original purpose is to calculate the percentage of kinetic-to-bodily energy conversion, assisting Dante and Render, my previous owner, in not being killed by their own abilities."

Dante chuckled.

"See? That's it. I hardly use it, only when I'm fighting, like before I ended up here in Kappz."

Marcus quickly grabbed Dante's arm, lifting it to examine the three lines on his forearm. Dante found it odd—the lines were supposed to be on his wrist, not there. Something had changed during all this time.

"Impressive, very impressive." Marcus touched the black circles on the arm and raised a finger slightly. A small filament of material emerged. "This kind of condition is rare. AIs are usually external, but I've heard of internal ones. And there are some pretty dark stories. I hope this one is mentally stable."

"Correction: Vick has no mind, so there's no reason for me to be stable. The only concerns are Dante's bodily system. Basic information will only come with…"

It stopped speaking, emitting a faint noise.

"I think it stopped working," Marcus said, releasing Dante's arm. "Anyway, what the AI said makes sense, ma'am. We should try clearing the Reservoir."

"That's a stupid idea," Clara replied, still impressed by the AI. "Even if Vick helps, it's just the two of you. And they could be in the hundreds. It's a problem without a solution right now."

Marcus didn't back down. He gripped his carbine and raised it slightly, his hold firm. Despite his resolve, his wrists trembled.

"Even if the odds are bad, we won't die. I've been living in this hell for years. I don't want to pass up another chance. I won't show mercy or compassion to those abominations. I won't ask for permission, but I want you to pray."

Dante raised an eyebrow. Pray?

"Unfortunately, Marcus," Clara said, her voice deeply anguished, "praying is the only thing I can do if you really plan to go there. I feel useless, unable to do more."

"You already do so much here, ma'am."

Clara didn't accept the words with gratitude.

"If you keep talking, you'll make things worse. If you want to go, I'll wait for you to return. But I want you to promise that you'll come back."

Marcus quickly held the carbine close to his chest, panting.

"I'll come back alive."

Promise you'll come back alive, my son. Linda had said that to Dante before he left home. The words felt more vivid than in recent memories of home. He closed his eyes slightly, realizing those words carried a new meaning. A new weight. A new mission.

This isn't my home, but it's where I am now.

He remembered Linda telling Talia at home—the lesson was always the same, every day.

"It doesn't matter the place; home is where we feel safe and want others to feel the same."

Sweet words with complex teachings.

Promising to live, once again, for himself, made Dante understand his importance.

"Dante," Clara called. "Are you okay? Do you need water? We still have a little left to drink."

Food, clothing, shelter, and hope. They had given him these when he arrived, without asking for anything in return. It was time to show a bit of what his first home had taught him.

"I'm fine," he said, pretending to rub his eyes and yawning slightly. "I was just thinking. And yes, I promise to come back alive—and bring Marcus back alive too."

"As if I needed your help to face those beasts."

Clara smiled at both of them and concluded,

"I won't tell anyone about this problem. I don't want to give anyone false hope. I want you to do the same."

"Understood, ma'am."

Dante nodded in silence. A new home, a new battle.