His consciousness was like that of a drowning man sinking into the deep sea, struggling amid boundless cold and darkness.
Excruciating pain, the exhaustion of his soul, and the suffocating weight of a thousand years nearly swallowed Dante whole.
Just as his consciousness was about to sink completely, a warm, familiar light pierced the darkness.
Within that light, a figure gradually came into focus.
Golden hair flowed like sunlight, and his incomparably handsome face held compassion and love. Behind him, a pair of sacred wings gently unfurled, radiating a reassuring glow.
It was the gene-father he had followed for a thousand years, the one his soul had longed for—Sanguinius!
"F-Father..." Dante's consciousness whispered into the Void, filled with endless grievance, exhaustion, and deep yearning.
The burdens of a thousand years, the hardship of defending Baal, the sacrifices of his sons, the fall of his brothers... all the emotions he had repressed came rushing toward the figure in the light like a burst dam.
Sanguinius merely listened quietly, a gentle, understanding smile on his face.
He offered no rebuke and no urging. Those eyes, as though they contained the stars themselves, gave Dante silent comfort.
"I... I did my best, Father..." Dante's consciousness gradually blurred as he spoke. "Baal... I couldn't hold it... my brothers... sacrificed too much... I... am so tired..."
"You have done well, my child." A voice full of strength yet incomparably gentle rang directly within Dante's soul, dispelling some of his exhaustion. "Your mission is not yet over. They... are still waiting for you."
The light slowly faded, and Sanguinius's figure became indistinct as well.
"Father!" Dante's consciousness called out unwillingly.
"Rest, Dante. Then... awaken." Sanguinius's final words were like a sigh, carrying hope and a solemn charge. "Your path... is not yet complete."
The warm light