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The dark rift closed behind them.
The warm air of Orario vanished completely.
Cold wind hit Elias in the face.
He blinked his dark eyes.
White snow fell from a gray sky.
They stood in a narrow metal alley.
Tall steel walls surrounded them.
Bright neon lights buzzed above their heads.
"It's cold," Elias said.
"Very cold," Dee agreed.
She rubbed her bare arms.
She wore her usual dress.
It wasn't made for winter.
"I need a coat."
Elias raised his hand.
He used a simple magic spell.
A thick black winter coat appeared over his shoulders.
A thick red winter coat appeared over Dee's shoulders.
"Better?" Elias asked.
"Much better," Dee smiled.
She pulled the red collar up to her chin.
They walked out of the dark alley.
They stepped onto a wide street.
The city was huge.
It wasn't made of stone and wood.
It was made of shining steel and clean glass.
Giant screens covered the sides of tall buildings.
Flying ships moved slowly through the snowy sky.
"Where are we?" Elias asked.
He looked at the flying ships.
"We're in Remnant," Dee answered.
"Specifically, we're in the Kingdom of Atlas."
Elias looked around the clean street.
People walked past them.
They wore expensive clothes.
They looked warm and rich.
Tall robots stood on the street corners.
They held long rifles.
"Robots," Elias pointed.
"Atlesian Knights," Dee told him.
"They're the military guards. Atlas loves its military."
Elias watched a robot turn its metal head.
"It's a floating city," Dee explained.
"Atlas sits high in the sky. Down below is Mantle. Mantle is poor and freezing. Atlas is rich and warm. Well, mostly warm."
Elias nodded.
He understood the divide.
Every world had rich people and poor people.
"Are we staying in the cold?" Elias asked.
"No," Dee pointed down the street.
"I want hot chocolate."
They walked down the sidewalk.
They found a small cafe.
The sign glowed with warm yellow light.
They pushed the glass door open.
A small bell rang.
The air inside was warm and smelled like sugar.
They sat at a small table by the window.
A waitress walked over.
She held a small digital pad.
"What can I get you?" the waitress asked.
"Two large hot chocolates," Dee said.
"And a large plate of chocolate cookies."
The waitress tapped the pad.
"That'll be fifteen Lien," the waitress said.
Dee looked at Elias.
Elias reached into his pocket.
He used a tiny bit of creation magic.
He pulled out a stack of colorful paper cards.
He handed a few cards to the waitress.
She smiled and walked away.
"Lien?" Elias asked.
"The money here," Dee said.
"It works on plastic cards. You made perfect copies. Good job."
"It's just simple creation," Elias said.
He leaned back in his chair.
"Tell me about this world."
Dee rested her elbows on the table.
"It's a world of hunters and monsters," Dee said.
"The monsters are called Grimm. They're made of dark magic. They hate humans. They're drawn to negative emotions."
"Like fear and anger," Elias guessed.
"Exactly," Dee nodded.
"To fight the Grimm, people use a magic rock called Dust. They put it in their weapons. They put it in their clothes. It makes fire, ice, and lightning."
The waitress brought their drinks.
She set the hot mugs on the table.
She placed the cookies in the middle.
"Thank you," Dee said.
She took a sip of the hot chocolate.
She sighed in content.
"There are also Huntsmen," Dee continued.
"They're the professional fighters. They kill Grimm for a living. They go to special schools to learn how to fight."
"Like the adventurers in Orario," Elias said.
"Sort of," Dee agreed.
"But they don't have a dungeon. The Grimm are everywhere outside the cities."
Elias took a cookie.
He took a small bite.
It was very sweet.
"When are we?" Elias asked.
"What do you mean?"
"You said we came here before the canon timeline," Elias reminded her.
"Oh, right," Dee set her mug down.
"The main story hasn't started yet. The main heroes are still little kids. The big bad villain is still hiding in the shadows."
"Who is the villain?" Elias asked.
"An immortal witch named Salem," Dee said.
"She controls the Grimm. She wants to destroy the world. She has a huge grudge against her ex-husband."
Elias stopped chewing.
"Her ex-husband?"
"Yes," Dee laughed.
"His name is Ozpin. He's also immortal. He reincarnates into new bodies. They've been fighting a secret war for thousands of years."
"A divorce that ruins the world," Elias said.
"That's very messy."
"It gets worse," Dee smiled.
"But we don't have to worry about them right now. We have plenty of time before the plot starts."
"Then what are we doing here?" Elias asked.
"You said this is a date. What is the plan for the date?"
Dee looked out the window.
She watched the snow fall.
Her eyes grew a little serious.
"There is someone I want to find," Dee said.
"Who?" Elias asked.
"A little girl," Dee answered.
"Her name is Trivia Vanille. But later, she will call herself Neopolitan. Or Neo for short."
Elias drank his hot chocolate.
He waited for her to explain.
"She lives here in Atlas," Dee said.
"Her family is very rich. They're nobles in this society. But they're terrible people."
"How terrible?" Elias asked.
"They hate her," Dee said simply.
"Trivia was born with a special power. It's called a Semblance. She can create perfect illusions. She can change her appearance. She can make things look like glass."
"That sounds useful," Elias said.
"Her parents don't think so," Dee shook her head.
"They think it's weird. They think she is a freak. They want a perfect, normal daughter to show off to their rich friends."
Dee took another cookie.
She broke it in half.
"Trivia also has a physical condition," Dee said.
"Her hair is two colors. Pink and brown. Her eyes change colors too. Sometimes they're pink, sometimes brown, sometimes white."
"Heterochromia," Elias noted.
"Yes. Her parents force her to dye her hair black," Dee said.
"They force her to hide her real self. They lock her inside a massive mansion. She isn't allowed to have friends. She is a prisoner in her own home."
Elias listened quietly.
He thought about Haruhime.
Haruhime was locked in a cage.
Trivia was locked in a mansion.
A cage was still a cage.
"And?" Elias prompted.
"Trivia doesn't talk," Dee said.
"She is mute. She communicates through her illusions. Her parents hate that the most. They yell at her. They punish her."
"What do they plan to do with her?" Elias asked.
"Eventually, they send her to a strict boarding school," Dee said.
"It's basically a fancy prison. After that, she runs away. She meets a criminal named Roman Torchwick. They become partners in crime."
"So she escapes on her own," Elias said.
"Why do we need to interfere?"
Dee looked at Elias.
She had a stubborn look in her eyes.
"Because she suffers for years before she runs away," Dee said.
"Her parents break her spirit. They make her feel like a monster. Roman gives her a new life, but he is a criminal. He uses her to steal."
"You want to save her now," Elias understood.
"Yes," Dee nodded firmly.
"I want to take her away from the Vanille estate. Today."
"You want to kidnap a child," Elias stated plainly.
"I want to adopt a child," Dee corrected him.
"We will be much better parents than them."
Elias raised an eyebrow.
"We are immortal beings from another dimension," Elias said.
"We travel across worlds for fun. Are we really fit to be parents?"
"We are strong," Dee argued.
"We can protect her. We can let her use her illusions. We can let her hair be pink and brown. We will let her be Neo."
Elias thought about it.
He looked at the snow outside.
He didn't care about the Vanille family.
He didn't care about the laws of Atlas.
If Dee wanted the girl, they would take the girl.
"Okay," Elias agreed.
"We will save Neo."
Dee smiled a huge smile.
She reached across the table.
She grabbed his hand.
"Thank you, Elias," Dee said happily.
"It will be fun. We will be a weird little family."
"Where is the mansion?" Elias asked.
"It's in the upper district," Dee said.
"We can go tonight. But before we do that, we need to do something else."
"What?" Elias asked.
"We need to unlock our Aura," Dee said.
Elias tilted his head.
"Aura?"
"Yes," Dee let go of his hand.
"Aura is the energy of the soul. Everyone in Remnant has a soul. But fighters unlock it. When it is unlocked, it coats the body like a forcefield."
"A shield," Elias said.
"Exactly," Dee nodded.
"It blocks attacks. It heals minor wounds. It makes you faster and stronger."
"We already have magic," Elias pointed out.
"We are already strong."
"I know," Dee said.
"But if we use our demonic magic, people will ask questions. The magic here is very limited. If we use Aura, we blend in. We look like normal Huntsmen."
"I see," Elias understood the logic.
"How do we unlock it?"
"We have to do a small ritual," Dee explained.
"A person with unlocked Aura uses their soul to jump-start another person's soul. It is a connection."
"But neither of us has unlocked Aura," Elias noted.
"True," Dee smiled.
"But we have immense spiritual power. We can force the lock open. I know the words. I can unlock yours. Then you can unlock mine."
"Where do we do this?" Elias asked.
"Not in a cafe," Dee said.
She stood up from the table.
"Let's find a quiet place."
They walked out of the cafe.
The snow was falling harder now.
They walked away from the busy streets.
They moved toward a large public park.
The park was covered in thick white snow.
The trees were bare.
No one else was around.
The cold wind howled quietly.
"This is good," Dee said.
She stopped near a frozen fountain.
"Stand in front of me."
Elias stood in front of her.
He looked down at her.
"What do I do?" Elias asked.
"Close your eyes," Dee instructed.
"Focus on your chest. Focus on your inner self. Don't use your demonic power. Look past it. Look for the pure energy of your life."
Elias closed his eyes.
He breathed in the freezing air.
He looked inside his mind.
He pushed past the dark, heavy demonic magic.
He found a quiet, still light.
It was his core.
"I feel it," Elias said quietly.
Dee stepped closer.
She placed her bare hand flat against his chest.
Her hand was warm against his cold coat.
"I am going to say the words," Dee whispered.
"Just let the energy flow outward."
Elias nodded once.
Dee closed her own eyes.
She spoke in a soft, clear voice.
"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality."
Elias felt a small spark in his chest.
"Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all."
The spark turned into a small flame.
"Infinite in distance and unbound by death."
The flame grew hotter.
It moved from his chest to his shoulders.
"I release your soul," Dee finished.
"And by my shoulder, protect thee."
A sudden burst of light erupted from Elias.
It was not dark magic.
It was bright, pure energy.
The light was a deep, midnight blue.
It looked like a calm ocean at night.
The blue light washed over his skin.
It coated his clothes.
It formed a thin, glowing barrier around his entire body.
Elias opened his eyes.
He looked at his hands.
They were glowing with a faint blue outline.
He didn't feel cold anymore.
The freezing wind hit the blue shield and stopped completely.
He felt light.
He felt protected.
"It worked," Elias said.
"Of course it worked," Dee smiled.
She looked tired.
"Unlocking someone takes energy. Now it is your turn. Do it for me."
"Tell me the words," Elias said.
Dee repeated the chant slowly.
Elias memorized it instantly.
"Close your eyes," Elias told her.
Dee closed her eyes.
She took a deep breath.
Elias placed his hand on her forehead.
He focused on his new blue Aura.
He pushed a small stream of it into her mind.
He searched for her soul.
He found a bright, chaotic energy burning inside her.
He spoke the words clearly.
"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality."
Dee's energy shifted.
"Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all."
The chaotic energy focused into a single point.
"Infinite in distance and unbound by death."
The point exploded outward.
"I release your soul," Elias finished the ancient chant.
"And by my shoulder, protect thee."
A massive burst of bright red light flashed.
It was the color of a fresh rose.
The red light covered Dee from head to toe.
It pushed the falling snow away from her in a wide circle.
Dee opened her eyes.
They were glowing bright red.
She looked at her glowing hands.
"Oh, this feels nice," Dee said.
She flexed her fingers.
"It feels like a warm blanket. But strong. Very strong."
Elias pulled his hand back.
"How strong is the shield?" Elias asked.
"Let's test it," Dee challenged.
"Hit me."
"I will hurt you," Elias warned.
"No, you won't," Dee smirked.
"Use your normal physical strength. No magic. Just punch my shoulder."
Elias nodded.
He pulled his fist back.
He punched her left shoulder.
He didn't hold back much.
His fist hit the red barrier.
A small ripple of red light appeared where he hit her.
Dee didn't move an inch.
She didn't feel any pain.
"See?" Dee laughed.
"It takes the kinetic energy. It spreads the damage across the whole shield. As long as I have Aura, I don't bleed. My bones don't break."
"That is very efficient," Elias admitted.
He looked at his own blue shield.
"It is a good system for mortals."
"It is," Dee agreed.
The red glow faded.
The blue glow faded.
The Aura went back inside their bodies.
It was still there, but it was invisible now.
"It only shows when you take a hit," Dee explained.
"Or when you push a lot of power out. Otherwise, you just look normal."
"Good," Elias said.
He put his hands in his coat pockets.
"We have our local power. We blend in. We look like Huntsmen."
"Wait," Elias stopped.
"What about a Semblance?"
Dee looked at him.
"What about it?"
"You said Aura powers a Semblance," Elias said.
"A unique ability. If we are pretending to be Huntsmen, do we have one?"
Dee tapped her chin.
"A Semblance is usually tied to personality," Dee said.
"Or a strong desire. But we already have so many powers. We can just pick one of our normal abilities and call it a Semblance."
"Which one?" Elias asked.
"For you, probably your Adaptivity," Dee suggested.
"If anyone asks, tell them your Semblance lets your body adapt to any attack."
"That is simple," Elias agreed.
"It is not a lie. What about you?"
"I will use my raw strength," Dee smiled.
"I will say my Semblance is kinetic storage. The harder I hit, the stronger I get."
"That fits you perfectly," Elias said.
"You like to smash things."
"I do," Dee laughed.
"It makes things very simple."
They started walking again.
"Do we need weapons?" Elias asked.
"Huntsmen always have weapons," Dee said.
"Usually weapons that turn into guns. A sword that is also a sniper rifle. A hammer that is also a grenade launcher."
Elias thought of his naginata.
"My blade is just a blade," Elias said.
"We can upgrade it later," Dee said.
"Or we can just say we are traditionalists. Atlas is full of fancy tech. A simple, sharp weapon is actually unique here."
"I prefer simple," Elias said.
"I know you do," Dee said.
They reached the edge of the park.
The upper district of Atlas waited above them.
Giant mansions sat on a wide, snowy hill.
Tall gates protected the rich families.
Security cameras watched the empty streets.
"The Vanille estate is the third one on the left," Dee pointed.
"It has very high walls."
"Walls don't matter to us," Elias said.
"No, they don't," Dee agreed.
"Are we going to break down the front door?" Elias asked.
"No," Dee shook her head.
"We don't want to scare the girl. We want to be nice. We will sneak in. We will find her room. We will talk to her."
"And the parents?" Elias asked.
"If they get in the way," Dee's eyes flashed red in the dark.
"I will test my new Aura on their faces."
Elias just nodded.
The date was getting very interesting.