It's said that the most pious people in the world are priests, and soldiers the day before they have to charge to their deaths.

-The words of a soldier turned preacher, after losing just his leg in battle.

________________________________________

^Ancestors who have blazed the trail before us, who have established the routes and roads before us, please guide us once more as we face this storm. Ancestors who blazed the trail before us, who have established the routes...^

In a little alcove, away from the raging Kaijin, the apathetic slaves, and the rebels attempting to change things for the better, a gazelle bloodliner was praying before a horse skull totem.

^Ancestors who have blazed the trail before us...^

This bloodliner was none other than Maggie, the girl who first escaped the mines and became...the second spark to start the fire of revolution.

^Ancestors who...^

Years ago, back when Maggie was much younger and more headstrong, the original owners of the horse skull totem she was now praying to had attempted to do the exact same thing.

Like Lyona, they had become disgusted by how the mines, the kaijin, and the overseer ground away people's ability to feel, think, and dream, to the point that they felt they had no choice but to revolt.

They could've escaped, they could've faked their deaths and run away, but these fellows known as the Galdum Brothers, couldn't help but want to at least try and help their fellow slaves.

It was in their creed after all, that the freedom to learn,wander, and to dream was an inherent right to life.

They were brave, they were foolish, they were inspiring, and she cared for them deeply. In fact, she was even set to marry one of them.

But alas, fate was cruel, and the kaijin were even crueller.

Despite their momentum, the brothers failed to land a single blow against the Overseer and were slaughtered by the Demon Knights as a result.

Needless to say, their deaths weren't clean in the slightest, since they were to be made examples of.

The youngest was made to drown in solid stone as Gumba personally sat on him while removing his limbs, one by one.

The middle was made to perform a fatal dance as Slavina snaked her roots and poison into her every nerve and cell in his body, the macabre performance only ending once he had decapitated himself.

As for the oldest, the one that Maggie was meant to wed no less, Delictum took special delight in making sure he died by a thousand cuts...starting with the man's eyes first.

After that first rebellion ended in shame and death, the mines were purged of any lingering influence of the first leaders.

Their immediate subordinates were either sealed away, worked to death, or became victims to the kaijin's arena.

Any items, relics, or totems remotely related to them were either taken or destroyed.

Aside from the memories of some outsiders, indirect subordinates, or members of the inner circle, all that remained of these foolish dreamers was just that.

Memories.

Memories that would fade away with the passage of time, and the influence of the mines.

At least, that's what most people thought.

^Ancestors...no. Galdum Brothers, my beloved Okin, please. Guide us.^

After making this change to a prayer that she had learned from her beloved and his brothers, Maggie got up from the ground and placed a careful hand on the horse skull totem before her.

Before the brothers arrived to the mines, they were simply nomads. The brothers wanted nothing more than to tend to their flocks while riding under an endless, open sky with the horses that they rose from birth.

This skull totem, made from the remains of those beloved steeds.

^Just a little longer. Sorry I changed the plan at the last minute,^ Maggie apologized to the skull totem.

^Maggie!^ Taurna called out as she barged into alcove, causing Maggie to recoil her from the shock of her voice. ^Its almost time for the...oh.^

^Ah, Taurna. I was just...^

^Asking the ancestors of their blessing?^

^You remembered?^

^It was the first thing they ever taught us,^ Taurna confirmed. ^Heh. And now, Lyona follows in their footsteps.^

^Not exactly...but it is close enough.^

Once upon a time, Lyona, Taurna, and Maggie were part of the same slave unit as the Galdum Brothers.

The three aformentioned bloodliner girls were all born into slavery, and they believed for many years that they would die as slaves.

However, the brothers had taught them otherwise.

They had shared with these girls stories of the wider world, of a dream without a chains, a life where they wouldn't be nothing more than objects that had no choice but be tools for the sake of others.

In these moments, they promised to be family with one another and would escape from the mines.

It doesn't need to be repeated as to why this never happened.

Regardless of this tragedy, the three blood sisters managed to escape scrutiny based on the fact that they were women.

As such, they were able to keep alive not only their memory of the Galdum Brothers, but the things they had taught.

^Did you want to say a quick prayer as well?^ Maggie asked.^I was going to just pack it away before—^

^Ah, no,^ Taurna refused while shaking her head. ^Something like this...needs to be done with our own hands. You know?^

^Heh. Okin said the same thing,^ Maggie chuckled under her breath.

^He did?^

^Yes...well, in that case, let's go and change our lives.^

Taurna and Maggie left the alcove, with no clear idea of whether or not they were going to die.

Before they left, though, Maggie made sure to place the horse skull totem into the folds of her clothes.

^Are you sure you want to bring it? What if it breaks?^

^If we die tonight, there won't be anyone left to remember them anyways. So I might as well go out with it so I can bring it to them in the afterlife.^

^Dark. Fair. But dark.^

The rebellion was, in the eyes of Taurna, Maggie, Lyona, and several members of the last attempt, their second chance at something that should've happened a long time ago.

Someone once said that madness was doing the exact same thing, over and over again, and expecting a different result every time.

Thankfully, this wasn't the case.

This time, instead of a passionate yet stupid attempt at rebellion, they had a meticulously calculated plan of attack.

This time, instead of not knowing precisely how powerful their opponents were, they had access to significantly more comprehensive information on their strengths and weaknesses.

Unlike last time, the rebels had allies and members who were finally able to bring down these invincible monsters.

Alas, what these rebels didn't know, was that this wasn't the second time a rebellion had occurred in these mines.

Hell, last time wasn't even the first.

But...this was the first time someone [remembered].

And perhaps, that was what going to make a difference.

^In retrospect, how come we didn't think of collapsing the tunnels on them the last time we rebelled?^

^The tunnels weren't as established by then. At least, I think that was the case.^

...Meanwhile, in a place hidden from everyone in the mines...

[So...when do you think this current lord and his forces are going to strike?]a strange fox asked his box-like companion.

[Hopefully soon,] the box-sheep replied. [It's been ages since our little friend has sailed the stars.]

[Yes, and this is our seventeenth attempt in trying to get them back up there.]

[Oh, this time will be different.]

[You said that the last time too.]

[Then I suppose, the only thing we can do now, is pray for things to be different.]

[And if the worst should happen?]

[Then I suppose, everyone will forget again. And we'll have to wait again.]

[How sad...ah, look. It appears our main players are finally entering their stage.]

...

Bahahaha! How come I never thought to move around my home using a palanquin before? It's so much more convenient!

'Oh the desire to brain him is getting stronger and stronger by the second...'

Instead of dismounting from his stupidly huge palanquin, Dante had opted to ride it into the main portion of the [Mines of Malevolence] like an idiotic, arrogant bastard, all while accompanied by all of the Kaijin he had brought with him on the hunting expedition.

In his words, he wanted to physically lord over his slaves, as it was the best way to showcase his superiority now that he had evolved into a higher state of being, while reminding them all that they were only alive because he was keeping the horde behind him in check.

Ah, I can't wait to see the dead look in the eyes of all of those...wait a minute, what the hell?

(Un)Fortunately, Dante's arrogant display was seen by...no one.

Absolutely nobody.