Prologue: A Little Makes a Difference
This is a world different from what we know. What if, 2000 years ago, Sparda had not rebelled against Mundus and left for Earth? Instead, in our time, Dante and Vergil are emperors of a fallen world. They are the ones who turned against Mundus, and they are in a territorial war against him for the lives and souls of humans. This is where our story begins.
(X)
Dante peered over the side of the building. He saw a swarm of monstrosities scouring the streets. He knew they were looking for him. This was the one hundred third posse of demons Mundus had sent for him. Mundus had been out for Dante and his wife ever since the word got out that they were expecting a baby. Hard work and great diligence were required to keep Mundus off their tail. Now that his wife was almost due, things would become exponentially more difficult.
Dante watched them scuttle through the streets below. They turned a corner around a building three blocks down. He stood perfectly still until the last one was out of view. He breathed a sigh of relief. He'd evaded them yet again. While he wondered when the next squad would be sent, he felt his cell phone vibrate. He pulled it off his belt and checked the caller ID. It was his brother Vergil. He flipped the phone open in one motion.
"Hello?"
"Dante," Vergil said, "you better get to the safe house. Now."
Dante stiffened somewhat as if to prepare for an attack. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, but you still want to be here. It's Deanna. She's gone into labor." Dante was silent for a moment. "Dante?" Vergil called. "Are you there?"
"Yeah," Dante responded. "I'll be there as soon as I make sure my trail is clear."
"Very well then. Goodbye brother." Vergil hung up first. Dante sighed again before closing the phone. He took another look down the street where the horde had previously disappeared. When he felt secure they wouldn't return, he jumped over the side. He transformed into demon form before hitting the ground. He flew in the opposite direction towards the safe house where his wife Deanna was hidden.
In under ten minutes, he landed at a large two story house hidden within a forest several miles from the city. He returned to human form and dropped to the ground. Taking a deep breath, he went inside to see what was waiting for him.
(X)
Vergil propped his foot against the table and leaned back in the chair. He had disassembled his handguns, Izanami and Izanagi, so he could polish them. He was in the process of oiling Izanami when the front door opened. His twin brother walked in. Before either of them could say anything, a woman's scream rang through the house. Vergil rolled his eyes and pointed to the staircase with his head. Dante nodded in response and headed for the stairs.
When he opened the door, he didn't expect a warm welcome. He didn't get one. Deanna sat up on the bed. "Where the hell have you been!" she demanded.
"Trying to keep the two of us, soon to be the three of us, alive." He signaled with a wave of his hand for one of the nurses to move aside. He tossed his coat and gloves into her arms and pushed her away. She considered snapping at him, then thought better of it. Though Dante and his brother Vergil were generally benevolent, a temper tantrum could easily have her put away. She ground her teeth as she got out of the way.
Dante was glad she decided to go the way of common sense. He sat on the bed beside Deanna. She wasn't in the mood for comforting. He took her hand anyway. Within the next hour, she tried to fracture his hand five times. He didn't even flinch. He simply patted her hand as if to patronize her. He good naturedly accepted every profane name and word she sent his way, and even encouraged some of it with the occasional, "Yep," or, "Uh huh," or "I sure am."
The final time she called the obstetrician a jackass, the baby's shoulders finally slipped out. Both she and the doctor sighed with relief as he pulled the baby out. She lay flat and released her grip on Dante's hand. He didn't seem to notice.
"What is it?" Dante asked.
The doctor tied off the umbilical cord. "It's a girl."
Dante shook Deanna's shoulder to get her attention. "I heard," she responded. She opened her eyes when the doctor placed the baby over her stomach. "I'm too tired," she said to Dante. "Could you do something?"
"Of course." Dante took a towel from a nurse and wrapped it around the baby. He held her up for Deanna to see. Deanna smiled at the baby, then fell asleep from the exhaustion. "Take care of her," Dante said as he walked out of the room. "Let me know when she wakes up." He closed the door on his way out.
Dante wiped the baby's face with the towel. Her head was covered in platinum white hair. She whined and opened her eyes. Dante found himself staring into deep blue eyes. It was almost as if he were staring at himself. She was a stark contrast to her mother's black hair and eyes.
"There's someone else who wants to see you." He carried her downstairs to where Vergil was still polishing and maintaining his guns. He sat forward and lowered his feet to the floor.
"What do we have?" Vergil asked. "Do I have a niece or a nephew?"
"A niece." Dante held the baby up for Vergil to see.
"Whoa," Vergil said. "Don't you think she sort favors our mom?"
"No!" Dante pressed the baby against his chest as if to shield her from something.
"Okay," Vergil said. "Don't take it personally. What's her name?"
"I don't know."
"All this time, and you still don't have an idea. How about something from The Divine Comedy? Like Beatrice?"
"Not a chance, but I like Lilith."
"Lilith, queen of demons. How about Tiamat, Babylonian goddess of chaos?"
Dante rolled his eyes. "Lilith will do."
(X)
Mundus punched hole after hole into the stone walls. He was furious to discover that yet another extermination squad lost Dante and failed to locate Deanna. The entire chamber quivered with each blow."Father!" someone called from above. Mundus stopped and turned. His son Koromos ran down the stairs that led to his chamber. Koromos stopped on the final step as if to await permission to continue forward. Mundus signaled with a finger. Koromos approached and kneeled.
"Why are you here, Koromos?"
"I have news, Father."
"Good or bad?"
"That remains to be seen. The child has been born. It's a girl."
"So, Sparda's line continues again. This will make our attempts to take over Dante's empire even more difficult. He'll now be working to protect not only his own life, but his daughter's as well. Then, of course, she'll also have his brother Vergil protecting her. That is indeed bad news."
"Then, what do we do?"
Mundus thought for a moment. "First, we must kill Dante's wife. That way, there will be no more children, and he'll be too upset to find another wife. Then we go after the child. The rest will be history."
Koromos shook his head. "It won't be as easy as you make it sound."
"It doesn't have to be. If we can find where Dante is hiding his family, then the problem will basically take care of itself. Prepare another extermination squad."
"Yes, Father." Koromos bowed before leaving to follow orders. Mundus growled and punched another hole through the wall.
