STIGMA 3: Ubiquity Chapter 1: Complications, a devil may cry fanfic

STIGMA 3: Ubiquity

Day 1: Lariska – Complications

CLANG! The sound of claws hitting a sword echoed loudly in my ears as my right hand collided with Force Edge. Pain shot up my knuckles as the bones fractured then healed and the pain quickly faded away.

"You're not moving fast enough, little one." Sparda chastised. "You know you're faster than this. You're still thinking like a human."

Lightning struck a tree in the courtyard. Sparda no longer wore the white robes that hid his rare shorn platinum tresses and ice blue eyes. Instead he wore black track pants and a white tank top. I glared at him.

"Maybe because I am still human."

"Looked in a mirror lately?" Dante remarked.

"Shut it, Dante." But I knew he was right. I wasn't as human as I used to be. Not with the borrowed powers of a devil, namely Vergil Sparda. But as much as I thought I had accepted what had happened to me my body still felt limited by the remains of my humanity.

"How should I think then Sparda?"

"Like a goddess. Swift, strong, powerful and very dangerous when crossed." Sparda shook his head. "Your powers have been far too erratic. But then again no normal human has ever gone this far as the mate of a devil. Not even my Eva."

I prepared for another strike. I looked at my claws and at my arms. No these were not the attributes of a human being. A normal human could not borrow the powers of a devil. A normal human would not love a devil. And for that I was happy.

I love you…Lariska.

His words give me strength and the devil inside me comes to life once more. I let the strength carry me across the battlefield. Swords fly over my head. I roll to the side and catch Dante in his midsection with a side kick and swipe at Sparda. Once again he dodges me but smiles.

"That's an improvement but I think you've had enough today. Go see your father. Danny is expecting you soon."

"Yes Sparda. Oh and Dante?"

"Yes Lariska?" He jumped to his feet.

"I think that may have been the first time I've actually kicked your ass."

He grinned. "Enjoy it while it lasts babe."

I had to train with Sparda, Dante or Vergil now. Sparda feared that my strength was now beyond that of a normal human and that I wouldn't be able to control it fully. That had caused some tension among myself and certain people; mainly Logan Di Massey

The air was turning cold and the sky was now completely black. The rain started to pelt down as I ran inside the halls of STIGMA to where the communal showers were located. But things were different. Things felt different. People bustled about the halls far busier than before. Of course we were. We were preparing to go to war.

Krases and Sparda had negotiated the terms of where and when the battle would take place. The battle would take place on neutral territory ground which was halfway between STIGMA and the vampire council. This would happen in less than four days. It had been almost a month since our last encounter but there had been a steady increase of vampire attacks all over the world. So far our hunters had been able to handle it but not without casualties. We had lost people and if the vampires won then the entire world would be lost too. I was not prepared to let that happen but things were starting to look slightly bleak.

Even with the help of the prominent vampire council members joining forces with STIGMA we were still outnumbered. Sparda had been spending days strategising with Vakos, and the other council members Erykah, Xerxes and Vexille. Their soldiers were fiercely loyal to them. I wondered if we could win.

After a quick shower and a change of clothes I finally found myself at the library. My father sat in a chair near the fire with a book. His greying hair cut neatly and parted from the left. He had a cup of tea in his hands.

"Are you just going to stand there with hair wet enough to catch a cold or are you going to sit by the fire where it's warm?"

I smiled. "No I thought I'd just freeze to death." I took a seat. "Where's Larry?"

"He's coming." My father smiled at me. "How was training, Lariska?"

"Eventful as always. Apparently I think too much like a human."

Daniel laughed and I instantly was reminded of my childhood. "Tell Sparda some habits, particularly those that are lived with for twenty-seven years have the habit of dying hard."

I laughed too. "Yes I suppose they do."

His face then turned sad, perhaps nostalgic.

"Dad, is there something wrong?"

"You reminded me very much of Helena." He stood and faced the fire. "I'm sorry little one. Just an old man's grief."

I stood and hugged him, feeling tears flow down my face. "I miss her too."

"Can I have a hug?" I didn't even have to turn around to know my brother had that obnoxious look on his face.

"Shut it Larry."

My brother grinned. "Sorry couldn't resist. I've been cooped up in the gym with a bunch of sweaty men and women. Everyone's so serious these days. And Logan's not particularly fun to be around either."

"Forgot all that for now Lawrence." Daniel interrupted. "It's time for us to go have dinner; as a family."

Ever since our father had come back into our lives, Lawrence and I were determined to spend as much time with him as possible. It hadn't been easy on any of us. Sparda had us training all day or in strategy meetings. I relished any chance I got to be with my family; even if it was in the cafeteria eating god awful food. I didn't know if any of us would survive this war. But I needed to hold onto something, anything at all. I feared I would lose my sanity and my hope if I didn't

After dinner I wandered back to the library. Vergil was in his office, as usual buried in literature. I stood there for a few moments not wanting to interrupt him and then turned to go sit by the fire.

"You know I don't mind interruptions if they're from you." His cool slightly aristocratic voice carried across the room. That voice seemed to hide so much and yet I knew every hidden meaning behind his words. I turned back to face him.

"I know. You just looked like you were enjoying that book so much I couldn't bear to stop you."

"Then I'm afraid you've mistaken enjoyment for horror. The contents of this book are truly disturbing but I can't seem to put it down."

I wandered into his office and sat on the desk. "What book is it?"

"It's the logs of the vampire council during the first ten years of Krases' reign. This particular volume was scribed by Vakos. She's logged some of Krases more violent acts with astonishing attention to detail including the execution of prominent vampires who threatened his power base."

"Not surprising." I muttered. "I've been reading some of the reports from the vampire hunters. It's not only humans he's been going after. High ranking vampires who apparently were a part of the rebellion against him have been found dead."

"And yet he hasn't gone after you or your brother."

I shrugged. "If you're referring to Yvanna's prophecy that Lawrence and I are going to somehow stop him then you're on your own. The battle's coming in less than four days and we still haven't figured out what we're supposed to do. The seers haven't been of much help. It hasn't stopped them from trying though." I thought of Micah and smiled. The young seer was trying so hard to gain a vision to help us or to help Lawrence.

I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice a white hand caressing my arm.

"Come on it's late. You've been up since early this morning. You must be exhausted."

I took his hand and we left the library. I hadn't been spending much time at home lately. In fact I was practically living at STIGMA again but this time it was Vergil's bed I was sharing. I blushed at the thought.

Our footsteps echoing along the hallway were sound and steady, like the beating of my heart whenever I was with him. It was here along this hallway that we walked down every night to his room that I almost forget that we were about to go to war and that I could lose everything and everyone I loved….

Including him.

"Lariska," His voice breaks the silence. "You're very quiet this evening."

"I am?"

"You've been very quiet for the last week. I don't suppose you're going to tell me what's bothering you?"

"Hmmm…." I stopped to look at him and realised we were outside his door. "So you mean besides the impending war that could potentially take away everyone I hold dear?"

He unlocked the door and I made a beeline for the bed. I curled into a ball and closed my eyes.

"And here I was thinking it would be hard to get you into bed."

I laughed softly.

"Are you saying I'm easy, Vergil Sparda?"

"Never." Strong arms wrapped around me. Soft kisses caressed the circular tattoo on my neck; the mark that signified that I belonged to him. What once had been the reminder of the greatest pain in my heart was now my greatest joy. I relaxed and turned to face him and buried my face in his shoulder.

"I don't wanna lose you."

"You won't." He looked directly in my eyes. "I've been to hell and back and I'm still here. Krases won't find me such an easy target."

I smiled. "Don't get over confident now, son of Sparda."

Vergil kissed me with a passion that made my heart stop. "Don't underestimate me, human."

I woke sometime later in his arms and tangled in the bed sheets feeling a little overheated. I looked over at Vergil and realised that this was the only time I had ever seen him asleep. His bare arms were still clutching at the sheets. He looked relaxed and peaceful.

I dressed in the cotton white nightgown I had left here from when I realised I would be spending more than one night a week at this place and crept out to the bathroom at the end of the hall.

I turned on the showers and undressed. The water was cool and soothing but it couldn't wash away my anxieties. Nevertheless I stood there with my eyes closed as the sweat was washed away and I was clean once more.

As I dried myself and dressed I caught sight of my hands. Bruising decorated the lower knuckles on the right hand. I frowned trying to think how I had gotten such an injury.

'You're still thinking like a human'

I gasped.

"Sparda!" I pounded on his office door. " Sparda I know you're in there."

The door swung open with a creak. My boss stood there with a quizzical look on his face.

"Do you always roam the hallways in your night dress?"

I glared and showed him my hand.

Sparda sighed. "You'd better come in."

As I entered the chambers he closed the door behind me. The room was dimly lit by candles, making the walls glow a dusky colour. I sat down on the couch near the balcony. Sparda had only had some minor alterations done to his chambers but adding a comfortable leather lounge was one of his better ideas.

"Has this happened before?"

I nodded slowly. "A few times. But the injuries were minor and they disappeared quite quickly once I used the trigger but this is from where I fractured my fingers today. I triggered and it didn't have any effect."

"Do you think it cause for concern, little one?" Sparda sat down next to me and stared out into the night.

"Yes I do. When Vergil and I met over two years ago I was," I paused "mortally wounded. From what Teisha told me it was my link to Vergil that kept me alive but it nearly killed him. Both of us were unconscious for days after that." The bruises on my knuckles seemed almost invisible in the dim light.

This is only minor." I breathed. "But we're about to fight a war. If I take another wound like that and I can't heal from it then I could…" I couldn't continue on. To finish that sentence was too unbearable.

"You're afraid that you'll drag Vergil down with you." Sparda finished for me.

"I'm not afraid to die, Sparda. What I'm afraid of is that my last thoughts will be knowing that I killed him and that I took your son away from you and from Dante. "I paused. "Is there a way to break the link between us should the need arise?"

"Don't you think you should give him a choice in this matter?" He stood and walked to the edge of the balcony. "If he was given the choice I don't think he'd want to live very long if you were gone. Lariska, you are everything to him. Eva's death pushed him into the darkness and you're the one who brought him back from that darkness. What do you think your death would do to him?"

"So I should just let him die?" I snapped. "I won't do it. I won't let him be pulled down into the abyss. Now tell me, is there a way to sever the link?" Tears filled my eyes.

The look in Sparda's eyes was filled with sorrow. "Yes. Yes there is."

I was careful as I walked back through the halls to not be too loud, especially as I closed the door behind me and climbed back into bed.

"Where have you been?" His whisper penetrated the darkness.

His question alone almost my broke my heart which was now filled with the burden of carrying a secret; a secret that could take my life but spare his. And with that burden in my heart I let a lie slip from my mouth as I lay down beside him.

"Nowhere."

Author's note: Woo hoo part 3 is up and running!

Next Chapter: Books, Jealousy and a World of Ruin.