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Nero hit the ground, groaning in pain. His clothes were torn up, various cuts covering his body. Splashes of blood, his own and civilians, covered him, as Kain strode towards him, minor injuries showing on his body, while the Reaver was humming with energy. Nero tried to swing the Red Queen, but Kain planted his foot down on his arm, stopping the attempt

"It is futile. Summit now and your death will be painless," Kain said

"I got a better idea…no!"

Energy exploded from Nero, blasting Kain through the air. He shook his head, flakes of dust falling from his hair, as he faced Nero, his jaw dropping when he saw him. Nero's eyes were glowing red, while a spiritual warrior floated behind him and a katana rested in his Devil Bringer

"Summit now and your death won't be so painful," Nero said, his voice doubled

"Interesting," Kain chuckled

He fired a shot of telekinesis, which Nero deflected with Yamato. The young knight lunged at Kain, slashing with Yamato, then whirling around to attack with the Red Queen. Kain blocked both moves, as Nero grabbed him with the Devil Bringer, bashing him in the face several times, before throwing him and impaling his body with several spiral swords. Kain landed, gritting his fangs, as Nero charged at him, swinging the Red Queen overhead. Kain blocked, before catching Yamato in his other hand when it came at his chest

"You're gonna pay for what you've done," Nero growled

"Hardly," Kain replied

He threw Nero into the air, appearing before him and striking him with the Reaver, bouncing him off the ground and attacking with the Sanguine Censure move. Nero blocked as best as he could, flying forth and throwing Kain aside. Kain landed on a pillar, stabbing the Reaver into it as he stood upon the blade. Nero flew down and slashed with Yamato, as Kain jumped up, calling the Reaver into his hand and kicking Nero through the pillar. Nero bounced once, his Devil Trigger energy expiring

"You have fought well to avenge your friends," Kain said, "But now, it is time for you to exit this world"

"Go…to hell," Nero growled, spitting out blood

"Been there, done that"

Kain raised the Reaver, ready to deliver the killing blow, as Nero drew the Blue Rose and fired. Kain hissed in pain, kicking Nero in the face

CRASH!

Kain whirled around, as Dante fell through the air, landing on his feet upon the altar. He rose up from his couched position, staring at Kain with cold, blue eyes

"So, you've showed up," Kain said, walking towards him, "I was hoping to see you again"

"Well, you did say it wasn't over," Dante said, "I was making sure you kept to your word"

"I wonder if you'll be a better warrior than your friend here"

"Only one way for you to find out"

"Yes, I suppose that's true"

Kain lunged at Dante, who just stood there. At the last minute, Dante whipped out the charged-up Coyote-A, blasting Kain point-blank in the face. The vampire smashed through a pillar, holding his face in agony. Dante grinned, jumping off the altar

"That one is gonna fucken sting in the bloody morning"

"Not as much as this will"

Kain teleported behind Dante, kicking him in the back, before throwing him up into the air and leaping up, striking with Nightmare's Hammer. Dante managed to draw Rebellion and block, landing on his feet, before leaping back from the Reaver as it smashed into the ground. Kain pinned Dante in the air with his telekinesis and moved in for the kill, but Dante teleported out of the way, hitting Kain in the back with the infamous Stinger move. Kain stepped away from the wall, sheathing the Reaver

"Perhaps another time"

"Why, you chicken?" Dante asked

"I have previous engagements"

With that, Kain faded away, as Dante sheathed Rebellion, before rushing to Nero's side. The young knight had passed out, as Dante picked him up and left

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"How is he?" Lady asked

"I think he'll be fine," Trish replied, "Kain sure messed him up"

"All the more for us to hunt his ass down and kill him"

"The only one who can go up against Kain is Dante and each time, Kain fled"

Just then, Nero came downstairs, bandages wrapped around his stomach, left shoulder and arm, with a few band-aids on his face, his right arm shimmering

"How you feeling?" Lady asked

"Been better," Nero replied

He groaned in pain, clutching at his stomach as he walked past the two women

"He looks like crap," Lady said

Trish frowned and glared at her companion, who shrugged it off and walked away

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"Who are these guys? And where did they all come from?"

Dante was sitting on a building ledge, overlooking Fortuna as he thought about recent events, mainly the arrival of Kain, the Sarafan and a whole heap of various beasties

"Guess I'm gonna have to hunt them down and find out what's up"

Standing up, Dante did a swan dive off the building, landing on his feet and heading off, not knowing that he was being watched from a higher building

"He is the one we must watch out for," Moebius said, "He seems very dangerous. Be on your guard always when you're around him"

"Do you want us to take him out?" a vampire hunter asked

"Not just yet. I want to know what will happen next. Where is Kain?"

"He's up north, serving up a platter of destruction"

"And Raziel?"

"Out east in some frozen wasteland"

"Come, let's go now"

Moebius turned away from the building edge, as the vampire hunters followed him

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Raziel trudged through the snow, fighting against the blizzard, as two Frost demons appeared before him. Activating the Earth Reaver, Raziel lunged forth, as a Frost demon fired its claws into his body, driving him through the snow. Grumbling as he got to his feet, Raziel dodged a teleporting Frost demon, striking it in the back, as the second Frost demon teleported beside him. It smacked him into the air, but Raziel turned over and slammed the Reaver onto its head, smacking it down. The first demon whirled around, but Raziel rolled under its claws, impaling it through the chest, absorbing its soul

The second demon got up and slammed its claws into the ground, creating a series of icicles. Raziel leapt over the frozen spikes, as an icicle fired from a new Frost demon struck him, trapping him inside an ice prison. Raziel broke out with his telekinesis, avoiding the ice bomb and lunging at the second, delivering the Shatter Spirit move. The Frost demon broke into a hundred pieces, as Raziel used his telekinesis to drop a pillar onto the third Frost demon, killing it. With that taken care of, Raziel moved on, before coming across the Order Church

"Perhaps there may be a way back to Nosgoth through here"

Raziel opened the front door and stepped inside

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