Mission 3: Ready or Not
"Brother, how much longer shall we wait? my fur itches for combat," the hairy demon whined.
"Restrain yourself, brother, we strike when the opportunity presents itself, he shot back." You would do well to remember that we must bring him back alive".
"These hunts has tamed you, Beowulf. Where is your lust for battle?" Grendel asked. "This half-blood will fall like the rest."
"These hunts have taught many things, Grendel, stay your hand, or must I remove your arm to make you comply?"
The ape-like demon gave his comrade a disconcerting stare. He briefly ran his fingers over the ugly scar that rested on his right shoulder. Before his anger could overtake him, the demon let out a short chortle.
"Calm yourself brother, I'm well aware of the consequences," he replied with a wide grin. Grendel rolled backward and retired on his back. "Wake me, when you're ready."
The one-eyed demon didn't respond to the comment keeping his attention solely on their objective. Dante had eluded capture for too long, Fortune won't favor him this day.
He groaned a groggy sigh as he sat upon his misshapen mattress. Dante rubs his eyes as they adjusted to the light. As soon as his vision was back to normal he noticed the condition of his Home. For lack of a better word, the interior of the trailer was a pigsty. Unclean paper plates were scattered across the kitchen sink. Worn articles of clothing littered the stained floor. In the far corner, piles of empty pizza boxes were stacked to the ceiling. With the state that his home was in, there was a reason why he couldn't keep a woman, speaking of which. Dante noticed two women laying on his mattress still asleep. He had lost track of who was who.
He felt his chest for the red jeweled amulet that hung on his neck, making sure it was still in his possession. The only remnant of his murky past. Dante then reached over to his right and grabbed the remote to his wall mounted 24-inch tv. He turned it on and then appeared a man wearing a white mask with a sharp toothy grin. The eyes were crossed out with black tape. His voice was altered to hide his identity.
"Not this guy again," Dante whispered to himself.
"The demons have been increasing their power for decades. They are on the verge of controlling mankind. Citizens we have been kept sleeping in a manufactured illusion for too long...it`s time we take a stand...it's time for us to wake up!"
Once the message was done the video feed cut back to Bob Barbas of the raptor news network. A slightly overweight, middle-aged man with a balding head. Thick horn-rimmed glasses covered his beady brown eyes.
"And now this asshole," he spat.
"The masked lunatic you saw their claims to represent the domestic terrorist organization called the order" The plump news anchor announced. Dante half listened as the anchor continued to speak. "Personally, he couldn't care less about today`s news. Bob went on about so-called deviants, I for one am not for the death penalty, so...there's only one way to do it, illegally shoot the son of a bitch."
This made Dante chuckle a bit as he reached across his bed for the half-empty bottle of Jack Daniels. The brown liquid traveled down his throat, leaving behind a burning sensation. With the bottle now empty, he tossed it aside with the rest of his unassorted trash.
"Hell of a night, right Dante?" said one of the girls. As she awoke from her slumber.
"Dam right," he smirked as he remembered only parts of last night. Suddenly he felt a pair of soft hands stroking the bulged of lean muscle in his left arm.
"We are your favorite girls," one of them said.
The other one added, "So long as you can keep us satisfied."
"Are you a musician or an artist of some sort," Dante asked the girl on his right side.
"Nah, I'm just me," he answered
"No really, what do you do for a living?"
"Does it matter, I got a roof over my head."
"So you don't have a job,"
Dante's face began to show signs of irritation. "Why all these questions all of a sudden, this is my home and I pay my rent". The shameless young man got off his rack. "How I make a living ain't your business."
"Rude much" one of them replied.
"Rude?" Dante said with a raised eyebrow. "Rude is sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."
Furious the two girls got up and scrambled off the mattress, grabbing their clothes before hastily getting dressed throwing their garments on without much care.
"I thought they were wrong about you but they were right!" one screamed. The other one opened the trailer door.
"Your just another jobless asshole with no future, fuck you, Dante!"
"Yeah well," Dante paused for a moment as he thought of a clever comeback. He blurted out the first one that came to mind I already fucked the both of yall," he slammed the door shut.
Now irritated, Dante needed an outlet the calm himself. Without hesitation, he seized another bottle this time it was crown royal. Just like before he downed it in a few gulps. The shameless youth squeezed his eyes, welcoming the bitter taste.
With them out of the way Dante engaged in his morning routine. First, he takes a long cold shower. Then he heads to the busted sink to brush his teeth. Next Dante strolls to the kitchen. Where he eats a bowl of cereal. With most of his chores out of the way, he grabs the nearest combination of clothes and begins to get dress. Once he was done, Dante looked himself over in his cracked mirror. A grey fitted tank top hugged his frame. While faded black pants along with steel-toe military boots decorated his lower half. His favorite pair of Fingerless gloves adorned his rough hands.
"The fuck are you looking," Dante blurred out at his reflection. "I said the f-"
Before he could finish his head began to throb as the sound of someone knocking on his door. The young man groaned in annoyance, as the banging echoed through his trailer. They must have left something behind he thought to himself. Seconds before he could tell them to piss off, he heard a plea.
"Dante...Dante, get out of there. you're in danger!" said Kat.
He turned his head towards the direction the noise came from. Dante remained quite in case this was an accident. The second round of rapid pounding was louder than the first. Another female voice spoke.
"Come on out Dante there`s no use hiding anymore, we know who you are. More importantly, we know what you are."
Confusion swept through him. Dante had completely ignored the warning and instead focused on the simple fact that he someone at his door and they were aware of what he was. Maybe they could provide him with answers.
After giving his trailer one last once over, he tactfully reaches for two pistols that rested on his couch. Dante checked the magazines, seeing the rounds inside. With them loaded he stuffed them in the back of his jeans. Then he crept towards the door. Dante slightly cracked his door, immediately his face was assaulted by rays of sunlight. After his eyes adjusted he looked down to see two females standing before him.
"You were careless. You left a trail." said the petite girl. "Now they're onto you."
"who's on to me," he questioned.
The girl looked around before leaning in slightly. "The hunters," she confided to him in a hushed tone.
"The hunters?", he thought. Dante's mind began to trail off as he sensed a weird disturbance in the area.
Suddenly, the girl gasped and looked past the wharf, and out into the ocean.
"There's one." the hooded girl said fearfully.
No sooner did the sky began to change into a blood-red tint. Beowulf rose from the water causing high waves to rock against the wharf. What really drew Dantes attention was the scorpion-like tail that the creature possed. When he opened his mouth to speak Dante could see the jagged teeth that lined its gums.
"Son of Sparda!" it roared. The demon mighty voice sent shockwaves through the whole pier.
Dante stepped out of his trailer to face the beast with both arms extended 'Yup, in the flesh'. Dante shouted back with a sarcastic smirk
"He's dragging you into limbo. You're going to have to fight your way out." She told him.
"Don't I always," Dante murmured as he watched the entire pier being ripped apart. The rides derailed while the wooden boards cracked under the pressure.
Suddenly a large demonic hand emerged from underneath the floorboards and grabbed Dante. It belonged to the mighty Grendel. The demon's mighty grip held him in place.
"Daaaaante.." the creature whispered.
"Man, close your mouth it smells like something died in there," said Dante as he looks away in disgust.
Unfazed by Dantes comment, Grendel proceeds with his action. With his free hand, he sunk his grip into the trailer, ripping through the roof. The demon's fingers pierced the sides of the mobile home denting it inwards. As soon as Dante saw the damage, he looked back at the gorilla looking demon with complete anger.
"Get your filthy claws off my dam trailer!" he yelled.
Instead of complying with the command, the demon's face formed into a twisted grin. With ease, he crushed part of the trailer and launched it over his shoulder. The trailer went flying towards the other demon whos fist lit up before striking the mobile home. Once he made contact with the trailer the demon broke it in half. Now everything Dante had owned was suddenly gone except for the clothes on the back.
"Mother fuckers," he growled.
"Kat!" said Mary. "What's happening?"
"Dante is in trouble," kat squatted down with a spray can and a sheet of paper. "I'm sending you in to help him."
A moment later, she appeared in limbo with her pistols drawn. Then she unloaded a barrage of bullets on the burly demon. The bullets had zero effect on the being. Which caused her to let out a frustrated sigh. The demon just gave her a sinister smile.
"A pitiful human, with a pitiful weapon," said Grendel as he mocks her.
Then she pulled out a flare gun and aimed it at the demon's face. The heated projectile hit him right between the eyes. The demon let out a roar that vocalized his pain, disgusted littered his voice. At that moment his grip had weakened, allowing Dante to escape his grasp. Once Dante landed he peaked over the woman in white. He gave her a brief look over.
"Really who are you?"
"How about you focus on the demon in front of us," she replied.
"Whatever, lady." he felt the weight on his back and reached over his head for its handle. In his hand was a Rebellion.
"Yes, I love it when my quarry fights back," he retracted from his gauntlet.
Grendel charged and leaped into the air, before coming to a quick swipe of his claws towards the duo. They both easily dodged by jumping out of its path and feeling the demon's landing. Dante jumped back on to his feet to block the demon's next attack with his sword. The impact of the blow was strong enough to push Dante back into one of the wooden stands.
Before he could make his way to his prey Grendel felt the minute bullets from Mary's handguns. He gave her an irritated side glance. The gun-wielding woman stood firm as she kept her weapons trained on him.
"You should've fled when you had the chance, he uttered. Contempt poured out his eyes.
Suddenly, he heard something coming towards him. Grendel held up his arm to brace for impact. Immediately felt the sharp edge of Dante`s sword sinking into his flesh. As blood flew through the air and stained the white smoke. Grendel struggled to push against Rebellion's edge, before mustering enough strength to counter. He eventually managed to push the Dante back, sending him back to the pier unscathed.
Before Dante could mount another attack Grendel slammed his full weight into him casting him aside like a limp rag doll. The young man managed to jam his sword into the wooden pavement to stop himself.
Grendel looked down at his fresh wound. Instead of anger or fear, the feeling excitement consumed his face.
"I'm going to enjoy this," Grendel murmured before descending back into the depths of the crimson ocean, alongside Beowulf.
"Hey get back over here pussy," Dante called out.
"Quickly this way," a ghostlike voice stated.
The dark-haired man turned his head towards the voice, but he couldn't see anyone. "Who said that, did you?" He asked turning to Mary who was busy reloading her guns.
"No, but we should get going," she replied bluntly. "Just follow me."
Dante paused for a moment, he didn't know this lady from a hole in the wall and yet she wanted him to follow her? From her scent alone he knew she was human but something didn't add up. How did she enter limbo and why is she trying to help him? The young degenerate shook his head. If she knew a way out of his hellhole then it wouldn't hurt to tail this raven-haired woman.
"Lead the way," he said.
The two traversed the nightmare amusement park. As they attempted to cross the bridge Dante paused, in the middle of the catwalk. The gun-toting woman noticed the young man's lack of movement. Before she could utter a word, the floorboard beneath their feet started to break. They both turned around and saw the source. Beowulf, the half-blinded demon had fully emerged from the darkly colored ocean. The hunter grabbed a hold of the bridge and attempted to pull it out from underneath them.
The duo started to pick up the pace. One by one the planks under their feet feel into the blood looking ocean below. While Spriting, the duo had to dodge various obstacles and debris that laid on the pier in addition to making sure that they didn't fall in the unstable waters below.
Dante and Mary had almost made it to the other side but part of the pier was breaking off in front of them. The young man glanced over at his guide and noticed she was slowing down. At this pace, she wouldn't make it across. He begrudgingly wrapped his arm around her waist. Before she could react Dante lep onto one of the trailers just as it was about to slip into the sea below.
While in the air Mary twisted her body towards the hunter demon. She pulled out her submachine gun and squeezed the trigger. Five rounds a second fired from its barrel. The bullets grazed the corner of Beowulf good eye. He released a frustrated growl as he jumps off the edge of the pier that had been broken off of and disappeared in the depths of the ocean.
Once Dante landed on the ground he released Lady from his grip. He set his sights on where the demon had emerged from. Suddenly Kat ran towards them garnering their attention. Dante quickly, turned toward the ghostly voice again this time, guns drawn, and fingers on the trigger. Lady instantly had her gun aimed at his head, with the barrel only an inch away from his skull.
"Don't shoot my names Kat I'm not a demon," her hands were held above her head and her voice was pleading.
"Easy their, devil boy," She said, "She's the reason I'm here babysitting you."
"How come I can see you clearly? He lowered one gun, but still held the other one firm, pointed at her head.
"I'm a medium...a psychic. I can phase into limbo and communicate with you. I can see you talk to you, but I'm not actually in limbo with you," Her voice was less stressed but Dante could still hear the underlying panic.
The gun-toting woman stepped in between two. Both her eyes and weapon were still trained on him. Dante glanced at Mary for confirmation. She replied with a simple nod.
"Kat's gift allows her to see us and speak to us from the real world,"
"Speak? her mouth ain't even moving."
"It telepathic in nature," Lady fired back.
Dante tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. Then he aimed his gun around Mary and at Kat`s head "And if I pull the trigger?"
"Goddammit Dante!, if you don't stop pointing your guns at my sister, so help me I'll drop you where you stand!" Lady barked.
"I`ll die," Kat replies as she lowered her hands slowly, but Dante still wouldn't let up. "We're risking our lives here, can't you see that?"
The tension in the air thick enough to cut with a knife. Both Dante and marys fingers were less than an inch from the trigger.
"You two are either brave or completely stupid," Dante replied. He holstered his guns in the back of his pants. Which gave Lady the queue to drop her guns.
"The demons dragged you into limbo, I can get you out," said Kat.
"I've done this song and dance routine before. Kill the same demon who dragged me in here," he snarled.
"That's unlikely to happen," the hooded girl replied shaking her head. "Beowulf and Grendel, they aren't ordinary demons, fighting them won't end well,"
"Listen I've been kicking demon ass before my balls dropped," Dante stated in a matter of fact tone. " Those two ain't nothing special."
"Hey you whoos, we're wasting time," Lady said as she storms off.
She took a deep breath before releasing and brief sighs. Part of her wanted to leave him, but it was their mission to bring him back safe and sound.
Heeding her older sisters words Kat followed right behind her. She turns towards the young man and motions for him to follow them. Without saying anything he jogged down the path to catch up with the girls.
A feral growl and heavy footsteps could be heard coming in fast behind them. Both Lady and Dante fired a flurry of rounds into Grendel. Just then he jumped out of the way of the hail of gunfire. The hairy beast lands full force on the Ferris wheel like a monkey. His sheer weight shifted it off its hinges. He took notice of this event and constructed an idea. Grendel started to spin the wheel faster and faster. The creaking of metal was loud as the Ferris wheel became unhinged, and thanks to the demon it began rolling right towards them.
Dante narrowed his eyes onto the wheel. He noticed a black and red hooded jacket hung on one of the rotating carts.
"And there's my coat"
Without warning, Lady was shoved off to the side as the Ferris wheel approached. Dante effortlessly sidestepped to the left, avoiding the runaway contraption. With the Ferris wheel just inches away from him and somersaulted onto the bars slashing the ones that got in his way with his sword. Then Dante made a jump for his jacket and slipped his arms into the sleeves. He nimbly made his way back down on the pier.
Kat watched Dante`s perform in disbelief. "wow," she mumbled to herself.
The blonde haired demoness was awoken from her slumber. Her eyelids fluttering open, revealing her cold blue eyes. On her left, she spotted Kyle, who was adjusting his tie as he stood in front of a large mirror like a window.
"Good morning, Beatrix." He murmured, catching sight of her.
"Morning, my prince." She replied while crawling towards him in a seductive manner. Before she wraps her arms around his shoulders the devil prince spun on his heel to face her. "Let me get that for you."
He smiled when she helped him did his tie, her lithe fingers working the flimsy but expensive material. She clipped it into place with the pin once she was done and dusted him down.
"You look stunning as usual." said the demoness.
"Did you sleep well last night?" asked Berial.
"Of course, you were there" She answered.
Just as they were going to lock lips once more Kyle's attention was drawn towards his monitors. On one of the TV's, the Ferris wheel of Funland spun halfway across the fairground, destroying everything in its wake. Berial watched the scene play out on the flashing screen with widened eyes.
The trio traveled through the docks until the came across the fun house.
"Hey! through here," said Kat as she slips into the fun house to help lead them away from the pair of demons. She quickly went through not waiting for the other two.
Dante and lady followed suit, entering the establishment. As soon as they passed the threshold, the entrance was closed off by debris. They looked around at all the portraits that decorated its interior. one of the doors opened and tried to scare them.
"Get lost," lady grumbled at it, unamused.
"Oh, shit!" as a wall collapsed revealing the demon's hand. Dante and lady narrowly missed its gasp, and Grendel soon gave up. Once the coast was cleared, they moved onward. It seemed that the further they went into the fun house, the weirder the interior became. The pair came across a huge mirror at the end of the hall. As Dante observed the mirror, it suddenly shattered revealing Grendel's face.
The hunter demon swiped at the two, but Dante and Lady jumped out of his reach before he had a chance to grab them. Then Grendel's hand busted through the wall, attempting to attack them. She quickly rolls away to avoid the hand. Dante drew rebellion and slashed the demon's palm open. He withdrew his hand and retaliated with the other. With a combination of his strength and reaction time, Dante deflected the attack. The maneuver Sent Grendel through the wall, causing some debris to fall on him. The demon regained his balance and smirked at them. With one last look at Dante the demon retreats.
"Yeah, you better run," Dante mocked as he fluffed his jacket.
Before making her way through the funhouse lady felt a draft. she looked down at her pants. then she noticed that one of the demons blades had scratched her right pocket and part of the material off.
"Demon bastard!" Lady bellowed.
Dante smirked when he spotted the mark, "it just a scratch, you're lucky it wasn't your entire leg."
She darted her eyes to him. "You don't understand, These were one of my favorite pair of pants."
After their exchange the to continued deeper into the funhouse. As they came to a room with hanging dolls with bright, wide eyes. The duo spotted a doll in an electric chair being electrified. It released a blood-curdling scream followed by a burst of childish laughter. The older woman rolled her eyes a the display.
Dante shook his head in disappointment. "This place is even less scary in limbo," he mocked. Lady rolled her eyes at him and walked after the young man. They approached a room with giant cogs turning and a door reading Exit at the end of it. Suddenly kat reappeared near the doorway, in her translucent form.
"Quickly this way," she said motioning for them to follow her.
Lady ran towards the exit, with Dante following behind. Once outside the trio scanned the area. They were greeted with limbo,s colorful skies and no demons in sight. Razor rang suddenly came whizzing by, leaving behind destruction in its wake. Out of sheer instincts, both Dante and lady jumped out of the way. When Lady turned around the first thing she noticed was the long white wing that decorated his head.
Dante noticed the look on her face. "What?" he asked, unaware. She pointed towards the mirror next to him. Dante saw his reflection, who stared back at him.
The young man's eyes flickered as his reflection was suddenly replaced with an adolescent version of himself. The white-haired little boy was covered from head to toe in a mixture of blood and dirt. His eyes were in complete shellshock. The longer Dante saw the kid the more his blood began to boil. Before he lost his cool Dante ripped the wig off and tossed it away.
"Not in a million years," he whispered.
All of a sudden Kat reappeared once more. "There's a rift up ahead," the Wiccan informed them as she ran beckoning Dante and Mary to follow her lead.
"A what?" Dante asked as he followed her up the pier to the entrance. Occasionally, pieces of the pier would break off in an attempt to stop them in their tracks.
"It will take us back to the real world," Lady explained. "Well, deal with those two another time."
The trio maneuvered around the rippling boardwalk, trying their best not to fall into the ocean below. Although she was as in shape as her sister, Kat pushed her legs to go faster upon seeing the lit up Goodbye! sign growing closer.
"All most there," kat exclaimed with a weary smile. She looked back with no hunter demons in sight.
The entrance was less than ten yards in front of them. They managed to close the distance at a reasonable pace. With every inch gained, various obstructions that lined their path would explode causing the pier to shake violently. The group wasn't discouraged as they reached the fourth-yard mark.
Before they could advance a further Beowulf dropped down in front of them, blocking their path. A wide wolfish grin appeared on his face. The demon planted his feet in a fighting stance fixed on Dante. As his eye continued to stare down the son of Sparda, Beowulf's smile started to fade as his rage began to boil over.
"Sparda!" he managed to mutter as he tried his best to keep himself in check. "Surrender, Mistress Beatrix demands it."
"I don't surrender especially to a shit demon like yourself," Dante spat.
From a ledge on the other side, Grendel dropped down to join his brother. "Unless you want us to take you back bloody" he added.
"Yall what to fight?" He taunted. The hunter demons grinned sadistically. "Okay then lets fight."
A/N: Heres chapter three. I'm sorry for the long wait life tends to get in the way of my hobbies. Don't like to leave off on a cliffhanger but some times you gotta do things you don't like. Anyways the next chapter will be more action packed but it would be much shorter. I hope yall don't mind. So until next time take care my fellow DMC fans.