Avatar: Taste the Blood
Chapter 4
Crossroads and Devil
Well, so far this story's been kinda light on the action, but that's about to change. If you've ever played DMC3, then you know what happens when Dante and Vergil meet up. Things are about to get good!
Underground, below Ba Sing Se, Azula and the Dai Li had taken refuge and began planning their coup. Ty-Lee and Mai were there of course, and Vergil had come for two reasons. The first being that he had a deal to uphold with Azula and he respected her cunning mind just slightly enough to follow through with it, and second because he was still pretending to be on Long Feng's side, and he had requested Vergil watch over Azula anyway. Azula was currently addressing all the Dai Li as he and Azula's two annoying friends stayed back.
"The Council of Five do not trust the Dai Li," her voice boomed, "they imprisoned you leader Long Feng and soon they will turn on all of you as well. They will eliminate you. Seizing power today is a matter of life and death."
Vergil almost cracked a smirk; she was playing into their insecurity well. She was almost as good as him.
"This coup must be swift and decisive. The Earth King and each of the five generals must be taken out simultaneously. Long Feng has placed you in my hands while we overthrow the government. If I sense any disloyalty, any hesitation, any weakness at all; I will snuff it out."
She stopped in front of them and put her hands behind her back. "That is all."
With that, the Dai Li dismissed and Azula returned to the platform. Ty-Lee poured tea into a cup and handed it to her.
"Nice speech Azula, it was pretty and poetic but also scary in a good way."
"Yeah," said Mai, "I thought you were going to make that one guy pee his pants."
Vergil walked past the two girls and poured himself some tea. "You were…adequate."
"There are still some loose ends; the avatar, both of our brothers, and my uncle."
"All minor concerns," replied Vergil, "the avatar is still immature and undisciplined; easily manipulated and defeat-able. Your uncle is old, and while experience comes with age, so does physical weakness. Your brother would be an even easier target, and my brother, while the most dangerous of them all, is still only a temporary nuisance. It's only a matter of time before you have your Kingdom, and I have what I need."
As Vergil sipped down some of his tea, Ty-lee and Mai stood some distance away.
"Is it just me, or is Vergil even scarier than Azula?" whispered Ty-Lee.
"Trust me, it's not just you. Remember, he's the one who go the Dai Li on our side in the first place, and don't you remember how bad he freaked out Azula yesterday. I'm not sure he's entirely human."
Vergil had heard every word, and wouldn't you know Mai was exactly right. Entirely human, he was not.
Later that day, Zuko and Iroh were dropped off at the front of the Earth Kingdom royal palace. The building was grand, with grown, green, and gold outer walls, golden shingled roofs, and the Earth Kingdom symbol over head the entryway. They walked up the path, and Iroh reminisced about his last time in Ba Sing Se.
"Many times I imagined myself here, at the threshold of the palace, but I had always thought I would be here as a conqueror. Instead the Earth Kings personal guests here to serve him tea. Destiny is a funny thing."
Zuko grinned. "It sure is uncle."
As they entered the palace, they were greeted by a guard, who directed them through the palace. They were to be taken to the kings tea house in the palace garden. They were escorted out back and there it was. It was rectangular in shape, with a circular roof, and many shrubs and bushes leading up the white stone walkway.
The pair walked in and sat in the main room. Iroh began pouring tea into an elegant cup, and then waited. Five minutes went by and Zuko was beginning to become antsy.
"What's taking so long?"
"Maybe the Earth King overslept," suggested Iroh.
As Iroh said this, several men in dark green robes and darker hats entered the room and began to surround them.
"Something's not right," whispered Zuko.
"It's tea time."
Zuko looked up, and there stood his sister in Earth Kingdom attire as well, and beside her, a man who looked two or three years his elder with white hair, a long blue coat, and a sheathed curved blade in his left hand.
"Azula!" he shouted.
"Have you met the Dai Li, they're earthbenders but they have this killer instinct that's so firebender; I just love it. And of course, how could I forget my associate; this is Vergil, he doesn't talk much but he's quite clever and deadly when he needs to be."
He merely kept silent, his look suggesting he wasn't even paying full attention to what was happening. Zuko looked over at his uncle, but he was standing calmly and lifting up a cup of the poured tea.
"Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname, 'The Dragon of the West'?"
Azula waved off the comment. "I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote uncle."
"It's more of a demonstration really."
The old man began sipping his tea, but Vergil saw the glint in his eyes. He was planning something; of course, this was hardly his affair, he was merely here to observe, not to act. Whatever transpired was of no concern of his. His deal with Azula was to give her the Earth Kingdom throne, not settle her petty family problems for her.
So he watched with indifference as the old man suddenly spewed fire from his mouth, created an opening in the Dai Li, and burst through the door. Zuko and Iroh ran down the hallway, dodging Dai Li stone projectiles, and Iroh fired a bolt of lightning through the far wall, creating an escape route for the both of them.
Iroh jumped down first and landed on one of the shaped hedges, then looked up at Zuko.
"Come on, you'll be fine!"
"No," he called back, "I'm tired of running, it's time I faced Azula."
The young firebending walked back into the hallway and stared down his sister. She had several Dai Li behind her, but her swordsman friend was no where to be seen.
"You're so dramatic. What, are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?" she mocked.
"Yes, I challenge you!"
She shrugged. "No thanks."
He growled and fired a fireball at her, but the Dai Li rose up a stone slab from the floor and easily blocked it, then fired two stone fists at him, and clamped down on his feet. His right hand fell the ground, and it to was pinned.
He was a sitting duck.
In the Earth Kings throne room, Aang, Sokka, and Toph were finally back and were asking about Katara. Aang had had a vision that she has been captured and was in danger, but according to the king, nothing of the sort occurred.
"Katara's fine, you have nothing to worry about," he assured them
"But…in my vision, I felt so sure that she was in trouble."
The king put his hand to his chin. "Well, she went to the council of general to help plan for the invasion, she's been off with your friends the Kyoshi warriors, and if she wasn't with them, then I'm sure she was with Dante and last he was here, he said he was going back to your apartment."
"See Aang, she with Suki, they're probably back at the apartment right now talking about make-up or something and annoying Dante," Sokka said encouragingly.
"Okay, I guess you're right."
"Trust me, if anything was wrong, Bosco's animal instincts would sense it."
Appa landed down on the city street outside the groups apartment, and the three hopped of him and ran for the door immediately. Just as Toph grabbed for the doorknob, the door opened by itself, or at least it seemed that way until they saw Dante on the other side.
"Hey guys, and twerp, 'bout time you got back. We've got a problem; Katara's practically dropped off the grid."
"What, you mean she's not here with you?" asked Sokka in disbelief.
"Nope, come on in, nobody here but me."
The three walked in past Dante, and he closed the door. The house was empty except for them.
"He's right, there's no one else here."
"I went looking for her after I stopped for a drink yesterday, but I couldn't find her. I stayed out pretty late, and then I came back here for some shut eye. Tried again earlier today; still not a trace at all."
"Katara is in trouble, I knew it!"
"Oh no."
"Wait, someone's at the door," alerted Toph. Sure enough, three knocks came from beyond the wooden door.
"Actually, I know who it is. It's an old friend of mine," she said as she opened the door, revealing Iroh, "glad to see your okay."
"I need your help."
Aang and Sokka stared to freak out, but Dante just walked past them.
"Hey old man, funny seein' you here."
Iroh looked over at Dante. "Hello Dante, I didn't know you traveled with the Avatar, you must be a new addition to the group."
He shrugged.
"You three know each other!?" shouted Aang.
"I met him in the woods once and knocked him down, then he gave me some tea and some very good advice," explained Toph.
"I met him yesterday at his tea shop, and we talked for a while before I went looking for Katara. He's the coolest old guy this side of the Earth Kingdom."
"May I come in?"
Both Toph and Dante nodded. He walked in and turned to them with a grave face.
"Princess Azula is here in Ba Sing Se."
"She must have Katara!" concluded Aang.
"She has captured my nephew as well."
"Huh, so sir Scars-a-lot is in trouble too? This just keeps getting better and better," Dante said sarcastically.
"Then we'll work together to fight Azula, and rescue Katara and Zuko."
"Whoa there, you lost me at 'Zuko'."
"I know how you must feel about my nephew," agreed Iroh, putting a hand on Sokka's shoulder, "but believe me when I tell you that there is good inside him."
Sokka pushed the old mans hand off his shoulder. "Good inside him isn't enough, why don't you come back when it's outside him to okay?"
"Sokka, Katara's in trouble, all of Ba Sing Se is in trouble. Working together is our best chance."
Sokka remained silent, but nodded, submitting to the majority support.
"I also brought someone along who might be able to help us."
Iroh opened the door and stepped out onto their porch. The four young teenagers followed and saw a Dai Li tied up and gagged against the wooden railing. Toph quickly used earthbending and rose him up with two slabs of stone. Iroh moved to him and removed the cloth covering his mouth.
He began talking instantly. "Azula, Long Feng, and this strange swordsman in blue are planning a coup. They're going to overthrow the Earth King."
"My sister!" demanded Sokka, "where are they keeping Katara!?"
"In the crystal catacombs in old Ba Sing Se, deep beneath the palace."
Dante stepped forward just as everyone was about to leave. "You mentioned a guy in blue. What does he look like?"
"H-he has white hair, like yours, and a long curved blade. He never talks while the Dai Li are nearby; it's like he always knows where we are. Some of the agents even think he might not be entirely human, he has such a dark presence."
Dante sighed. "Damn it, he is here."
"Who's here?" asked Toph.
"No one, let's get moving."
Down below the city in the dungeon, Long Feng sat in his cell meditating while conversing with one of his agents. They were discussing the progress of the coup to be, and how everything else was coming along.
"The movements of the Earth King and the generals have been plotted out step by step," said the agent.
"Good, and the Princess is cooperating."
"Yes, more than cooperating actually, she's really taking charge. She's terrifying, but inspirational at the same time. The swordsman is the same; he strikes fear into all the agents, but at the same time instills confidence, like we're invincible if we're near him. It's hard to explain."
With that, the agent turned and left, leaving Long Feng in the dark. Things were getting out of hand from the sound of it. Azula was overstepping her bounds a bit. Luckily, Long Feng had Vergil. Azula was smart, he'd give her that, but it sounded as if Vergil had just as much sway over his men, and he was much cleverer than the princess was.
Yes, with Vergil on his side, Azula was of no consequence.
A few minutes later by bison ride, the five of them were outside the palace, and Toph had her hand against the ground, searching through the earth with vibrations.
"Well, what do ya know, there is an ancient city buried under there, but it's deep."
With a quick swipe of her hands, she earthbent the first of the rock out of the way.
"We should split up. Aang, Dante, you go with Iroh and rescue Katara and the angry jerk, no offense," said Sokka, apologizing to Iroh as the end.
"None taken."
"Meanwhile me and Toph will go warn the Earth King about Azula's coup."
Sokka and Toph quickly ran off to the palace entrance while Dante and Iroh followed Aang as he pushed more and more rock out of the way. It got to the point after a while that it was getting hard to see, so Iroh was forced to light a fire so they could find their way.
Dante always knew the old man had been lying about being refugees. Them being firebenders came as no surprise either, but there were still some questions he wanted to ask. They'd have to wait though, he had Vergil to deal with, and wherever that Princess was, he was sure to be to. As soon as they rescued Katara and Iroh's nephew, he'd be his first priority.
"So," said Aang as they walked further underground, "Toph and Dante say you give pretty good advice, and great tea."
"The key to both is proper aging. What's on your mind?"
"Well, I met with this guru who was supposed to help me master the Avatar State, and control this great power, but to do it, I had to let go of someone I love, and I just couldn't."
"Perfection and power are overrated. I think you were very wise to choose happiness and love."
"Same here," said Dante, "I've seen first hand what power crazy people get like. Not a great crowd to be runnin' with."
Aang still had an unsure expression illuminated by the fire in Iroh's hand. "What happens if I can't save everyone and beat Azula? What if without the Avatar State, I'm not powerful enough?"
"I don't know the answer," said Iroh, "sometimes life is like this dark tunnel, you can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving you will come to a better place."
At that moment, Aang was able to earthbend the last of the rock out of the way and light shone through. The crystal catacombs shined with light and the waterfall at the far end of the cavern sparkled in their light.
Dante just looked between the two. "Okay, did you two time that conversation or something, because there is no way that was an accident?"
Back topside, Sokka and Toph had just finished climbing the steep incline of stairs and reached the top of the palace. They noticed someone walking in their direction, but seemingly hadn't seen them yet.
"There's general How," said Sokka.
He quickly dragged Toph behind a pillar to hide. A moment later, two Dai Li revealed themselves and restrained How's arms, then a third dropped down in front of him.
"What's going on here!?" he shouted.
"You're under house arrest."
Sokka peered out from behind the pillar then turned back to Toph. "The coup is happening right now, we've gotta warn the Earth King."
He grabbed onto the back of her collar and dragged her along.
A few minutes later, the two of them reached the throne room and saw the King sitting atop his throne with Bosco and two of the Kyoshi warriors next to him.
"Thank goodness we're in time!" said Sokka, relieved.
"In time for what?" inquired the king.
"Yeah, what are you in time for?"
The Kyoshi warrior flipped over and landed right in front of Sokka, forcing him to lean back.
"Uh…I'm kind of involved with Suki."
"Who?"
The conversation didn't move any further than that; Toph sent her flying with a quick earthbending thrust. She was able to land atop of the thrones high ornaments, unharmed.
"They're not the real Kyoshi warriors!"
The second fake warrior smirked. "Sorry to disappoint you."
She threw three throwing knives, which Toph was able to block with a stone wall, and then pushed it forward at her, which she jumped over. She was quickly knocked aside by a second rock jutting up from the ground though, and immobilized. Meanwhile, Ty-Lee got back in the game and began attacking Sokka with a cheery set of jabs which he was able to dodge.
"Oh, it's like we're dancing together," she said flirtatiously.
"This fight is over," said a new voice.
Sokka looked at the King and saw Azula keeping hold of him. The water tribe warrior was forced to surrender, and Toph followed suit. Ty-Lee quickly jabbed them both and paralyzed them. Momo attempted to fly off but a Dai Li was able to catch him with a stone fist and he too fell to the ground.
Azula then pushed the Earth King away and he was apprehended by another Dai Li.
"Get them all out of my sight."
She smirked as they were all taken away, but her good mood was soon soiled when she saw Long Feng walk in with a contingent of Dai Li, and Vergil by his side. She knew she was in no real danger, even if the Dai Li –by some unbelievable fluke- had changed back to his side, she still had Vergil, and he was in the perfect position for an assassination at anytime.
"Now comes the part where I double cross you. Dai Li, arrest the Fire Nation princess."
They did nothing.
He turned to them with a look of frustration.
"I said arrest her!"
They still did nothing.
"What is wrong with you!?"
"It's because they haven't made up their minds; they're waiting to see how this is going to end."
"What are you talking about?"
Her expression was becoming more and more confident by the moment. "I can see your whole history in your eyes; you were born with nothing, so you had to struggle and connive, and claw your way to power, but true power, the divine right to rule is something you're born with."
Vergil was suppressing his smirk; he was beginning to think this partnership was a good idea after all. All he had to do was keep his composure until she gave him the signal, which was his name. Once she said his name, he knew what he had to do.
"The truth is, they don't know which one of us is going to be sitting on that throne, and which one of us is going to be bowing down, but I know, and you know," she said as she walked back up to the throne, "and so does Vergil."
That was it. In a flash of movement so fast none of the Dai Li even followed it Vergil whipped out his blade, and rammed it through Long Feng's back, piercing his heart. His eyes bulged from the pain and he turned his head to look at the white haired swordsman.
"V-vergil…why?"
"Simple, she's already given me what I want, and I've just given her what she wants, making you…"
He twisted his blade and pushed it in further, sending spikes of pain all through Long Feng's body.
"…no longer necessary."
He pulled out his place, twirled it twice, and then slid it back into its scabbard. The second the blade hit its wooden home, Long Feng fell, landing in a pool of his own blood. His eyes didn't even linger on the corpse.
"Now princess," he said, looking up at Azula, "I believe you and I each have a family reunions to attend."
Down in the crystalline prison, Katara and Zuko were being kept together. At first, it was a fit of yelling and arguing, but it had settled down now, and they were talking like mature adults.
"I'm sorry, I yelled at you before," Katara apologized.
"It doesn't matter."
"It's just that, for so long now, whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy, it was your face."
Zuko fingered the scar on his left eye. "My face…I see."
"No, no, that's not what I meant," she said, trying to fix her mistake.
"It's alright, I used to think this scar marked me, the mark of the banished prince cursed to hunt the avatar forever, but lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny; even if I'll never be free of my mark."
"Maybe you could be free of it."
He turned to her in surprise. "What?"
"I have healing abilities," she explained.
"It's a scar, it can't be healed."
Katara reached underneath her shirt and grabbed a pendant she had. It was a cone shaped container with blue and white designs.
"This is water from the Spirit Oasis from the North Pole. It has special properties so I've been saving it for something important. I don't know if it'd work but…"
He considered it a moment, and then closed his eyes, accepting the offer. Katara held up the container, preparing to use it when suddenly the wall exploded. The smoke cleared, and Katara saw Aang, Dante, and Iroh standing in the place of it.
"Woo! Nice entrance kid!" complimented Dante.
"Aang!" she shouted, and immediately ran up and hugged him.
"There you two are, we've been lookin' everywhere for ya! Best game of Hide-n-Go Seek ever though."
Iroh didn't waste any time in embracing his nephew, but Dante could see the two glaring daggers at each other.
"I knew you'd come Aang," said Katara, finally letting go.
"Uncle, I don't understand, what are you doing with the avater!?" demanded Zuko.
"Hey, what about me, I'm here to ya know!?" said Dante.
"Saving you, that's what," said Aang, ignoring Dante completely for the moment.
Zuko tried to go at him, but Iroh held him back. "Zuko, it's time we talked."
Then he turned to Aang, Dante, and Katara, "Go help your other friends, we'll catch up with you."
Aang bowed and ran off back to the tunnel, followed by Dante and Katara. The swordsman noticed the girl glanced back at Zuko, but he stayed quiet about it. It was probably nothing.
Once they reached the other end of the tunnel, they were back in the large chamber that they had originally found.
"We've gotta find Sokka and Toph!" exclaimed Katara.
Only a few steps later, the ground in front of the three of them exploded as if suddenly and violently cleaved by a massive blade. Then, out of no where, a blue blur dropped down from above and slowly rose up from its knelt form.
It was a man, a man who looked a lot like Dante. He wore a long blue coat, a curved blade was in his right hand, it blade sparkling in the crystalline light, and the black scabbard on his waist to his right. His hair was slicked back, but his face was identical to Dante's
The red wearing swordsman stepped forward. "Heh, I was wonderin' when I'd run into you. I take it this party was mostly your planning."
"Indeed. I apologize if it wasn't quite up to your standards Dante, but I was just so excited to see you, I…couldn't focus on preparations for the bash."
Meanwhile, Katara looked to Aang for answers, but he merely shrugged.
"Who is this guy?" she whispered to him.
"Dunno, but he seems to know Dante."
"Well whatever; at any rate, it's been a whole year since we last met. How about a kiss from your little brother, or better yet," he said, pulling out Rebellion and pointing the tip at him, "a kiss from this!"
At this point, Katara and Aang both stood in shock. Dante had an older brother and he was working against them?
"Hm, so this is what they call a heartwarming family reunion."
Vergil flicked his blade, and prepared it to be drawn.
"You got that right."
Dante looked over his shoulder at Katara and Aang.
"You two get out of here, you're no where near a match for him. I'll take care of this."
They both nodded and headed off in a different direction, leaving Vergil and Dante to their own devices.
Dante smirked. "Let's do this."
They both let out a roar and charged each other. Their blades clashed and the sound of metal smashing into metal sliced through the air. They continuously slashed and thrust their blades, but each time they were able to block or dodge one another. It was an eternal dance of blades, an endless waltz of swords.
Dante twirled in one direction and Vergil another, their blades slicing around each other. Vergil brought down his katana on Rebellion, and Dante knocked it away, both of them jumping back to gain distance.
They ran forward again, and another furious hail of steel and sparks began. Their swords were but blurs to all who had the fortune to glance over at the battle. After Dante and Vergil jumped back again, Dante glanced back and saw Aang and Katara engaged in a battle between Zuko, and the girl he assumed to be the princess.
He barely had time to roll out of the way when Vergil caught him by surprise with another vertical slash. He recovered and rolled onto his knees, and threw Rebellion over his head, blocking yet another attack from Vergil.
Dante rolled backwards and onto his feet, twirling all the while and sliced with Rebellion. Vergil ducked under it, and his katana bit through Dante's abdomen as he tried to jump to the side and avoid it. The wound wasn't deep, but it was painful until it sealed back up.
Another flurry of dancing blades followed, pushing both brothers to use all their skill and reflexes to try and gain the upper-hand. Vergil teleported back as Dante slashed downward and stuck the ground, smashing the rock easily. As he recovered, Vergil put his katana back in its scabbard and flicked it open three times. Dante knew what was coming and ran as fast as he could.
A number of blue glowing swords, ten to be exact, appeared around Vergil and began spinning around him. With a motion of his hand, they all fired at once. Dante was running at full spend and jumped forward rolling underneath three, then immediately swinging Rebellion to knock away the forth.
He jumped high up, the fifth flying under, and the other five chasing up after him. Luckily, he was falling faster than the swords were chasing, and he was falling right towards Vergil.
"Air mail!" he shouted.
Vergil teleported away, leaving Dante to once again, destroy nothing but rock with his attack. The red wearing swordsman then rolled to the side; letting the last five Summoned Swords embed themselves in the rock before fading away. He hopped back up onto his feet and looked around for his brother.
He looked right and left but didn't see any sign of him. Then he heard the whistle and he jumped back. A second later, the ground exploded like it did before, like it was cleaved. He looked up, and there he was, standing atop a ledge above.
Dante ran for the cliff-face and jumped, them Air Hiked up to a ledge just below him. Another invisible cut slashed through the rock he had been on before he jumped and Air Hiked again, landing right next to his brother.
Their blades met again, and the clang of metal could easily be heard throughout the cavern, even over the roar of the battle below. Dante saw that the Dai Li had shown up and were joining in one the fun. He also noticed Aang wasn't holding up so well, and Katara could be doing better to. Of course, he wasn't doing the best job either.
Their whirlwind of steel stopped ever so suddenly, and their blades locked once more. With a great heave, Vergil was able to force Dante back, and the swordsman dug his feet into the ground to keep from falling off the edge behind him. He took in heavy breaths, he was wearing out and he hadn't landed more than a few scratches on Vergil. His brother was panting as well, but Dante latterly felt like his lungs might collapse.
With a roar, Dante charged forward again, dragging his sword against the rock sending sparks in all directions. Vergil was able to deflect the attack, but Dante twirled his blade and recovered, initiating a close range Stinger attack. The tip of Rebellions blade met the edge of his katana, and Vergil momentarily lost his grip. He caught it again, holding it reversed, and slammed the end of the hilt into Dante's stomach, sending him flying. He made one last desperate slash, but Vergil was able to deflect that as well, and Dante flew off the edge of the rock face, landing on his back. He turned his head and surveyed the rest of the battlefield. Aang had surrounded himself with those weird crystals and a glow was starting to emit, and Katara was close by, several liquid tendrils swirling around her, holding off the Dai Li.
"Dante!" shouted Katara.
He slowly rose knees, gasping for breath, and using Rebellion to hold up his weight.
"I'm okay, just worry about yourself!" he shouted back. Vergil teleported down form the cliff and walked forward slowly. He turned to the Dai Li with a hard look. "Be gone."
They hesitated, which only served to anger an already worked up and frustrated Vergil. "I said be gone!"
With that, swiped his katana in the air, twirled it twice, and then brought it back into a fighting position. He flicked the blade with his finger, and suddenly, every Dai Li agent within the vicinity, the ones surrounding Katara included, lost their heads, quite literally. After a slow breath, Vergil returned his gaze to Dante.
"Why do you refuse to gain power?" Vergil asked suddenly, "the power of our father Sparda."
Dante scoffed as he was finally able to stand up. "Father…I don't have a father, I just don't like you, that's all."
With that, Dante and Vergil met each other again, and locked blades. The force at which they pressed their steel together alone was enough to make sparks and generate head from their focal points. The pushed and pushed until finally, Vergil broke the cycle and flipped his blade under Rebellion, and disarmed his younger brother.
When the broadsword hit the floor, Vergi's katana pierced Dante's stomach. His initial reaction was a violent cough, and he grabbed the blade as tight as he could, attempting to get it out, but he couldn't find the strength, and only succeeded in cutting open his own hands.
His senses began to blur. He could hear Katara shouting out his name, and then shouting to Aang, but it was becoming less her voice, and more just mashed together with all the other sensations that were rushing through him.
"Foolishness Dante," he heard Vergil say, and then pulled him closer, driving the sword further into his body, "Foolishness. Might controls everything, and without strength, you cannot protect anything; let alone yourself."
With that, he pulled his sword free and let Dante fall. Not before taking what he needed from however; the silver amulet dangling from his neck. Dante attempted to reach out for it, but Vergil simply cut his hand against with his katana. Dante hit the floor with a thud, and Vergil stood victorious.
With the amulet in hand he sheathed his blade and picked up Rebellion. As he walked away, he suddenly heard light groans coming behind him; his brother was still barely alive. He turned and ran towards him again, sure enough he was attempting to get up, so he rammed Rebellion through his chest, pinning him to the ground and ensuring his death.
Everything was falling apart, two of her friends were just struck down simultaneously in front of her eyes. Aang shot with lightning by Azula, and Dante impaled by his own sword and by his own older brother no less. No, this wasn't how things were supposed to go.
She rushed summoned a torrent of water and rode right over the Dai Li. She caught Aang in her arms, and then rode the water back to where Dante was. She jumped off the wave and set Aang right next to the swordsman. She looked over him, but she knew he was already dead; no one could survive a sword through the heart like that.
"This could have been avoided if he'd just have joined with me the last time we had met," said Vergil from a short distance away, "a loss, but not an overly regrettable one."
Katara glared daggers at him. "You monster, you killed your own brother, and for what!?"
Vergil actually laughed, and pulled out the silver amulet. "Power; unlimited power."
She shrieked in rage and summoned another torrent of water and threw it at Vergil. A simple flick of his blade, and the water was blown asunder by slashes so fast, not even the sound of the wind being parted could keep up. He teleported directly in front of her, leaving her no room to attack, she was helpless.
"Foolish girl," and raised his blade.
Just as the attack was about to bite into her skin, she heard an explosion behind her, and before she even knew what happened, Vergil was forced several feet back. There stood Dante, his fist embedded in the blade of Vergil's katana.
"Ah, I see a devil has awoken within you as well."
In response, Dante ripped his hand out of the blade, grabbed onto it, and flung Vergil straight into a wall. Meanwhile, Katara looked on at the now risen Dante. He was just the same as before, but somehow different. His had an uncharacteristically rage filled look, and his was emitting a low white colored glow.
What had he meant when he said 'A devil has awoken within you as well'? She soon got her answer; Dante let out a horrifying roar, and the white aura intensified. He transformed suddenly, into…she didn't even know, but it terrified her. He was all red and black, his head had two large horns growing downward over his shoulders, and his mouth was filled with rows of razor sharp teeth. His eyes were onyx black, and held unbelievable pain and malice at the same time.
His yells finally faded, and so did the horrifying transformation. He reverted back to his normal self, and collapsed onto his knees. He fell face first onto the ground, and didn't move again. From the wall, Katara heard some coughs, and then saw Vergil emerge from the dust and smoke.
He glanced down at Dante, then over at Katara.
"Hardly worth the effort," and then he simply strode off, leaving the downed swordsman and avatar in Katara's care. Just when she thought things couldn't have gotten any worse, Zuko and Azula showed back up. They approached her slowly, but were halted when a stream of fire flew in their path. Iroh leaped down in front of them.
"You've got to get out of here; I'll hold them off as long as I can!"
She nodded and summoned a wave of water to carry both her and Dante and Aang. She held onto both as they glided down the underground river, and flew up the waterfall to the surface. They exited out near the palace and then set them both down so she could catch her breath. As she panted and gasped for air, she heard a familiar roar from above.
She looked up and smiled; it was Appa; the King and Bosco were on his back along with Toph and Sokka. The six legged bison landed and Sokka jumped down.
"What happened to them? Where are Iroh and Zuko?"
"No time, we need to get them both on Appa now, I'll get Aang, and you lift Dante!"
He nodded and grabbed Dante, throwing him over his shoulder. With the help of the Earth King, they were both loaded onto Appa. They took flight and headed out of Ba Sing Se. Meanwhile, Katara took out her Spirit Oasis water and spin it around and around until it began to glow. She pulled Aang forward and bent the water into the wound on his back.
It spread out over the wound then faded, and after a moment of being unresponsive, his arrow tattoo's glowed briefly and then faded again. He groaned and cracked his eyes open lightly, then drifted back into unconsciousness. Once she was satisfied Aang was at least out of the red, she looked up.
"How's Dante?" she asked.
"He's breathing and he's got a pulse. In fact, he doesn't even look hurt; it's more like he's unconscious, or even asleep."
Katara looked down with a serious look.
'Dante…what are you?'
Back in the Earth Kingdom palace, Azula sat the in the kings former throne. Zuko stood next to her, his expression was one of uncertainty.
"We've done it Zuko, it's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se."
Zuko looked down at the floor. "I betrayed uncle."
"No, he betrayed you."
She stood up from the throne. "Zuko, when you return home, father will welcome you as a war hero."
"But I don't have the avatar," he argued, "what if father doesn't restore my honor?"
She placed a hand on his shoulder. "He doesn't need to Zuko. Today you restored your own honor."
He remained silent, but was still unsure on the inside. Somehow, he knew she sensed it as well. The silence was broken however, when the throne room's doors were pushed open, and light footsteps echoed through the hall. Azula looked over to the other end of the room and saw Vergil. He was unharmed, but his coat had a few small patches of dirt, and his hair was slightly disheveled.
"Vergil, I assume things with your brother went well," she said, taking her seat back on the throne. He responded by holding out the silver amulet.
"I retrieved what I wanted, what becomes of him now is not my concern."
"So he's dead then?" she asked.
He remained silent for a moment. "Incapacitated perhaps, but not dead; Dante is nothing if not persistent. He will try and pursue me to reclaim his amulet."
Azula smirked from her seat. "If that's the case, then it sounds like even Ba Sing Se wouldn't be enough to keep him away. Perhaps you need somewhere a bit more secure."
"I'm already aware that you are planning to depart to the Fire Nation capitol, and you are asking me to come with you."
"The invitations stands," she offered.
Vergil turned to leave, his footsteps echoing through the room again. "Now that I have my brother's amulet, the Fire Nation would have been my destination regardless."
He turned his head and looked over his shoulder as he reached the throne room doors. "Our collaboration is not quite finished princess; I still may have use for you yet."
With that, the door closed, and Vergil had left the room. Zuko had stayed silent through the entire conversation, and watched in quiet observance. He now stood wondering just which one of them was in charge.
So there we are. Vergil has Dante's amulet, now the only thing that remains is to see what Dante does about it. I can say that they won't be meeting again until The Day of Black Sun invasion, but Vergil will still be popping up in the story, just obviously not as much as Dante.
Anyway, tell me what you thought of the fight and how I handled this litle fiasco and review.