Hello again, everyone! Once again, I apologize for taking so long to update, but I hope you find the wait worthwhile.

As always, many thanks to all of you who are following, reviewing, and adding this to your favourites. I hope I continue to entertain you with this story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry, or the characters: they are the property of Capcom. This fanfiction is non-profit, and purely for entertainment purposes, only.

Chapter 10: Wrath of the Demon Overlord

Dante reached the end of the foot path, the half devil motioning the others through the rod-iron gates marking the park's entrance.

Seeing the somber expression on the devil hunter's face as he held up both of his pistols, Patty raised Karma a bit higher, the blonde slowly exhaling as she shadowed the four elder hunters into the square. Her eyes widened at the sight they were met with; more than twenty feet away, about fifty or sixty people stood shoulder-to-shoulder in a circular formation, spiralling inward. As far as Patty could see, every last one of them had their eyes closed. Their postures were stiff, unnatural, their complexions verging on grey.

"It looks like they're in a trance." Trish remarked, resting Ombra over her shoulder as she swept her gaze passed the victims, her blue-green eyes flashing when they landed on something in the distance. Patty followed the demoness' line of sight, shielding her eyes from the soft, orange glow of the setting sun. Seeing several figures skulking around the perimeter of the victims, she let out a gasp, and instinctively went into a half crouch, ignoring the sharp pain in her ribs. She saw Nero drop into the same position to her right, the hunter cursing softly with Blue Rose resting across his left knee.

The demons guarding the victims didn't appear to have noticed them, but Patty knew if the hunters didn't find cover soon, it would only be a matter of time before they were discovered. Glancing at the half devil in front of her, it was clear he was thinking along the same lines. Looking back, Dante put a finger to his lips, and gestured for everyone else to follow him, pointing in the direction of the large, stone statue erected in the centre of the park several paces away.

Patty took in the impressive sight of the knight astride his stallion, sword in hand with his mount rearing on its hind legs. Even after all of these years, she was still in awe knowing that the statue was in fact a tribute to Dante's father, Sparda, for his many battles against his demonic brothers in the defense of humankind.

Watching as Trish and Lady padded after Dante toward the statue, both bending low as they ran, Patty followed suit, hearing the faint swish of Nero's coat along the ground as the part devil trailed behind her.

Reaching the statue, Patty pressed her back firmly against the pedestal, wincing from the pain in her ribs as she chanced a glance around the edge. The guards seemed to be patrolling in groups, idly chatting with one another in their demonic tongue as they walked the perimeter. Narrowing her eyes, she got a better look at them; they were bipedal, all reptilian in appearance, with long, rounded snouts, and sharp, yellowing fangs protruding over their bottom jaws. Dark grey frills adorned their heads, the loose, leathery skin also visible along their forearms and the tips of their tails. They all wore the same dull black armour with silver breastplates, each one of them carrying a short sword in one claw and a brass shield in the other. Their clawed feet were bare, except for the silver shin guards that ran from their knees, down to just before their toes.

"We don't have much time." Patty glanced back at Lady, the female hunter giving Dante an anxious look as she pulled the slide back on her pistol. "Dominus will be here in about half an hour."

"We also don't have time to tiptoe around these guards," Trish pointed out beside her, a strand of hair falling across her forehead as she slammed freshly loaded magazines into her own pistols, "I counted twelve of them. I'm sure we can take them out, easily."

Patty returned her gaze to Dante, the elder hunter nodding his agreement with both women beside him. "I'm right there with you, babes. Okay, stick to the plan; ladies, go at 'em in a pincer formation. Nero, you're with me, and Patty, you're in charge of defense; only use your offensive spells when necessary. Got it?"

The adolescent nodded her head, a tentative smile tugging at her lips as her eyes met Dante's cool blue ones, the half devil grinning back at her.

"Alright then, let's go!"

Patty did as she was told, hanging back behind the others as they went in for the kill, the cacophony of gunfire and clashing steel nearly deafening. The teen watched as three of the reptilian devils lunged at Lady, the female hunter bringing Kalina-Ann around with a flourish, blasting them into nothingness with the custom missile launcher.

She couldn't help smiling when Lady continued on, coolly returning the weapon to its position over her shoulder as she trained both her pistol and submachine gun on two more guards rushing in her direction.

So far, the guards seemed to be far too busy with the more experienced hunters to notice Patty, and if she could help it, it would stay that way. Sweeping her gaze passed Trish and Dante fighting three of the guards together, her eyes locked onto Nero. The part devil was in the middle of an attack, unaware of the devil leaping toward him with its sword drawn as he sliced into one of its cohorts.

Quickly chanting under her breath, she focused her intent on creating a protective barrier, her pendant glowing brightly as a sudden gust of wind whipped around her. A shield of indigo light appeared, surrounding Nero just in the nick of time. The demon guard's sword struck against the magical barrier, causing him to rebound and fall over backward. He gaped up at the part devil in bewilderment, oblivious to the fact that the magical field had been created by an outside source.

And by the looks of it, he won't get a chance to find out, otherwise. Patty thought with a smirk, watching as Nero spun around and sliced the guard clean in half without so much as batting an eye.

Keeping her gun-blade held at the ready, she stayed alert, her gaze flicking over each one of her comrades as they continued their battles, the teen throwing up protective shields when it was most necessary to do so-which didn't appear to be very often, since the elder hunters were more than capable of holding their own.

As she readied herself to cast a shield over Trish, one of the six remaining guards suddenly turned in her direction, his lips pulling back as he let loose with a feral snarl.

"It's the human girl who keeps protecting them," he called to his companions with his sword held high, his voice coming out a gurgling hiss, "stop her!"

Patty watched as the guard began his approach, the demon letting out a piercing shriek as it was struck with a concentrated dose of Trish's lightning. His body fell to the brick path, his armour clanking loudly. The demoness stood behind him with her left arm outstretched, her ruby lips pulling back into a devious smile.

The damage had already been done however, for the five remaining guards turned toward the trainee, their tails swishing back and forth across the ground as their gazes fell on her. Their advances started slowly, at first, but they soon broke into a run, quickly closing the gap between them and the blonde teenager. Looking down the sight of her custom revolver, Patty pulled the trigger, the magically infused bullet hitting the closest guard right between the eyes, throwing him back in mid-jump. He hit the cobblestones with a solid thunk, the body evaporating before Patty's eyes. The teen wrinkled her nose at the foul stench of decay released by the demon's body, sighing in relief when it fully vanished.

Patty's attention was diverted then, as Nero unleashed three savage upward strokes with Red Queen, engulfing the blade in flames as he tore into two of the guards at once, rivulets of green blood spattering the ground. Dante, Lady, and Trish took out the last two, the half devil throwing his sword like a javelin into one, allowing Trish the opportunity to send her lightning along the blade directly into the demon's chest. Lady finished off the other with the bayonet on Kalina-Ann, slicing downward with such force that she had to struggle to pull it out of the ground, afterwards.

Looking around to make sure they'd finished off the last of them, Patty let out a startled gasp when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Glancing back, she nearly sagged with relief, Nero's sapphire eyes meeting hers with a flicker of concern.

"Are you alright?" He asked her, his demonic hand dropping back down to his side as she turned to face him.

Patty gave him a small smile, and holstered Karma. "Yeah, I'm fine. All things considered," she ran a hand gently over her aching ribcage, "that went pretty well."

"It's not over, yet." Nero reminded her, his head turning to indicate the victims still standing in their trance-like state. "We've gotta get them out of here before Dominus shows up."

Patty nodded, and made her way over to the spiral, her eyes widening as she recognized Laura Jennings, the slightly plump woman's head bowed forward with her eyes closed, grey wisps of her hair fluttering in the evening breeze.

The teen was vaguely aware as the last of the sun's rays sank below the fringe of trees lining the park, her eyes adjusting as the artificial lanterns around them flickered to life. Reaching out, she gripped Laura by the shoulders, gently shaking her.

"Laura, Laura! Wake up, please! We need to get out of here!"

There was no response from the middle-aged woman, her breathing continuing on in the same slow, uninterrupted pattern as before.

"We won't be able to evacuate them like this." Trish declared beside her, the demoness' voice betraying a hint of impatience. "It seems the triplet demon lords' powers are still in effect."

"Hey Patty," the teen glanced back at Dante as he strode forward, his arms crossed as he turned his gaze from the victims to her, "what if you used your pendant? Do you think your magic could snap these people out of their trance?"

Patty glanced between the faces of each one of the hunters, all of them sharing the same expression of wary hopefulness. The trainee tilted her head thoughtfully, her gaze returning to the fifty or so people all still standing in the same unnatural posture.

"I'm not sure…I've never done anything like that, before." She murmured, her right hand unconsciously groping at the pendant around her neck.

Nero rested his hand on her shoulder again, the teen jumping slightly at his touch. Looking back at him, she arched an eyebrow in question, the corners of her mouth drawing into a slight frown.

"Well then, I'd say there's no time like the present." The part devil gently squeezed her shoulder, a reassuring smile lighting his face.

Steeling her resolve, Patty gave a stiff nod, and stepped closer to the circle of victims once again. Exhaling, she closed her eyes, and focused all of her energy on creating an incantation that would do exactly what they needed. As a magical gust of wind began swirling around her, she could see the faint glow of her pendant through her eyelids, her ponytail whipping back and forth as the wind started to pick up speed.

Here goes nothing…

As the wind's power increased, so too did the magical energy within Patty's body. She could feel it, the faintest tingle coursing through each limb. As it grew, it seemed to pulse just beneath her skin, ebbing and flowing like water. When the waves of magical energy started to roll off of her, she threw her arms wide, opening her eyes as she directed the purifying energy toward the victims.

The air around her seemed to crackle, the spell she unleashed attaching itself to the wind, forming a faintly glowing cyclone. Despite her surprise at what was taking place, Patty kept focusing on the task at hand, and guided the energy around each person, the cyclone breaking off into many smaller funnels that swirled around them individually.

Green light poured over each of the victims, Patty's pendant blazing the brightest shade of blue she'd seen, yet. She could hear Lady gasping directly behind her, immediately followed by Nero's impressed murmuring.

One by one, the people started coming out of their trances, their eyes snapping open, a few of them falling to their knees as shock took hold. All the while, she kept directing the energy until finally, the last person awoke with a startled cry.

Letting her arms fall limply at her sides, Patty closed her eyes, her limbs trembling with fatigue.

She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, one so familiar she didn't even need to look up to know whose it was; the hand was bigger than Nero's, firmer.

"You did well, Patty. I'm really proud of you."

Glancing over her shoulder, she gave Dante a weary smile. Using him as a temporary support, she leaned back against him, and returned her attention to the victims, grateful when she felt the fingers of both of his hands settle on her shoulders in understanding. Lady and Trish rushed passed them, Nero striding off to the side as he kept an eye open for Dominus' arrival.

Both female hunters began directing the crowd of people back through the park entrance, gently coaxing them forward while still conveying the urgency of moving as quickly as possible. Patty was relieved to see the people putting their trust in both women, the teen smiling when Laura Jennings passed by with her arm looped through the arm of a tall, balding man that could only be her husband.

Patty watched as the people hastened through the gate, the trainee moving away from Dante to stand on her own two feet, as she felt the strength returning to her legs. Dante held onto her shoulders for a few seconds longer, only letting go when Patty squeezed his fingers reassuringly, letting him know she was alright.

Just as Lady was escorting the last group of people through the gate, the air began to undulate, thrumming with a powerful energy that made Patty recoil slightly, the fine hairs along her arms and on the back of her neck standing on end. She glanced over at Nero, the part devil's teeth bared as his gaze quickly flicked around the area, searching for the source of the energy they were feeling. He swung Blue Rose to and fro, his breath coming in fast, shallow huffs as he turned on his heel to scan the opposite end of the park.

Patty felt Dante stiffen behind her, his hands coming up to grip her shoulders once again, an unmistakable growl rumbling through his chest. "He's here."

"Lady, get those people out of here!" Dante barked over his shoulder, the female hunter giving him a curt nod as she escorted the last of the victims through the rod-iron gate, a gun in each hand. With a final backward glance, she disappeared from sight, fulfilling her duty of assisting Trish in evacuating the victims as far from the battlefield as possible.

Nero stood next to the elder hunter, casting a sidelong glance at the half devil as he pulled Rebellion from over his shoulder. Holding Red Queen in a similar fashion, Nero caught Patty's eye, the teen requiring no further prompting as she fell in behind both hunters. It relieved him to have her being so co-operative, despite her obvious reluctance at having them shield her. What he had once mistook for stubborn teenaged pride, he now recognized as unconditional loyalty and protectiveness. It was just fortunate that she understood the magnitude of the situation, and thus still opted to follow orders, overriding her own protective desires.

Nero turned his attention to the swirling vortex of black and white that had appeared in the air no more than eight feet in front of them, the part devil tightening his grip on the modified durandal in his left hand while his right curled into a fist. He ignored the madly thrumming energy coursing up and down his demonic arm, for there was no point in paying it any heed; he already knew what danger approached them.

As a figure clad in black armour emerged through the portal, the Devil Bringer's whitish-blue glow became tinged with red, and for the first time in a long time, Nero had the impulse to hide his demonic arm behind him.

So, this is Dominus.

He was tall, broad-shouldered, with short, feathery copper-coloured hair. Thin sideburns lined the pale, flawless skin of his face, a neatly trimmed moustache and goatee the same shade as his hair accenting his regal features.

It was Dominus' eyes however, that forced Nero to suppress a shudder; where the whites should have been, was charcoal black. His irises were crimson, the black pupils looking suspiciously like the Greek symbol for Omega.

As Dominus took slow, deliberate strides toward them, a large double-sided scythe in hand, Nero instinctively went into a defensive position, unaware that he'd done it at the same time that Dante had. Hearing Dominus' ominous, throaty chuckle, he cast a wary glance at the elder hunter; it was then that he realized they mirrored one another almost perfectly.

The half devil caught his eye, shaking his head almost imperceptibly as if to say, 'Don't let him get to you, kid. Stay focused.'

"I'm sure I require no introduction," Dominus stopped when both Nero and Dante thrust their swords forward, discouraging him from coming any closer, "and suffice it to say, I already know quite a bit about you, heirs of Sparda."

His lip twisted into a cruel smile as his gaze flicked from Dante to Nero, the younger hunter steeling himself as the Overlord's red eyes bore into his own. When Dominus' eyes looked passed him, he heard Patty's stifled gasp, the Demon Overlord beginning to pace back and forth, a hungry expression on his face.

Nero held Red Queen steady, keeping a wary eye in case Dominus tried to pull a fast one on them, his eyes following the Overlord as he strode back and forth.

"And you must be Patty Lowell, descendant of that treacherous human whom enslaved my father more than a century ago. It seems you have acquired his…skill as well." Dominus sneered in disgust, his gaze flicking meaningfully between both hunters once again.

Wait, is he…?

"If you're implying what I think you're implying, you can forget it, jackass." Nero snarled, his right fist clenching more tightly. "Patty wouldn't use her powers on us like that, and nor does she ever need to; we fight beside her because we choose to."

"My mistake then," Dominus chuckled darkly, and abruptly ceased his pacing. "I suppose there's far too much human in you for that to work, after all." There was no mistaking the contemptuous tone of his voice, as his lips curled back to reveal prominent fangs.

He was trying to bait Nero, and the part devil knew it; well, two could play that game. The joke was on Dominus, if he really thought Nero viewed his own humanity as a weakness; clearly, he didn't know as much about him or Dante as he believed, and the young hunter intended to use this to his full advantage.

Relaxing his stance, he observed Dominus with a sneer of his own, and adopted a casual tone. "You know, for a guy who just lost the chance at getting a serious power boost, you're taking it pretty well."

Nero saw Dante stir in his peripherals, the half devil shooting him a warning look when it seemed Dominus wasn't paying attention. Nero widened his eyes meaningfully at Dante, doing his best to convey his plan to the elder hunter without a word passing between them.

He didn't get a chance to see if the message had been received however, for his attention was immediately brought back to Dominus. The Demon Overlord turned away from them, his hands clasped at the small of his back, his double-edged scythe planted firmly in the ground beside him.

"You think to manipulate me into a rage, do you, young one?" His voice was so low that at first, Nero wasn't sure he'd heard him correctly.

His uncertainty vanished however, when Dominus repeated himself, this time his voice ringing out clear and true. His shoulders then began to quake as he surrendered to deep, throaty laughter. The air around them started to pulse once again, as violet energy arced across the Overlord's body, crackling as he began to double in size right before their eyes.

Oh, shit!

Nero watched as two massive, leathery wings unfurled from Dominus' back, breaking through the armour as though it was paper. Clawed feet protruded from his metallic boots, the chain mail on his calves and forearms splitting as the muscles beneath expanded.

Nero met Dante's gaze, bowing his head apologetically; this hadn't been his plan, at all. How could he have been so naive as to overlook the fact that Dominus still hadn't shown them his true form?

Real smooth Nero, He scolded himself, fighting against the instinctive fear clawing beneath his skin. If we live through this, I have a feeling Dante's going to make me wish I hadn't…

That concludes another chapter. I will try to get chapter 11 up quicker, but I can't make any promises. :( Things have been a tad busy, as of late. Here's hoping I can get it done by Wednesday; cross your fingers. Anyway, please review. Concrit is welcome. :)