((Warning: The following chapter is rated M for me not knowing the extension of the teen rating. So I apologize now for any confusion or problems you may have.))

In Time & Space

Nero drunkenly awoke suspended in the air by the shackles on his wrists and feet. As his weakened, exposed body twisted back and forth he noticed torches circling the chamber walls. Behind him was a doorway sitting a few feet away from an altar evenly placed with various blades.

"You've finally waken," a soothing voice called. Nero was already turned around voiding the appearance of the woman's voice.

The dark green haired woman slowed her pace from the darkness of the doorway towards the altar of weapons before her, the length of her hair complimenting her curves. The slant of her hazel blonde eyes complimented the three slits under both, each open to a red scale-like texture.

Her outfit of choice further boasted her beautiful frame, mocking that of a mortal sultriest the devil appeared in a black, see-through gown. The garment was sent hanging from her body being split along her arms and legs as the flesh of her body danced within the cloak.

As she walked the split of her gown opened to show an insignia burned onto her leg. While appearing as a scar of four lines, the second was broken and the third broken into three. It was split from the top right corner to its left bottom corner by a dotted line.

Nero was too disoriented to speak back as the sorceress placed her hand into a four-fingered brace imaging bladed nails, "Aeolus has given you to me, to play with for a while. I hope you don't mind."

The heat of the room caused sweat to run down Nero's chest, his platinum hair already drenched. The dull vision of his crystal blue eyes clarified for a time but continued to fade out as he tried to stabilize his head. The usual glow of Nero's demonic arm was dark & void as if it were in an inactive state.

"You could continue to try and liberate yourself, however, the poison in your system won't give you much assistance in that task," the woman relayed. "I'm sure when you're able to talk you'll want to ask me some questions so you may address me as Divas…"

The newly announced devil walked from the altar tapping her claws as she strolled away. Divas smirked as she came to Nero's body and proceeded to wrap her arms around his shoulders. As her chest precisely rubbed along Nero's back his face fill with disgust. Taking the blades of the hand-brace Divas drove through the skin of Nero's chest allowing his blood to flow across her hand.

The sudden rush of Nero's blood excited Divas greatly. A sensation of lust for his body gleamed in her eyes as she raised her fingers to enjoy the taste of the devil knight's blood.

"Yes," she hissed, "I remember the taste of Sparda's blood o' to well. You are definitely his son." Divas face aligned with Nero's leading their eyes to finally meet. "You know, it wouldn't be out of the question for you to take a demon bride," Divas smile got greater while Nero's eyes mirrored surprise.

While she spoke, Divas brace-less hand tempted Nero with the gentle caressing of the wounds she inflicted. Her other hand made an objective to massage his own blood over his face. She finally ended her harassment by latching onto Nero's chin in his attempt to look away.

"Sadly, I can smell the stench of that mortal cunt all over you," the devil snickered at her comment, "could this perhaps be love. I suppose it wouldn't matter, I mean even Sparda had his fair share of wenches. Or maybe I'll just reproduce on my own using your body."

The temptress rotated around Nero picking up his face as blood continued to run down his body. As Divas entered closer her lips met with Nero's creating an awkward moment of silence. But the intense atmosphere was soon shattered as two single-pronged sai came darting through the air. The first 

broke the chains against the ceiling which bound Nero's arms leaving the second to impale Divas skull flinging her to the ground.

The source of the attack revealed itself as Trinity standing poised within the doorway. She ran to assist Nero's fallen body showing the most concern she's ever shown before. Turning him over on his back, Trinity placed her hands slightly over his wounds. They began to radiate with a magenta light as Nero's wounds started to heal in the reverse direction he was cut.

Almost immediately the holy knight regained his composure. The light of his demonic arm remained dormant but its inhuman strength seemed to be back as he used it to break the remainder of his shackles.

"Are you alright?" the unknown mother asked.

"Why did you save me?" Nero replied gripping the devil arm with concern.

"Nero…" Trinity started to confess but Nero yanked her by arm positioning her behind him.

"Stay back," he commanded whilst the fallen Divas rose to her feet pulling the sai from out of her forehead.

The blood ran down the she-devil's face as she started insult Trinity, "You treacherous bitch. Have you forgotten your place so soon?" Her hand, still within the brace, bent the blade of the sai dropping it to the ground. "He is the key to breaking this cursed seal or have you forgotten that was the reason you initially joined Aeolus, to free him from his prison."

Nero looked back at Trinity not that much surprised by Divas comment.

"Where are my weapons?" Nero asked looking to solve the confusion of the situation in his own way.

"There was no time to search for them, but Aeolus has stolen Yamato," Trinity answered looking at Nero's arm as if it held no more power.

"Fine, I guess I have to do this the old fashion way." Nero walked towards Divas cracking his knuckle.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to hit a woman?" Divas taunted still excited by Nero's chest stained by blood.

"Lucky for you I don't have one of those," Nero responded causing Trinity's eyes to shift with doubt.

Suddenly, her hand reached out to Nero's stopping his momentum, "I'll take care of this."

"What?" Nero turned in astonishment, "Sorry but you asked me to take care of these devils so I will."

The amount of devotion Nero demonstrated returned Trinity's eyes to their former coldness, "You fool how do you expect to defeat a devil such as her in your current state?" Trinity stepped pass Nero's guarding arm, "Just a few minutes ago you could barely hold yourself together."

"Ha-ha," Divas began to chuckle only for it to turn into an outcry of laughter, "What makes either one of you believe you could possibly take me on?"

The shocked devil's hair began to rattle as she ran her hand down the length of it. Seemingly out of nowhere a large rattle snake slid out to the ground stretching out as far as six feet. Divas reached down to the snake as it stiffened into the form of a staff and held the form of a martial artist.

"Come on, I'll take you both on," Divas taunted.

Not waiting for a reaction Divas rushed to attack Nero, shooting the head of her staff pass Trinity's head. As it reached Nero the staff's head reverted back to a snake ready to strike. Instinctively, as her eyes radiated with a magenta sheen, Trinity used her powers to slow time.

Grabbing the staff, Trinity attempted to toss Divas only to find time regain its flow and Divas twisting body tossing her towards the wall. Unable to react to the sudden shift in time Nero was met by the rattle of the staff in his stomach which exploded on contact, tossing him back next to Trinity.

They both stood readying for the next assault but Divas had already discarded the staff laughing at their efforts.

"You're getting in my way," Trinity said looking at Nero, "You have to leave, now!"

Nero hesitated but finally agreed, "Okay, I'll let you women settle your problems. But you better survive Trinity, we still have unfinished business."

Nero turned to leave but was stopped by Trinity, "Wait, take this." She took off the pendant she coveted in front of Leviathan and handed it to Nero. "Before your mother entered this world she poured all of her power into this pendant."

"My mother…" Nero thought, "Trinity who are you?"

"It's useless for me to try and use but perhaps you can awaken its power," Trinity continued. "And perhaps your defiance of space could be assisted with the ability to shift time."

Nero and Trinity's eyes met with confirmation before the knight left towards the exit.

"Where are you going?" Divas asked extending her arm to an aim at Nero.

A sparkling green static transpired from her hand into the form of an energy ball that she pushed towards Nero. But once again Trinity's power slowed time enough to intercept the attack with a dagger hidden underneath her pants leg. As the dagger shattered the energy ball it flew pass Divas' face cracking through her skin revealing more of a red reptilian scale.

"Survive…" Nero said finally parting from Trinity.

"Look at here, we're finally alone and the succubus bitch starts to fall apart," Trinity mocked Divas who had just witnessed the shedding of her skin. "The kids are gone so go ahead and release this pseudo."

"You dare to insult me by demanding my demonic form," Divas questioned, "fine. I will make sure to give your regards to Sparda if I leave enough of you for a funeral."

Thus, the transformation commenced as Divas human guise broke away from her face. Her former shell of a body fell over as the immensity of Divas true form slithered around the room. Her new image took the form of a large anaconda, red in skin with the same insignia from her leg repeating across her form in a mixture of black, green and yellow. The green hair she favored so much extended to the tail of her body, which in itself was long enough to encircle the room blocking off the entrance.

"You will not escape me," The hissing devil spit her horns curving to the extension of her face.

Looking at her now disastrous situation, Trinity readied herself finally noticing the key to her victory. Divas snapped towards Trinity crashing through the altar as she did so but was easily avoided. Sparda's mistress' eyes shined as they usually did and her aura pulsated around her.

"If I take this form it may be for the last time…" Trinity thought, "So this has to be perfect."

Suddenly, Trinity's aura twisted around her forming a sphere around her body and instantly released an outburst of energy throughout the room causing the torches to fall upon Divas' body.

"What's this?" Divas cried as she attempted to toss the flames off her mane of hair. Before her was a sight that hadn't been held for over two millennia, Trinity's demonic form.

Being the second to Sparda's forces showed as Trinity's form mirrored his in a feminine likeness: shorter, with a violet texture to her reptilian skin and two single horns curving from the left side of her head off the right. The rims of her armor-like flesh were golden in color and the crown on her head was red.

"Accelerate Execution!" Trinity yelled. In that moment the field around Divas started to shift rapidly and the flames consumed her as if time were speeding up.

As Divas body burned in the onslaught of time Trinity's aura slowly dissipated. Soon after the blankets of time shifts faded out causing the burnt head of Divas to fall beside Trinity now in her demon form.

"You dare insult me without knowing the extent of my power," Trinity mocked turning to the carcass of Divas body blocking the exit.

"If I die here you will die with me," Divas managed to murmur as her eyes quickly opened with an intense glare focused on Trinity.

The insignias across Divas' body lit up with a burning light simultaneously with her piercing eyes. Trinity looked back to see Divas entire body now radiant then ran towards the exit not knowing what to expect. But in her attempt to escape, Divas swept Trinity to the ground with the whip of her burnt tail.

All of a sudden Divas body exploded sending an echo of flames through the tunnel Nero went through earlier. Nero looked back through the entwining tunnels after hearing the rumbles behind him. As he worried about Trinity the tunnel directly behind Nero brightened far greater than the torches could light them. Suddenly he was jerked into another tunnel by a face he didn't recognize.

"Hey kid, you alright?" the figure asked tossing Nero the Red Queen and Blue Rose.

The way the figure talked to him reminded him of Dante, so relaxed. The inferno had already passed and the light of next torch was to dim for Nero to make out his savior's image as he walked away.

"You can find the rest of your clothes if you take the upper left path. It's a slight detour from your goal, however, there are only two devil lords remaining." The voice echoed leaving Nero to his thoughts.

"Now I have to figure out who just saved me on top of finding who Trinity is…and if I only killed two of the devil lords, who killed the other three? Could Vergil be making his move or is someone else on this island." "Damn this," Nero yelled, "I'm too young to be wrapped in this life of mystery.

Will Nero find out the truth about Trinity? Who was it that returned Nero's weapons, guiding him to his next destination? Furthermore, will Vergil and Nero ever meet?

Continue R&R and find out…