Chapter 13
Searing Wrath
"Alright guys I know this is pain in the ass, but from here on in we've got a new directive," Came the voice of Jim.
Jim was in a back alley of Lantern district four blocks from the docks. In this back alley was a spacious garage which served as a makeshift base of operations for the Cartel, remote and well hidden and normally changing location once a week this place didn't look like it would have ever been touched was it not for the portable generator glowing red energy and the several laptops along the dusty wall.
"What happened boss, I know this kid killed Serventus but..." one man began.
"But the kids a Sparda I know." Jim said rolling his eyes, I've gotten that from the last base I had to give this dam message to, Jim thought as he continued, "Look this order came from the highest point, the entire inner circle is in agreement for this one, all you need to do is keep an eye open and report her should you find her in your territory!" Jim said a bit irritably.
Everyone, human and disguised demon alike shook their heads at this knowing that out of the entire inner circle the human enforcer had easily the shortest temper and arguably the quickest quickdraw.
Just then several sirens were heard outside and Jim couldn't help but smirk. "So I take it someone messed up in covering their tracks?"
"We haven't had a chance to move the base sir," One of the men said very fearfully, "D.U.P patrols combined with the regular cop movements we've been stuck here for two extra weeks."
"Well looks like we've been caught because of that, they're busting in in three seconds, hands in the air people!" Jim said placing his hands over his head in a surrender fashion.
As if on cue a small SWAT team of five people burst through the door weapons drawn and ready to attack.
"Freeze!" the head officer yelled pointing his assault rifle at Jim who stood hands in the air with no supposed resistance.
"I surrender officer," Jim said hands in the air with a look of genuine surrender on his face... or at least the officer thought it was Genuine, acting lessons with a succubus can make one a very convincing actor and manipulator.
"Turn around hands on the wall!" The helmeted officer said.
It was without warning; Jim faster than some would think possible whipped his arms down grabbed his P880 and shot at the ground between all five officers twice. The small explosions were powerful enough to disorient all the officers even for just a moment. That moment was a death sentence as Jim jumped forward pulling his regular handgun from his belt and swiftly shot the officer who had pinned him in the neck.
No one present had the slightest clue how to react a as Jim shot another explosive round towards the officers, this time two combined rounds created dual explosions knocking them all back and before any of them had even hit the ground Jim had already placed bullets from his high powered handgun in all their skulls.
Casually the ex-cop dropped the empty magazine in his P880 and replaced it while the communicator in his ear began beeping.
"Jim did the information given to your areas?" Maketh asked.
"Yeah I got it, oh and uh we're going to need a shadow squad down in the lower lantern district, five SWAT guys just attempted to raid us." Jim said almost dismissively.
"They've been unable to move, right," Maketh responded, "Tell them abandon the warehouse and blend in, I'll get in touch when we can get a new location!"
"Sure thing brother, oh and tell the asshole hey from me will you?" Jim asked.
"I'll be sure to do that," Maketh responded before hanging up.
In the cartel building Maketh sat at his desk working frantically through camera feeds of the city with one hand and his eyes while having his other hand on the phone and computer on his desk, if there is one thing he knew how to do it was multi-task.
"You a demon would allow a human to speak to you in such a manner?" Flare asked raising an eyebrow standing behind the demon watching him get his work done.
"Speak to me?" Maketh asked, "I heard no disrespect towards me, only towards you."
"You and your commanders address him as an equal yet he is a mere human worm," Flare said angrily, "You abandon our lord and you willingly cooperate with humans."
"It is a difference of purpose," Maketh said dismissively knowing it would be pointless to try and debate with the assassin over the values of ruling with the kind heart and instead opting to explain it in a more businesslike fashion, "I keep him happy and he provides information on our enemies, limiting our use of raw force by fighting smart has allowed us to stay off the radar of the devil hunters until now."
"Very well," Flare said sneeringly. Of course he could tell what was actually happening, this fledgling had grown to have emotions that wouldn't fit a servant of the Devil King, the sooner I get to gut these fools the better.
Flare at this point began walking away, "I shall be waiting for your trail of the child." he said.
"Hang on, we don't have any telepath capable demons among us," and with that Maketh reached into his desk and tossed the demon an ear piece. "Place it on your ear I shall send you word so we don't have to hunt for you as well."
Flare gave a sneer as he pocketed the object and walked away determined to do more than sit and watch the Fledgling do his work, after all he knew Maketh wouldn't dare oppose him with Lord Mundus at his back.
Oh how wrong Flare was in that moment. for the moment Maketh was positive his self-appointed boss was gone he swiftly opened up another window on his computer and began searching files on Evalena hoping against hope he'd find something he might be able to use against Flare.
"Seems that new mole was helpful in more than one way," Maketh said to himself as he began looking through the D.U.P file on the girl in question. One thing stood out to him and that was the name of one of Evalenas affiliations, Jennifer Anderson, daughter of the CEOs of Blades Edge Industries, a military supplier working on all kinds of powerful technology and as Maketh knew lead by two people who had as little love as anyone for demons.
"So it seems you've got friends in high places don't you girl." Maketh said as he began looking into the file on Jennifer, more on a limb then any real hunch. However the moment he discovered that the young girl in question was in Seattle Maketh knew he had at least something on his hands. "Bait perhaps, maybe as a hostage we can get the parents to give us some powerful weapons or... wait a second."
Maketh began scrolling through the times Jennifer had been seen on camera and with his keen eye the demon kingpin spotted something some would overlook, "Every time she passes anything anti conduit she gets anxious and covers those bracers... rich parents with scientists like the Blades Edge techs behind them..." and with that a plan began hatching in the demons mind even as he dialled the phone number belonging to Salen.
Yet as the Demon Kingpin made his arrangements and began setting the stage for his crazy plan back at the Space Needle Delsin was launching himself through a satellite dish towards the top intent on investigating the source of the earlier explosion.
Eugene had picked up the call through the D.U.P communications telling about an unnatural force of lightning striking the Space Needle, normally they'd be over it in but a minute or two but thanks to Delsin, Evalena and Fetch not to mention the Dark Blades the D.U.P presence was cut off from a good dozen blocks around the Space Needle so it would take a bit longer for the patrol to be sent out.
Long enough for Delsin to get in and out, or at least he hoped so.
Landing in a kneeling position on top the Space Needle Delsin looked around and one thing caught his eye. Lying with her arms outstretched and surrounded by a pool of what was unmistakeably blood was Evalena. It was a horrifying sight one that made Delsin fear the worst.
"Eva!" Delsin yelled running towards his friend and kneeling right next to her and desperately feeling for a pulse on her neck.
Evalena at this point let a groan escape her lips as her eyes began opening. "Oh hey Delsin," She said pushing herself to her feet and clenching and unclenching her fists as if adjusted to something.
"What the hell! Eva are you okay?" Delsin almost yelled his panic very evident.
"Okay?" Evalena asked looking up at Delsin with a wild grin forming on her face, "I'm great! Devil hunter 2.0!"
Delsin was at a complete loss, he knew absolutely nothing of what was going on with his friend, but whatever it was had certainly gotten her excited with a look on her face that reminded him of when he had first absorbed a Core Relay.
"So what happened? Delsin asked.
Eva opened her mouth to answer but before any words came out she stopped and allowed the grin to return as she glanced at the air behind the Leach Conduit. Of course the reason for this was demons; a swarm of wild Blood Goyales had been attracted to the power surge.
Flipping Alastor off the ground, Eva caught the now electrified weapon in her hands and began holding it out towards the creatures. "Give me a second Delsin, I got some energy to burn," and with that Evalena jumped.
While in the air she sliced her way through the first Bloodgoyale sending it splattering down and then swiftly sliced through two more that attempted to attack her. Summoning a platform under her feet Eva jumped out of the way of another attack pulling Justice from her back and sending several bullets at two more.
Delsin both unsure if he could shoot without hitting his friend and just generally spellbound at watching the seamless motions of the Devil Huntress, fighting with a fury but at the same time a grace that he couldn't help but watch despite the gory nature of it. While jumping off of the head of one of these Blood Goyales Evalena threw her sword like a javelin impaling the rest of the demons before the sword embedded into the edge of the Space Needle.
Summoning one more purple magic platform beneath her Evalena jumped back towards the needle and gripped her sword pulling it from the Space Needle before landing with a summersault. She got to her feet from the kneeling position placing the electric blade on her back as she did so all the while grinning like a madwoman.
Delsin had to blink himself out of a slight dumfounded state before he was able to say "Show off!"
"And you couldn't keep your eyes off the show," Evalena said grinning and crossing her arms.
Delsin rolled his eyes. Yep she's fine, he thought even as the approach of helicopters became apparent to the eardrums of both the hunter and the conduit.
"You feeling up to taking on the D.U.P and your cousins?" Delsin asked somewhat rhetorically.
"We're good but not that good, come on!" Eva said running towards the opposite direction of the tower. Delsin was about to take to his Digital wings but before he could Eva had grabbed him by the arm and transformed into her newfound demon form and taken flight.
"What the!" Delsin said looking up almost horrified at the sight of the demon currently carrying him by the shoulders. "What the hell? Oh shit you better explain this when we land!" he yelled.
Eva couldn't help but grin at her friends' response even as she flew making sure they were a good distance from the Needle by the time the D.U.P investigators showed up.
Meanwhile Maki having just woken up from her recovery was walking into the control room intent on having a word with the scientist of the Dark Blades. The scientist in question was already back to running tests on the blood Vergil gave her when she heard the door open.
"What is it Makil?" She said not even turning to see her instead keeping her focus on the mixture she was creating, this one a solidified agent that gave off a form of radiation she had dubbed the Nova Rays, more so for lack of creativity.
"Why are we helping that demon?" Maki said simply but scathingly.
"Why is this an issue now?" Catrina asked having heard none of this from the mercenary since she had taken on this mission a month ago.
"We've been spending all of our time getting to the kid and now he has succeeded in the mission he told us about, who's to say he won't go full demon on us now and stab us in the back," Maki said raising her voice now.
"He won't," Catrina said still not turning from her experiments if anything give an air of disinterest to the cyborgs concerns.
"You'd want to believe that," Maki said with her anger becoming more and more prevelant, "If I didn't know any better I'd say the reason you aren't as mistrusting of him as I am of him is because of some warm and wet feelings in your vagina!"
Catrina chuckled at this finally turning to the mercenary, "Is that the best response you can come up with? Look I know of Vergils past, while not the most whole hearted person in the world there are two things that can be relied on and that is his hatred of Mundus and his code of honour."
"I'm sorry but he's attacked his own niece and killed dozens so far in cold blood, and he's got you under his thumb making all your weapons!" Catrina retorted.
This was the point where Catrina raised her hand, casting a spell that temporarily shut down Catrinas vocals allowing herself the moment to speak "Maki, despite what you think there is no infatuation between me and Vergil, I work with him because our motives align, now if you don't trust my judgement then maybe you shouldn't have trusted me with your body for your augmentations!"
"Are you threatening me?" Maki asked angrily taking a move for one of the daggers at her hip.
"No, I'm just stating a fact you, trusted me with your body now have a little faith in my judgement calls," Catrina said.
Maki just sighed, truly there was still some demon hunter left in her, "Fine, we'll do it your way now Witch but the moment he double crosses us my blade goes through your heart after his!" and without waiting for a response Maki turned and walked away.
Catrina sighed and turned back to her work regretting how that discussion had to end.
Maki and her had been great friends for a long time having met 10 years prior when Catrina had gone to study the arts of the demon hunter clan Maki had been a part of since birth and her adopted brothers a majority of their lives. This clan had been destroyed by an incredibely powerful and cunning demon leaving only four surviving members of the clan. Because of this past Catrina had known it would be inevitable that the other warriors working with her would eventually grow uneasy working with the half demon Vergil.
The scientist tried to push these thoughts from her head as she turned back to her microscope analyzing the blood beneath it. That is when she realized something was very wrong... this blood had no magical properties whatsoever.
"Hang on," she mumbled to herself as she took a closer look at the crystal she had formed to produce the radiation she was using on the blood.
Taking one of her fresh samples and putting it under the scope it was clear that the flowing energy she had been trying to analyze was still there, but not in the sample she had had under the radiation.
A light bulb was shining like a sun in Catrinas mind as she realized what this must mean. The scientist whooped for Joy completely awestruck at the sheer chance of discovering this. The Nova radiation had whether temporarily or permanently shut down the magical energy in Vergils blood, a theoretically impossible feat.
This is perfect, Flare you're about to face the wrath humanity has to offer Catrina thought already moving to prepare for a more practical test of this complete chance discovery.
Meanwhile as Catrina began her work on her new weapon just outside the lab Vergil was in the training room slicing his way past hardlight constructs created by Eugene.
"That'll be enough Eugene," Maki said walking up from behind him from the observation deck.
"Uh," Eugene said unsure.
"I need to have a word with Darkslayer, go up top and grab some coffee or something," Maki said calmly while opening the door into the training room.
Eugene having no desire to be around when these two hardened killers had their 'talk' transported himself into the digital realm traveling at high speeds to reappear elsewhere.
Maki meanwhile stepped towards Vergil who was simply sheathing his sword. "You wanted to speak with me?" The blue devil asked.
"I did," Maki responded angrily. "I want you to tell me, what your plan is."
"I'll explain that at the next meeting," Vergil said turning his back on the mercenary.
Maki grit her teeth in irritation as she pulled one of her swords out and pointed it at the demon, "I mean your plans to betray us! Maybe it's getting your niece to flank us when you make your move?"
Vergil turned to the mercenary now not flinching at the blade pointed at him, "You think I will betray you based on my being a devil, then why did you join this operation in the first place?"
"Lesser of two evils," Maki responded scathingly, "Now answer the question,"
"Despite what you think I have no intent on betraying you all, I have no intent on staying once your assistance is no longer needed but you'd hardly consider that backstabbing would you?" Vergil asked still showing no emotion, something that on its own was irritating the mercenary to no end.
Maki pursed her lips, "Well then if you won't tell me then I guess I'll make you show me!" and without warning the cyborg threw one of her daggers at Vergil who swiftly unsheathed his sword slicing the projectile away. Using the projectile as a distraction Maki pulled her second sword from her back and clashed her dual long swords against Vergils Katana. Vergil pulled away from the attack before placing his weapon into an attack position before unleashing a stream of attacks on Maki who blocked every single one with her dual blades.
Switching seamlessly between styles Maki inverted the grip on her swords while parrying one last hit between the two weapons. With the inverted grip and her superior strength Maki trapped Vergils blade between her own before reaching out and kicking the hybrid square in the chest making him lose his grip on his sword.
Skidding backwards Vergil looked up just in time to see his opponent running towards him intent on getting an easy attack to finish him off, this would prove harder than anticipated however as Vergil dodged around the first strike and unleashed a powerful and precise stream of unarmed punches and kicks on Maki, imbued with his own demonic magic the attacks disoriented the cyborg long enough for Vergil get back his sword and hold it out towards Makis throat.
"Stay down!" Vergil said sheathing his sword and walking away from Maki.
Maki once her opponent was gone grinned, even if he thought he had won she knew otherwise, from the attacks Vergil used against her she had in her mind deciphered most if not all of the blue devils fighting styles. Armed with this knowledge she knew she'd more than have the upper hand next time they fought.
Yet as the anger fuelled duel between the blue clad devil and the cybernetic devil hunter was going on back on the surface Jennifer was out on her own in the busier part of downtown fingers flying along her cellphone trying to find her friend who had recently blocked her number.
"Dammit Eva don't do this to me!" Jen said looking around realizing she was hopelessly lost at this point. The young hidden conduit was getting more scared by the minute. The D.U.P were taking people more and more and demons had begun fighting with magical lightning striking the Space Needle. What did I get myself into, Jen thought to herself as she miserably reached her arms around her chest and held herself tightly.
Jennifer in this state passed the entrance to a back alley and for some reason she couldn't explain was urged to turn her head. Standing there in the shadows almost out of sight was a large man, muscled with what looked like red skin; Salen leaning against a wall caught the green eyed girl in his captivating gaze.
Almost completely unaware of what she was doing Jen gave into a compulsion to go and greet the figure.
"Hello love, what's your name?" Salen asked running his hand tenderly across Jennifer's cheek.
"Uh, Jennifer," Jen said slowly getting her senses back as she had lost herself in what she felt as a comforting gesture, something she really wanted more of and found herself ensnared by the thought of it.
"Alright Jennifer," Salen said bringing his hands down to her upper arms, "Would you care to join me, Company may allow you to dry the unfallen tears in your eyes."
Jennifer smiled finding herself agreeing already feeling her worries leaving her mind in the caress of this man.
"I would love to," Jennifer said finding the fingers of her right hand intertwining with Salens left as he began leading her away.
Sometimes business and pleasure can mix Salen thought.
Meanwhile Down in the eastern side of the Lantern District Fetch was standing over the body of a dead demon, a large centaur like thing with her arms crossed. Draydon the Banshee stepped back as well a grin on his face as he also stepped back from what was a pile of corpses created by his sonic canon.
"So what do you think that lightning was, a conduit?" Fetch asked glancing over into the distance.
"Doubt it, the only known electricity conduit powerful enough to conjure lightning hasn't been alive for 7 years," Banshee responded.
"Cole McGrath," Fetch said nodding in understanding. "Anyway you promised me some answers so spill, what you are all doing in Seattle."
"I did promise you answers," Draydon said nodding, "alright well truth is we're a group of freedom fighters, demon or human we deal with tyrants."
"Really? that's it?" Fetch asked crossing her arms.
"Yeah pretty much, your friend kind of jumped at our leader Darkslayer because of his… eh, lack of respect for life but aside from brutal tactics we're in this with you guys."
Fetch nodded buying this story at least enough to not attack the cyborg in front of her.
"Okay well if you're telling the truth then I guess we'll see you around," Fetch said turning away from Draydon and beginning to walk away.
"We'll meet again then," Draydon said nodding beginning to walk away in the opposite direction and through a portal opened by Catrina.
Only about a minute later as Fetch was fleeing the scene of the small demon genocide she had wrought with the help of Draydon her cellphone began ringing.
"Yeah," Fetch asked.
"Hey Fetch you okay?" Came Delsins voice.
"Yeah, Ijust finished dealing with some of those demon dealers with one of those cyborgs why?" Fetch asked.
"Hang on," Came Evalenas voice something that told Fetch she was in a conference call with the third member of Team Freak. "Didn't try to attack you?"
"Uh yeah, seemed pretty chill, at least towards me, the demons..." She said glancing out at the chaos they had wrought, "Well we were on the same page," she concluded.
"So he made sure you were distracted," Evalena said contemplatively.
Fetch opened her mouth to speak but just then she felt a pair of eyes upon her, activating her neon sight power she looked around and sure enough someone in black armour was watching her.
"Guys... get down to 4th... now!" Fetch said right before a blast of electricity was sent her way by the person in question which she swiftly dodged with her endless speed power dropping her phone in the process.
Fetch reformed and began sending a rapid volley of lasers at Grimblade but the mercenary threw out his hands and created a protective barrier of electricity harmlessly absorbing all the attacks.
"Predictable," Grimblade said when Fetch ceased her attacks only to charge a neon wave. As the wave was sent from her hands Grimblade jumped into the air right over the attack and swiftly pulled two handguns from his armour shooting at Fetch before landing.
The bullets landed in her chest making her take a step back before blasting the electric conduit with her neon missiles. The concentrations of the gaseous element zoomed towards the mercenary but each one exploded prematurely when they connected with lead as Grimblade used his impressive quickdraw to shoot them down.
It was at the where a large mass of light could be seen floating towards them. It was a saucer like mass of yellow that descended from the ground revealing Kyrie and Nero no top of it landing right next to Grimblade.
Fetch glanced around trying to find an out only to find that thankfully her backup had also shown up, Delsin and Evalena both landing on the other side of the trio.
Even without the energy flowing in the hands of the present conduits and guns in the hands of the present demon hybrids the tension in this situation would have been palpable. Nero met Evalenas eyes and both knew what was about to happen.
"Oh shit," Both Evalena and Nero whispered so no one else would hear.
A/N -I leave you guys waiting just to give you my biggest cliffhangar for this story, in my defence I leave you the cliffhangar because I don't know where else to go and finding out where to go with this would have left you guys waiting even longer, so win lose I guess.
Anyway what do you guys think? Seems Maki working with Vergil was always a tenuous pact, and on that note I have a bit of an announcement.
I would like to hear from you guys, I have two stories I'm planning on writing and both are prequels to this one and while both will be written I want to write them one at a time so as to not pack my plate with more than I can chew, each one is the same length, roughly 7 chapters the same length as one of these chapters.
Smoke and Steel: Curse of Age - This is a story is about a destroyed clan and how it is not so easy to walk away from the warriors life, Maki and Grimblade fighting for much different reasons are friends and allies once upon a time, this story will fill in the gaps with appearances from Catrina and Makis adopted siblings Draydon and Julius, these five will have their backstories revealed in this story.
Smoke and Steel: Ashes of Avarice - the tale of demons unable to walk away from their demonic nature of greed and all that is evil but still able to learn a degree of humanity from the mistakes of their former master. This story details the rise of the Cartel and will show the backstories of all the inner circle, Maketh, Lilith, Salen, Valkyr and Jim.
There is a poll on my profile of which you'd like to see first, ultimately it's all about which side you find more interesting as both should have the same quality of writing to them and I as the writer have no bias I can think of towards either of these groups.
And with that out of the way I take my bows
Until Next Time Ashbringer36 Out