Arfoire gave Taven credit, he was determined, and his attacks managed to come close a few times, even clashing with her staff. However, he was suffering the side effects of her poison.

What poison you ask? Well, it wasn't poison in the regular sense. The sword she had used against the brat's father did more than absorb his power. Knowing these demon brutes, they likely clashed a few times with their blades, and with Taven's unique heritage, every time the katana made contact with his flesh, it forced his demonic blood to come to the fore, and thus caused his Exorcist power to fight against it, to the point that it was practically a disease.

With his body slowly destroying itself from the inside out, worsening whenever he drew on his power, Arfoire had no real worries against fighting him. However, not everything went to plan. With the sword enhancing demonic traits, she didn't expect the older brother to actually 'protect' Taven. Hell, he should have snapped by now and killed his younger brother.

Perhaps Taven's power acted as a suppressant, slowing the effe-!

Her train of thought was interrupted when Taven nearly bisected her with his sword, her staff catching the blow and causing her to skid back on the stone floor. Gritting her teeth, she ignored the feeling of her bones shaking and prepared herself as Taven was on her again.

The clang of steel echoed throughout the cavern as he pressed her back with a swift combination of slashes and thrusts, designed to knock her off balance and take away her ability to use her magic.

A moment later, his assault actually managed to break through her defense and he managed to graze her arm with his sword, causing her to cry out as the wound did more than sting, the fire within the blade causing the wound to burn as she fell on her back.

Taven raised his blade to finish her off, but was halted when he suddenly fell under a violent coughing fit, which caused him to stumble, and Arfoire to smile. Right on time.

Thinking fast, she kicked out and swept his legs out from under him, causing 'him' to fall on his back as she got to her feet. Leaping back to his feet, Taven practically roared and swung for her head, intent on ending her once and for all.

Arfoire laughed as she leapt away from Taven's attack, the force of the blow sending a wave of fire after her. With one deft movement, she avoided the fire slash, and watched as Taven rushed her. With a scoff, she sent a hail of ice spikes in his direction, with the boy managing to deflect and dodge the projectiles, until one found itself lodged in his stomach, stopping him in his tracks, and leaving him open for a second ice spike in the shoulder, which caused him to curse and stumble backwards while clutching at the bloody ice in his gut.

With a growl he yanked it out, spraying blood as he tossed it aside, before doing the same for the one in his shoulder. Arfoire watched as he did so, smirking as he shakily straightened his stance and glared at her.

(How interesting. I thought the poison would be enough, but it seems that he is also suffering from something else. Either way...the sword did its job. I will not be stopped by the blood of Sparda, or his kin.)

With a wave of her hand, she sent a ball of fire back to him, smirking as he leapt to the side, ending with a roll to one knee as he reached for his-!

(My guns! That's right, I gave them to Vlad!)

While he was distracted, Arfoire cackled again and began firing volleys of energy towards Taven, who found himself barely dodging the attacks as he began running off to the side. Stones were blasted apart as they missed him, but Taven found himself unable to dodge every one of the attacks, as two struck his left arm and his ankle, causing him to stumble and fall face first to the ground. This caused the woman to laugh harder, which irritated Taven as he forced himself back to his feet, blood staining the ground below. Tightening his grip on his sword, Taven actually began to run towards Arfoire again!

Shaking her head, Arfoire lifted her hand upwards, summoning a wall of ice in front of her. (This ice stronger than steel, I'd like to try and see you get through-!"

Her train of thought was shot when the tip of Alucard suddenly burst through the ice, glowing with crimson flames as the heat began to melt the ice. A moment later, Taven came crashing through, sending large chunks of ice flying towards Arfoire, who barely managed to block his sword with her staff as he brought it down towards her skull.

Now in a deadlock, the woman couldn't help but flinch as she stared into his eyes, glowing with hatred and promising a world of pain as he growled, "First, I'm going to rip out your eyes, then, I'm going to rip you limb from limb!"

The distortion in his vice was followed by his body being shrouded in his telltale violet aura. However, blood began to flow from his nose, as well as his eyes as he began to push her back. Arfoire grit her teeth, more than a little pissed that this 'boy' was actually forcing her on her back foot!

The cold sensation of stone on her back caused Arfoire to curse, before Taven suddenly broke their lock and drew back with his sword. At the last possible second, Arfoire ducked and rolled to the side just as Alucard struck, the blade carving a deep gouge into the stone like a hot knife to butter. All he managed to strike was the hat on top of her head, and she narrowed her eyes as she watched the burnt and tattered article fall to the ground, but a small smirk found itself on her face as she watched Taven hunch over, coughing with a hand over his mouth.

Straightening, the woman glanced over to the fallen form of Vlad, who had yet to stir from his state of unconsciousness. (At least 'he's' out of the fight. He's a lot of trouble with his sword alone.)

Glancing again at Taven, she saw that he was once again focused on her, though he looked like he was put through the wringer. He was breathing haggardly, he had one of his eyes closed in pain, and fresh blood flowed from every orifice on his face. Even his facial veins were beginning to pop, becoming prominent against his pale skin, and his eyes had lost the red glow, though he maintained the violet aura.

(This boy is half dead on his feet. I'll be merciful and take him down now...I have no use for him.)

Seeing the woman suddenly grin, Taven growled and asked, "What the hell are you smiling about!?"

Arfoire chuckled, and with a voice full of confidence, she said, "I think its time I put you out of your misery. So, as a farewell gift, allow me to show you my full power."

Her form was suddenly enveloped in a blanket of light, with Taven being forced to cover his eyes as the cave was brightly illuminated. A few seconds passed, before the light died down, and Taven's eyes widened as he beheld the monstrous being before him.

Arfoire had transformed from a woman, into a purple, orange and red beast, with four legs and arms. The legs were connected to a mouth like object and on top of which lied a rabbit like figure. The upper body consisted of four orange bat-like wings, and a face that looked like an upside down controller of which the center was a red eye and an orange crown with a red circle surrounded by three blue circles.

He'd never seen it personally, but in school, children were told all of the horror stories regarding what he was looking at now.

He was face to face with the damn Deity of Sin!

(That's impossible! The Goddesses killed it right!? How is it here!?)

With gritted teeth, he began to desperately pool his power into his sword, ignoring the agony his body was in as the flames began to turn violet in color.

Seeing this, Arfoire laughed and said, "Foolish boy! You have nothing in your arsenal to defy me! Just accept your death!"

"How many times do I got to say it?" Growled Taven, before he began to charge towards the monster before him. The grin on the monster's mouth seemed to grow as he raised his weapon and leapt for the rabbit part of the Deity of Sin.

"Shut the hell up!" He finished, swinging to decapitate the rabbit, only for his efforts to be thwarted when Arfoire simply swatted him to the side with one of her arms, sending him flying, then tumbling on the stone floor until his back slammed into a stone pillar.

Coughing up blood, Taven slowly forced himself to his feet, with Arfoire's laughter echoing throughout the cavern.

"All of that bravado...and 'this' is all you can manage! You can barely stand as it is, and you intend to defeat a being as powerful as 'me'?"

Ignoring her, Taven began to siphon more power to Alucard, the weapon vibrating in his hand as it began to overload.

"Drive!"

Swinging his blade, Taven sent wave after wave of violet energy hurdling towards the still laughing Deity of Sin, and she was actually startled as the attacks landed on her large frame. Screaming in pain, Arfoire stumbled back her arms flailing, and leaving her open as Taven leapt forward, and slashed the rabbit part of her body across her torso.

Taven grinned as a yowl of pain erupted from...one of her mouths. He didn't know which mouth she actually spoke out of, and he didn't care. He was about to shove his sword down all her throats.

That came out weird.

Meanwhile, off to the side, Vlad was finally coming to, and he had no way to prepare for the sight before him as he opened his eyes. In fact he wondered if he perhaps hit his head too hard.

He saw Taven, who looked close to collapsing with his aura surrounding him. Then, he saw some freak of nature, a huge beast, which was currently roaring in pain and shaking the cavern they were in with her flailing.

"How long was I out?" He wondered aloud, making his way to his feet as Taven charged Arfoire again. The smell of blood assaulted him, and his eyes widened as he recognized most of it as his brother's. This caused him to grit his teeth and reach for the pistols Taven had given him. Though they felt a little awkward in his hands, he began to power the shots as he pulled the trigger.

The demonically enhanced bullets managed to pierce the monster's skin, and caused Taven to look back in shock, which caused Vlad to freeze. Taven looked like hell! With narrowed eyes he yelled, "Taven, fall back and let me handle this!"

With Vlad making his appearance known, Arfoire growled and decided to finish Taven off before he and that sword became a problem for her.

Seeing Arfoire raised her hand towards him, Vlad growled and ran towards Taven, intent on protecting him, though with his speed, he would never reach him in t-!

"Look out below! Move out of the way!"

Looking up, Taven and Vlad were than a little shocked to see someone fucking falling towards him!

"The fu-!?"

So shocked was he, that Taven failed to dodge the falling person and became an impromptu landing pad as they fell on top of him, falling face first to the stone floor while the newest arrival landed on his back, creating a comical scene of him being splayed out, while Arfoire and Vlad left dumbstruck and found themselves of the same mind.

(Where did 'she' come from!?/How did she 'fall' in here?)

With a groan, Taven forced himself back on his feet, ignoring the protest of the girl who landed on top of him as she tumbled to the ground off of his back. He glanced over, and his eyes widened as he saw, "N-Neptune!? When did you-!? 'How' did you get here!?"

Before him stood Neptune! Except...she was taller? And more mature looking?

She had long lilac hair with bangs that reach down to her collar bone and purple eyes. In her hair she wore black hair-clips in the shape of D-pads and around her neck was a choker that had a light blue D-pad symbol on it. She wore a mostly black one-piece parka dress that had a purple hood, strings that look like controller plugs, and two huge black and purple pockets with blue circles on them. She also wore a black and purple gun holster on her left thigh that matched the rest of her outfit.

There was also the fact that she had a sizeable pair of-!

(For fuck's sake Taven! Ignore...the jiggle physics!)

The more mature looking Neptune looked at Taven, and with a quirked eyebrow asked, "Hey...do I know you?"

A silence fell over the area, until Taven said, "I...think? You're Neptune...right?"

"Oh, you already know my name? That's weird...I don't remember 'you'. By the way, why do you look like you were just chewed up?"

Vlad, too stunned to speak, looked back and forth between his brother and the new arrival, while Arfoire, tired of being ignored, chose to speak, and hopefully get this ball rolling again.

"Hey."

Not paying her any mind, Vlad, Taven, and the new Neptune began to speak amongst themselves, with Neptune quickly explaining that she was actually from a different dimension!

"So wait, you're 'not' the CPU Neptune...you're human?"

"Yep, the CPU of 'my' dimension goes by...Plu-something. I can't really remember right now."

"Heyy..."

"You can travel dimensions...how?" Asked Vlad, eyes brimming with hope.

Neptune nodded and procured a small purple notebook with an 'N' symbol decorating it, "Yep! With my trusty Nep-note, no dimension is beyond my reach!"

"Can you transport other people!?" Asked Taven, reaching the same conclusion as his brother. With this, they finally had a true way home!

His hope was dimmed when she chuckled sheepishly and said, "I could...but I'm missing something...or rather someone."

"Hey!" Arfoire was beginning to feel more than a little miffed that she was being ignored.

"Who is it that you are missing?" Asked Vlad.

"Well, I'm looking for my pal Croire. She actually has the power to open up rifts to other dimensions."

Taven growled, with IF flashing through his mind as he said, "Then lets kill this bitch, find your friend, and go home!"

"Hey!" This time Arfoire sounded offended. Did this brat kiss his mother with that mouth?

Tilting his head, Taven yelled, "You walk on four legs don't you? Which reminds me..."

Taven suddenly charged towards her, with Vlad cursing and yelling, "Taven wait!"

Next to him, Neptune suddenly procured a pair of swords, and with a grin on her face, she ran after Taven, leaving Vlad cursing their recklessness before he began laying down covering fire with the pistols, charging the shots with his demonic energy as Taven leapt towards her and yelled, "I promised to rip you limb from limb!"

Crossing her upper arms, Arfoire blocked most of the bullets, grunting at the piercing sensation of the bullets as they landed, only to cry out as Taven slashed at one of her large legs, using the momentum of his charge as he slashed her back leg, then leapt upwards, swinging his blade and giving the Deity a sizable gash on her lower arm.

Meanwhile, Neptune was running to and fro, slashing at Arfoire's exposed flanks and nimbly dodging any magical projectiles she fired. With a yelp, Neptune leapt back as Arfoire attempted to stomp her flat with her foot, though Taven managed to get Arfoire's attention back to him by leaping up, and fully impaling the rabbit part of her body with Alucard, and drawing a long cry of agony from the Deity of Sin.

Vlad sighed in relief, glad that they were managing the Deity of Sin so effective-!

The sickening crack of bone suddenly echoed, followed by Taven's body flying backwards!

"Taven!" Yelled Vlad, dashing towards his falling brother, but being unable to reach him before his body crashed into a stone pillar, and slumped towards the ground, unmoving. Meanwhile, Neptune was watching with wide eyes, having seen Arfoire's fists slam into Taven after he'd hit his mark, and with a rare glare, began to double the effort in her attacks, buying Vlad time to reach Taven's body.

Back with Taven, Vlad had reached his brother, who did not respond at all as he laid the boy on the ground. He checked his pulse, and felt his blood run cold.

Not even a small beat.

Desperate, he laid his ear against Taven's chest, and his eyes widened in horror at what he both saw and felt.

There was no heartbeat, and he wasn't breathing!

"No...no! No! No!" Yelled Vlad, shaking Taven in a panic.

"Taven! Taven! Don't do this to me! Don't you fucking dare!"

His yelling caused Neptune, and even Arfoire to pause in their fight, the former's gaze becoming more horrified as she realized the gravity of the situation.

With tears beginning to flow down his face, Vlad yelled, "Don't you die on me! Taven! Please!"

Arfoire broke out into laughter at the scene before her.

"Good riddance! He was mere scum before me! All of that posturing, and all he managed to do was poke me with his little sword!"

Vlad shot the Deity of Sin with his most murderous glare, a blue aura beginning to surround his form, and causing Neptune to freeze in fear as he held his brother's body.

(He was my brother! My little brother!)

Memories of their first meeting, and the battles they fought together flashed through his mind. He may not have known him for long, but Taven was his family, his blood!

He remembered Naomi. How she smiled and said that she wanted his permission to name her unborn child after his uncle. How he promised to protect them.

(In the end, I couldn't! First my mother! Then Naomi! And now...!)

His eyes began glowing red as he stared down at Taven's face, the boy's eyes closed in a bloody mockery of sleep.

Time seemed to stop, as he stared at the blood dripping to the stone floor. Blood...

His eyes widened as he stared down at his brother. and to the shock of everyone, he suddenly bent down, and drove his fangs into Taven's throat.

Neptune, and even Arfoire were taken aback, with Neptune yelling, "What the actual Nep!"

Vlad, ignoring them both, continued to suck on Taven's blood, and a few seconds later, he withdrew, a grim look on his face as he slashed his palm with one of his nails, before placing the wound over Taven's mouth.

A moment later, Vlad gently laid his brother down, and stood with his back to the two. In a low, dangerous tone, he said, "Arfoire...you...made a grave mistake."

Turning, Vlad revealed his glowing red eyes, he began to approach Arfoire, who actually flinched when he pointed towards her and said, "Neptune...stay out of this, and protect Taven."

Seeing no need to argue, Neptune was quick to get out of the way as Vlad and the Deity of Sin stood off, the air becoming electrified and tense as Vlad's killing intent continued to rise. The taste of his brother's blood fresh on his tongue, and further fueling his rage.

His eyes flicked Alucard, still impaled into Arfoire's body. Right then and there, he promised that he would split her from head to toe with his brother's sword.

With that oath in mind, Vlad bared his fangs, and he dashed forward towards Arfoire...intent on fulfilling it.