Finally got around to uploading. Lots happening at the moment so I'm a bit busy. Anyway, thanks for all reviews and for all readings. SPoM, just a little clear up, the Sparda Sword is in Trish's possesion, not Lady's. That's what Arkham and Agnus are looking for.

A Life Reborn

Nero stood stock still, not daring to take his eyes of the man in front of him. This tall man with the dark brown hair that was swept back into his familiar style, the stance, arms folded and shoulders squared, the eyes narrowed so that their brown iris' could barely be seen. It was definitely Credo. The man whose sister he was engaged to, the man he had fought and beaten in battle which Kyrie had seen the end of, the man who had died trying to save him. The man who had been his mentor, older brother and friend. Where they stood now, Nero wasn't sure. Credo began to walk in a circle, his eyes fixed on Nero.

"I hear you have taken a new name Nero."

Nero had known that would be the beginning of it. "Yeah, I had a test done on my blood, proved to be similar to that of Dante. Which makes me a son of Sparda."

Credo gave a hrumph of agreement. "I had guessed as much when I saw that you resonated with Yamato."

"That was thanks to Vergil, my benefactor and donator of the blood. Made me their half brother, and he's the oldest."

Credo stopped in front of Vergil. Without even looking at him he said, "This is him?"

Nero nodded. Credo never asked a question he didn't know the answer to.

Now Credo turned his gaze on Vergil and looked him in the eye. "You have great darkness about you."

Immediately Hoplites closed in on him and Legionnaires dropped to the ground. Vergil put his hand on Yamato. "Don't."

Credo raised one gloved hand and the angels returned to their posts. Without a sound Credo turned to Nero and drew his sword.

"Kyrie tells me you and she are engaged, and that you have taken over the role of Captain here. I'm not sure if I can allow that."

Vergil and Lady went to move, but Nero gestured for them to stay put.

--

Credo threw his arms out. White light began to roll off him and in a flash he had transformed into his true form, a one winged Angelic Knight, his other wing a shield, all but unbreakable. Nero had no such response. His only movement was to take off his glove and roll up his sleeve, revealing his devil arm. In a moment all the people there had backed off to give them some space. Credo charged! Sword clashed on sword as Nero drew Red Queen to counter it. Quick strikes echoed off one another as the Angel began to force his way across the square.

"Is this all you can do Nero?" he taunted in his metallic undertone.

Nero smiled as his eyes glowed red. "No!"

With a surge of blue power Nero sent Credo flying. Now surrounded by his spectre Nero charged forward. Before Credo could recover a step Nero had seized him by the scruff of the neck and punched him! Credo sailed across the pier and hit the wall with a crash. His power exhausted Nero let it go, rather than give too much of himself to it. Dante had once done that and it was not a good thing. As Credo leapt to his feet Blue Rose began to sing. Angelo Credo blocked with his shield, but the defensive move blocked any offensive move he might have made. With a battle cry Credo leaped into the air and soared up. Nero smiled, and snatched a nearby roof. In an instant he was chasing Credo up. In a second Nero had locked onto the shield and was flying through the air. At least he was until Angelo Credo spun and slashed across him. With a grunt of pain Nero fell. There was a crash as he hit the pier and rolled to the edge. Angelo Credo came down with one of his javelins. Nero sighed.

"Is that all you got?" he asked mockingly. With a lethal aim, Credo threw the javelin.

Nero rolled backwards and fell off the pier. With a splash he sank like a stone.

Angelo Credo landed with an easy stride and grasped his javelin, which morphed back into the sword.

"If this is how pathetic you are, I may have to take Kyrie away from you." He replied.

The entire pier fell silent at that. Vergil and Lady both winced. Ty smirked. "That was not a wise thing to say fancy coats."

It started small, but then began to grow. The entire pier began to shake and all the human spectators fell to their knees as the Hoplites braced themselves using their staffs. Only the Devil Hunters stood still, and the Angel Knight. Out of the water burst the form of Nero! His glowing spectre was black and had the form of Vergil's Modus trigger would look if Vergil used Modus. In his left hand Red Queen, in his right, Modus. And he started to whale into Credo! Red fire sparked as the two duelled and within no time at all Nero had knocked Credo's sword down with Red Queen before smashing it up out of his hand with Modus. Throwing both swords aside he charged forward and careened into Credo carrying him across the pier. Nero swung back his Bringer. Credo threw up his shield to block. Nero batted it aside and punched with his left hand. Credo, off balance, felt the next blow as the pier beneath his head shattered!

--

"Enough, I yield."

Nero stood and let the glow fade and the crimson disappear from his eyes.

"Very well. Thank you Credo."

Now back in his human form Credo stood, rubbing the back of his head gingerly. "How did you know it was a test?"

"You never shot me the look you give your enemy."

"Point." Credo looked around at the assembled group and spoke loud enough to be heard. "I am more than happy to have you for a brother in law Nero, you have proved yourself more than capable of defending both Kyrie and Fortuna. Give me Red Queen and kneel."

Now with Modus safely reabsorbed and Red Queen in Credo's hands, Nero knelt.

"Rise Nero Sparda, son of the Legendary Dark Knight and the Captain of Fortuna's defenders. Into your care I place this city and all its inhabitants. Particularly one."

As Credo handed Nero back his sword he whispered in his ear. "Can I be best man?"

Nero replied still in a low voice. "Who will give away the bride then?"

--

Kyrie stood in front of the Cathedral and watched as the birds flew silently across the sky above her. Even the birds knew that they were a bastion under siege. Everyone knew it, you could see the demons on the shore from the mountains. Credo was only back before he was being sent to hunt down demons who were trying to get into Fortuna, or worse humans who had sided with the demons. Even now, after all that had happened, she still didn't want to believe that humans were capable of siding with those creatures, no matter what Credo told her. Angelo Credo, the great Knight and captain of the Host. That's what he was now, mother would have been proud, father less so, she thought. She wished Nero were still here, he always knew what to do in the circumstances.

"You shouldn't brood." An accented voice cut through the air behind her.

Kyrie turned to see a young bronzed woman with vivid red hair and green eyes watching her. She was dressed in a pair of combat trousers and wore a white top and combat harness. Slung across her back were a pair of cutlaseer swords.

"What do you mean?" Kyrie asked in an innocent voice.

"You are brooding over when your knight in shining armour will return, and if your brother will come back safely." Lucia walked across the square and joined her looking up at the large building. It had been somewhat repaired after the devastation of the Giga's incident, but it would never return to its former glory, merely a shell left for all to see and remember.

"The angelic host will abandon this post and take up their defensive positions in the castle if it is needed. You needn't worry about your brother, I doubt he'll be injured, not with a full host around him."

Kyrie smiled at the other young woman's statement. "I get the feeling he doesn't trust you very much."

Lucia shrugged to herself. "I don't blame him, I wouldn't trust me either. Only a year or two ago I learned that I was a Devil Clone and that there was an army being cloned from me. I've worked hard to keep my bloodthirsty nature suppressed, but it's a struggle."

--

Kyrie nodded and heard a familiar voice. "I wonder if you could tell me if this is where the beautiful Kyrie told the dashing Nero she'd marry him?"

"Nero!" Kyrie threw herself into his arms and kissed him like he'd been gone for all her life.

As the young couple just held each other close the other members of the group looked around, clearly somewhat embarrassed by the display of affection, all except Lady and Lucia who, as women, were permitted to watch, albeit briefly.

Nero finally let her breath for a moment. "Kyrie, we have relatives watching."

"Surely they have other business for the moment." Kyrie whispered in his ear, her breath moving tantalizing across his skin.

"I don't think so. I have to get you out of danger." Nero looked at her, slightly surprised by her attitude. "You're spending too much time with Lady and Trish as well."

"You love it though."

Nero sighed. "Yeah I do."

He turned to the others. "Right. We have things to do."

Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think. Reviews are good.