Disclaimer: You know the drill; Devil May Cry and its characters are the property of Capcom. The Order of Sparda belongs to Clairavance, with Chapters 13-Epilogue written by me. OCs to their respective corners. :)

Chapter 21: Level 21: Unity

Nero waited for the stroke of the knife against his throat. He waited to hear the splash of blood against pavement, to feel the warm stickiness as it cascaded down his neck, and the stab of pain that would come afterward.

He was surprised, not only when it didn't come, but by what happened next.

Just as Murmur prepared to serve the killing blow, his grip on Nero tightening as he dug the blade deeper into his flesh, Nero heard a shout. The sound seemed distant, the voice unfamiliar and garbled as his heart continued to hammer in his ears.

There was a high tinking sound, as though something had struck against metal, and suddenly, the pressure at his throat was gone, Nero falling limply against the pavement as Murmur released his grasp on his hair.

"Why you little bastard...you'll pay for that, human filth!"

Nero blinked several times, willing his eyes to focus as Murmur began lumbering away from him, his shattered armour rattling with each step as he bore down on an unseen victim. Raising his head, Nero could just make out the shadowy outline of a person, their hand raised as though they were about to lob something at the approaching devil.

As his vision began to clear, he realized it was one of the prisoners from Pit C-12. The man hefted a large rock in his hand, and with surprising quickness, threw it directly at Murmur, striking him right between the eyes.

Nero belted out a laugh and unsteadily got to his feet, grinning as Murmur whirled around to glare at him. "Well, would you look at that," he quipped, rotating the stiffness out of his shoulders. "It looks like I just got a reprieve."

Despite the aches and pains still present in his limbs, he was relieved that his regenerative abilities had managed to kick in, all thanks to the diversion the human prisoner had provided. The cut at the base of his throat had already begun to heal, the skin puckering to form a ridged, pink line. The swelling along his jaw had also lessened, a soothing tingle indicating that it was almost back to normal.

Casting a glance in the direction of the man who had helped him, Nero gave a start. Nearly a dozen humans had gathered around, all of them standing silently as a united front. Amidst the humans were two very familiar faces grinning back at him.

Before he could greet his two friends, the ground beneath his feet started to tremble, an enraged snarl erupting from behind as Marbas bore down on him. Without looking back, he grabbed Blue Rose from his left hip and fired, resting the barrel of the gun across his right shoulder. A yelp reached his ears, Marbas crashing to the pavement with a loud thud.

"Phenex, Forneus," Nero greeted, ducking and weaving as Gaap came at him next. The water devil leapt backward when Phenex unleashed a salvo of fireballs his way, ceasing his attacks against Nero with a scowl.

"What are you guys doing here?" Nero continued, as though their friendly conversation hadn't been interrupted.

"With the entire army a-buzz about your most recent endeavours, is it really so surprising?" Forneus smirked, resting what looked like a giant cleaver over his right shoulder, his fingers lazily caressing the jewel-encrusted hilt.

"So, I guess it's safe to assume that we're on 'desperate ground' now, eh?" Phenex stated airily, cocking his head as he took in Nero's blood-spattered appearance.

Nero chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Well, I guess the secret's out." Turning to face his enemies, he took up a defensive stance, revving the handle of Red Queen in preparation.

Glancing over his shoulder, he locked his gaze with Phenex, the amber-eyed devil giving a brief nod in understanding before teleporting away.

"Well Forneus, it looks like it's up to us," Nero remarked, grinning back at his ally. "You think we can hold this down until the others arrive?"

"Please," said Forneus, casually twirling his cleaver by the hilt. "They'll be lucky if there's anything left when they do."

"You traitorous scum!" Murmur bellowed, Gaap and Marbas shadowing him on either side, the latter clambering to his feet as the effects of Nero's warning shot wore off.

The fine hairs along Nero's arms stood on end, the air beginning to crackle with the familiar, telltale energy of Blitz. His breath came out in little puffs, indicating that more Frosts had also arrived to aid their leaders and comrades.

"You will suffer for the atrocities you have committed," Marbas growled, thick strings of saliva dripping from his yellowed fangs. "Reveal yourselves, soldiers of Mundus, and do his bidding!" He thrust one hairy arm forward, jabbing a claw in Nero and Forneus's direction.

As a mixed pack of Frosts and Blitz bore down on them, Nero snorted.

"Let's rock!"

Sirens wailed all throughout the timeless realm, the master console in the central control room blaring a continuous refrain, as archaic messages flashed across the monitors in bold, red lettering.

"Kieran, what is our status?" Ramy shouted, the petite girl taking long, quick strides upon entering the room, her dark ringlets bouncing with each step.

"We have a report from Phenex," Kieran replied sharply, fingers flying over the keys of his personal terminal, crimson eyes roving from side to side as he read the encrypted message. "We are officially on desperate ground!"

"Alaric, ready the troops." Ramy turned to the man standing behind her, and made her way back out through the large, steel door. "I will inform Lord Sparda of our status!" she called over her shoulder.

The corridors were teeming with bodies, each soldier, witch, and demon moving along in a precise, orderly fashion toward the deployment gate. Their weapons and armour rattled and clanked as though they were all part of a single organism, a mixture of orders given and received echoing down the long, winding hallways.

Ramy paid them no mind however, as she wove her way around each one of them, slowly making her way toward the opposite corridor. Once she was free of the crowd, she trotted down the bridge leading to the east wing of the compound, coming to a stop when she reached a rich, dark wooden door at the far end. As she raised her hand to knock, the door swung inward, the girl stepping aside with a soft gasp.

Sparda emerged from his quarters with slow, confident strides, his armour gleaming from the artificial light that lined the corridor walls. A brass helm adorned with curling ram's horns sat atop his head, his body covered from head to toe in segmented armour plating, allowing for easier movement.

"My Lord, you look splendid," Ramy breathed, absently clutching at the hem of her robes.

Sparda smiled down at her, the playful twinkling of his eyes causing her to blush. "Yes, I know," he replied, tightening his leather hand-guards. "But wasn't there something more pressing you came to tell me?"

Ramy felt her face grow warmer as she stammered, "O-Oh, yes, of course! Sir, we've received word from Agent Phenex. We're needed at the battlefront right away!"

"Then I would say it's exceptionally fortunate that my memory has finally been restored." Sparda began making his way over the bridge, gracing Ramy with a backward glance. "I will ready our forces. Inform my sons that they are to aid Nero and the Fortuna operatives immediately."

"Right away, Milord!" Without a moment's hesitation, Ramy raced off to do as Sparda instructed, muttering protective incantations as she went.

This was it, the final showdown. The very moment they'd been patiently awaiting for hundreds of years; the very moment they had been dedicating to perfecting their skills and craft. Every bead of sweat, every droplet of blood lost, every tear shed—it had all led up to this moment.

The moment when Sparda would rise to face Mundus again, and lay the Demon King to rest, once and for all.

With a final upward stroke of his sword, Nero cut the Frost in half, shuddering slightly when ice shavings landed on his exposed skin. Looking to his right, he watched as Forneus buried his cleaver in the back of Marbas's skull. The bestial devil took two lumbering steps forward, before hitting the pavement with a sickening gurgle.

Forneus grimaced in disgust as he retrieved his weapon, wiping the blade on the back of Marbas's garb to rid it off his cranial fluids. Nero shook his head, quietly snickering.

Earning a baleful glare from Forneus, he cleared his throat, and cast his gaze around at the still forms of their enemies. "Well, that was fast. But, we'd better get a move on." He glanced meaningfully at the former prisoners. "It won't be long before the rest of Mundus's army catches wind of this."

"I'll return to the Max Pit and free the prisoners there," said Forneus, slipping his weapon into its leather holster. "In the meantime, why don't you get these guys out of here? Evacuate as many of the prisoners as you can from the pits along the way."

"Got it." Nero nodded, clapping the taller devil on the shoulder. "Forneus…be careful."

Forneus nodded, a hint of a smile on his lips. "Hey, if anyone should be worrying, it should be me worrying about you," he chuckled. "Now, get a move on. Don't want to miss the final showdown, right?"

Without another word, Forneus vanished. Nero knew from past experience that the blue-skinned demon had gone into full stealth mode, keeping below the enemy's radar so that he could sneak back into Mundus's stronghold undetected.

Returning to his current task, Nero inspected each one of the prisoners for injuries. Though he and Forneus had been more than a match for Murmur and the others, a couple of the Blitz had managed to break ranks while they'd been preoccupied, and as such, had targeted the humans. Fortunately, they weren't nearly as helpless as they appeared. Despite having to rely on primitive methods of attack since they lacked weapons of their own, they had held up against the lightning demons quite well. Relieved to see that only a few of them bore minor scratches and burns, Nero straightened up from examining the wounds of a young boy, and swept his gaze over the crowd. Each man, woman, and child stared back at him expectantly, their fear rolling off of them in palpable waves. But something else was there, too; something that had been absent for far too long.

Hope.

"Alright, I know you're all afraid right now. I'm not going to lie to you, you've got good reason to be." Nero cleared his throat, and went on, "I'm going to do everything I can to get you out of here in one piece, but I'm going to need your help to do that. Okay?"

"Ask anything of us." An adolescent boy stepped forward, his green eyes shining brightly as he smiled up at Nero. "How can we help?"

If not for the startling intensity of his eyes, Nero wouldn't have recognized him at all. It was the same boy he had rescued so many weeks ago, minus the filth he'd been covered in.

Many of the others murmured their agreement with the boy, all of them turning their trusting gazes on Nero. He squirmed, the attention unsettling.

After a moment, he said, "Alright, here's the plan: There's a resistance group waiting in Ferrum Hills. Once we get there, you'll be escorted as far from the battle grounds as possible, via secret access tunnels." He continued, a note of urgency creeping into his voice. "If this is going to work, we gotta act fast. Are you ready?"

As they all nodded in silent affirmation, Nero moved to the front of the group, and beckoned them to follow along behind him. "Alright then, let's go!"

The trek to Ferrum Hills proved slow and arduous. The fact that Nero was moving the prisoners under the cover of darkness meant little, since demons were geared toward stalking at night in the first place. Naturally, this made his task far more challenging, though by some miracle, run-ins with the night patrols had been few and far between.

At least so far.

Nero heaved a sigh. Moving the former prisoners of Pit C-12 to Ferrum Hills alone would have been simple enough, but trying to devise a plan to rescue more of them along the way without being noticed?

He was good, but he wasn't that good!

Hearing the whisper of clothing behind him, Nero glanced over his shoulder. Relaxing, he realized it was one of the prisoners hunkered down in the trench several paces behind him, no doubt a child attempting to get more comfortable while they waited.

Though the forest was often the most travelled path between prisoner encampments, it also provided the best cover, not to mention it was the most direct route leading to the Ferrum Hills portal.

Which conveniently was just on the other side of this particular sector. Unfortunately, of the three pits he'd already relieved of prisoners, this one also happened to be the most guarded. Judging by the sudden tension between the guards and the sharpness of their demonic utterings, word had already gotten out about him being a double-agent. As he continued to scan the perimeter, Nero vaguely wondered if the other operatives' cover had been blown as well.

Grasping his sword tightly, he tapped the shoulder of the teenage boy beside him, drawing his attention away from the guards stalking between the rows of cages.

"Aiden, I need you to stay back with the others. Try to keep them as quiet as possible. If any of the demons come after you, use this." He held out Blue Rose, his fingertips lightly tracing over its engraved pattern as he handed over the revolver. "I'm going to take as many of them out as I can; when I release the prisoners, I need you to take the group, and head for the portal just passed that cluster of trees." He indicated the direction with a quick jab of his finger, and got to his feet.

Though his eyes widened in fear, Aiden nodded in understanding, and quietly moved away to do as Nero had instructed.

Once Aiden was with the others, Nero moved in, revving his sword as he leapt over the decaying remnants of a tree stump. Grasping a branch overhead, he launched himself forward, slamming his heels into the guard closest to him. The clattering of the guard's armour as he hit ground drew the attention of the others, their snarls echoing around the small encampment as they unsheathed their weapons.

"Well then, shall we dance?"

This only served to enrage the guards further, each one lurching toward Nero with their weapons extended, eager to rend his head from his shoulders. Ducking beneath the arm of one guard, he brought his right fist forward, slamming it into the devil's exposed ribcage. The breaking of bone could be heard all throughout the encampment, the guard's shrill cry renting the air like that of a wounded animal.

Swivelling around on his toes, Nero slammed the hilt of his sword into the face of another guard, sending blood-coated teeth raining onto the ground. He finished with a circular flourish, fire leaping across his blade as he cut down each one of the guards in his path.

He only had time enough to flick their blood from his blade, however, before another wave came at him, forcing him to dodge the furious strokes of their weapons.

Steel clashed against steel, Nero's movements lightning quick as he split his attention between striking against one enemy, and parrying the attack of another. As three of the guards raised their swords simultaneously, ready to strike, Nero dropped down between them, smirking when he heard the clash of their swords locking together.

Sweeping his left leg out, he brought two of them to the ground, a whoosh of breath escaping them as they landed flat on their backs. Moving swiftly, he got to his feet, and with his leg held high, brought it down in an axe kick, his heel striking the face of the guard nearest to him.

The guard howled, bloody spittle flying from the concave indent where his mouth used to be, a viscous green fluid beginning to pool in the shattered remains of his nose.

I'll have to remember to thank Dante, Nero mused, stabbing Red Queen down into the second guard's stomach. That little trick worked better than I'd expected.

Before he could pull his sword free, something hard struck him along the jaw, sending him flying backward. Coming to a stop as he crashed against one of the cages, Nero let out a groan, and pushed himself unsteadily to his feet. Gripping the bars for support, he shook his head dazedly, willing his eyes to focus.

The frightened stares of the prisoners swam in and out of his view, his hearing rising and falling with the erratic beating of his heart. As he made to move away from the cage, a large fist clamped around his throat, wrenching upward to lift him clear off the ground.

With his airways closing off, all Nero could do was claw feebly at the hand around his throat. His breath came in painful gasps, his lungs burning, desperately seeking oxygen as his heart continued its violent slamming against his ribs. With black specks beginning to dance in his vision, Nero's attempts to free himself lessened, and then completely stopped altogether. His arms fell uselessly at his sides, the guard's grip on his throat only seeming to tighten in reaction to his prey's near loss of consciousness.

Just as the last vestiges of light faded from Nero's vision, the vice-like grip disappeared, leaving him to land hard on his side, his arm taking the full brunt of the fall. There was a sharp crack followed by a flash of pain, and then, nothing. The pain had receded just as quickly as it had come, leaving him with nothing but a cool, tingling sensation coursing up and down his arm, the broken bone instantly mending.

Nero rolled onto his front, gingerly getting to his feet as a dizzying surge of adrenaline flooded his system. Looking around, his eyebrows shot up into his hairline. Not more than two steps away lay the guard who had attacked him, bloody and unconscious on the forest floor. As unexpected as this was to Nero, seeing the familiar figure looming over the guard's body with his sword in hand was even more so.

"Evan!" he blurted, his voice high with surprise.

The short, muscular man approached him, smiling as he handed Red Queen back to him.

"It's good to see you, General." Evan winked conspiratorially, before glancing down at the unconscious guard. "The Warden said you'd be here, but I never imagined you'd let him get the drop on you."

"Hey, you try taking down a dozen demon guards all at once," Nero scoffed, securing Red Queen across his back. Casting a glance around, he realized Evan's men were there as well; two of them teamed up to finish off the last guard, while the others began escorting the caged prisoners in the direction of the portal.

Looking back at Evan, Nero rubbed the back of his neck. "Well anyway, thanks. You know, for saving my ass, and all."

Evan chuckled lightly, looking somewhat embarrassed. "Hey, you asked me for my help, and I agreed, remember? It was nothing. Really."

Just then, a voice called out to Nero, startling him. He whirled around to see Aiden coming toward him. The boy seemed to be on the verge of collapsing, his lithe form trembling as he came to a stop.

"Oh, thank Sparda you're alright!" Aiden declared, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "When that big demon got a hold of you, I thought you were a goner for sure!"

"Gee kid, thanks for the vote of confidence," Nero replied, smirking at the teen's flustered appearance.

"I-I didn't mean—"

"Relax." Nero laughed good-naturedly, clapping him on the shoulder. "Now, let's say we get the hell out of here. Oh, and Aiden?"

The teen looked up at him anxiously, his green eyes wide. "Yeah?"

"I'll be taking my gun back, now."

The moment they arrived in Ferrum Hills, Nero was tackled from behind, a familiar pair of elegant hands clasping together across his chest, as a warm, petite body pressed firmly against his back.

Nero paid little attention as Charlotte came forward to greet the new arrivals. He would tend to them in a moment. Right now, he only had eyes for one person. Kyrie.

Gently taking her hands in his, he turned around, his smile widening as the golden-eyed Songstress shyly peered up at him from beneath long, thick lashes. Bringing one of her hands up to his lips, he lightly trailed them over her knuckles, kissing them softly.

"I really missed you," Kyrie whispered, her eyes beginning to brim with tears. Her lips pulled into a tentative smile, the fingers of one hand coiling as she gently stroked his face.

Nero leaned into her touch before pulling her into a fierce hug, resting his cheek on top of her head with a sigh. He breathed deeply, drinking her in just like he'd done when he'd had to return to Mundus, the memory causing a lump to form in his throat. That didn't matter, anymore. He was with her now, and when this whole battle came to pass, he would be with her again.

And when that happens, I'm never leaving her side again. Ever. He stepped back, gently wiping her tears away with the pad of this thumb.

They remained in one another's embrance for a long while, neither one uttering a word, just twining their fingers as though they were afraid to let go. Nero ran his fingers through her silky, auburn hair, peppering her cheeks with reverent pecks, his lips pulling into a playful grin when she squirmed from the ticklish kisses. Deciding he'd teased her enough, he pulled her closer once again, gently caressing from her head down to her shoulder. Kyrie rested her cheek against his chest with a small sigh, her arms wrapped lightly around his waist.

"Do you have to go back?"

The sadness that crept into her voice made Nero want to hold her even tighter. He swallowed before he spoke. "Yes."

When Kyrie said nothing more, he tilted his head, trying to catch a glimpse of her face while she nuzzled his chest. "Kyrie, are you alright?"

When she tilted her head to look up at him, Nero was surprised to see that, rather than looking disappointed, Kyrie was smiling. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

Nero raised an eyebrow at this, drawing back slightly so that he could look her directly in the eye. "Well, I just thought that…well, with me having to leave again, you might be…I don't know…upset…" He trailed off, his cheeks warming when the songstress let out an airy laugh.

"Oh Nero, I'm not upset. You came back to me, just like you said you would." Kyrie brushed a lock of white hair from his eyes, and continued on, "And I know, when this battle is finally over, you will return to me again. How can I possibly be upset, knowing all that?"

Nero felt a rush of affection upon hearing her words, a pleasant warmth blossoming deep within his chest, spreading up his neck and into his cheeks. Realizing that he was blushing, he averted his gaze, idly scratching at his nose as he did.

Kyrie's laughter chimed like bells, causing his blush to deepen. She'd always been good at knowing his tells, and his embarrassment was no exception. Chancing a glance back at her, he couldn't keep himself from smiling at the joyful expression on her face.

Just as he reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, he was startled by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Turning his head to the right, he realized it was Charlotte, the petite brunette arching an eyebrow at him with the faintest of smirks on her lips.

"Well, if you two love birds are quite done catching up, perhaps we can get this show on the road?"

Casting Charlotte a withering look, Nero sighed, and took hold of Kyrie's hand. "She's right," he admitted grudgingly. "The longer we wait to evacuate, the riskier it'll be."

Kyrie squeezed his hand, her lips pulling into a reassuring smile, letting him know she understood.

"My colleagues and I will take care of the evacuation," Charlotte assured him, indicating the five operatives standing alongside the former captives. "There's a network of underground tunnels leading to a magically fortified cave; we'll be safe there. You just make sure you take care of Mundus, and take out some of his top dogs while you're at it."

"Oh, is that all?" Nero snorted, rolling his eyes. "Don't worry, I'll get it done."

Charlotte chuckled at this, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Good luck, descendant of Sparda. Our thoughts will be with you."

"Thanks." Giving Kyrie one last, tender kiss, Nero watched as Charlotte led the others away, climbing up the embankment that opened up into the derelict quarters where the miners had lived long ago.

As the last wisps of Kyrie's auburn hair disappeared around the corner, Nero grabbed Blue Rose from his holster and raced back toward the portal, knowing there wasn't a single moment to spare.

V.2 (June 2017)

Thanks so much for reading. Please feel free to leave a review. Constructive criticism welcome. :)