After what seemed to be like an eternity, Vergil's eyes opened slowly to the sudden halt of the ferry's motion, indicating that he has arrived, and surly he has. Charon the demonic ferryman, parked the boat to the side near a pier that lead towards the River Styx. Vergil slowly stood up, made his way over and climbed upon the pier, overlooking the sight before him. "Welcome to the City of Dis, son of Sparda." Charon welcomed him with his demonic hoarse voice. Vergil's narrowed eyes widened at what he is witnessing. The path towards the infernal city presented a bridge of some sort, and from the looks of it, it seems to be incomplete and in a state of heavy disrepair. Two gargantuan statues were mounted on either side of the bridge, one was of a man, and the other a woman, and their appearance made them look as though that they were in a state of despair and pain. And rightfully so. The statues themselves appear to have been carved by molten rock given the lava-like veins streaming on the carvings.
Dis itself appears to be surrounded by a colossal wall made of iron that burned so hot no craft would survive the intensity of such a heat. He has not yet witnessed the entirety of the City of Dis itself, merely the exterior. He glanced on both his opposite sides to see several pillars where more souls of the damned are mounted on like pieces of art and hopelessly attempting to reach out any who could aid them. The sky was, unsurprisingly, still plagued by booming thunder and lightning streaking through the clouds followed by flashes of light. Countless sparks of ember flowed through the direction of the Hellish wind like wandering fire flies.
He blinked before sighing as he closed his eyes. He then slowly re-opened them and turned to look behind him, only to see that Charon was rowing away returning to his duties. He then looked back at the bridge that lead towards the city, and began walking forward. When he reached the entrance of the bridge, he was stopped by the sudden appearance of portals that formed on the ground. From the portals emerged more demons. They were large and imposing, but seemed skeletal in appearance. They stood on bipedal legs, with dark clawed gauntlets, single spiked shoulder guards, and sported iron helmets with large swooping horns. Their skin was black and looked like burning charcoal with reddish orange eyes and sharp teeth.
Each of the demons wielded large demonic axes or huge, silver, heavily curved scimitars with black edges. Vergil scowled at them before the demons all roared and charged, "I don't have time for this." He said with an annoyed tone. One of the demons swung its sword down only for Vergil to flick Yamato out of the scabbard with his thumb, grabbing it quickly with his other hand, and block the swing. He shoved the demon back before dashing forward in a blur, moving past the demon, and reappeared in front of another. He slashed down and split it in two, with the demon he phased through crumbled into many bloody pieces. He turned, slashing Yamato horizontally and bisecting another demon, he then brought his scabbard up behind him blocking a swing from an ax wielding demon before kicking it away, the kicked forced the demon the release its ax only for Vergil to promptly grab it from the air and and tossed it forward.
It spun through the air and slashed through two demons, splitting their heads in two. He knocked away the sword of an attacking demon with his scabbard and follows by decapitating the fiend. Before turning and swings his blade up, parrying another sword slash then pins the demon's blade down and whacks his head with his scabbard, spinning once as he whacked it away he thrusts Yamato forward and pierced the head of one demon that was about to attack through the mouth. He removes Yamato in a flash swinging twice before dashing forward, with arcs of light forming around him in the blink of an eye, cutting and tearing through several more of the demons before they even had the chance to counter attack.
He stopped, spun Yamato once as he knelt down on one knee with his head bowed low. Sheathing the demonic blade back into the scabbard, the clink of the sword slamming into the sheath caused the several demons to split apart in a bloody gory fashion. More of the demons appeared through the use of portals and wasting no time, they charged forward with battle cries. Vergil did not even turn to face his opponents, yet only he turned his head slightly behind him, only to disappear in a flash of blue light. Time seemed to slow down around Vergil, as the cambion sprinted forward around the slow moving devils. He slashed vertically downward, bisecting a demon, then dashed to his right slashing horizontally and cutting a demon from the waist below, he then appeared to the third demon jumping and spinning once performing a roundhouse kick and knocking the sword out of its hands, quickly grabbing it mid air, then slashes downward in a horizontal fashion slicing off its legs followed by an upwards slash through its torso.
He tossed the sword to his side as it spun through and pierced a demon through its temple and puncturing through its helmet. He smacked away the two dismembered parts of the demon he eviscerated and knocked them into two other demons. Before they even realized that they were stunned, Vergil appeared above them, swung his blade once and decapitated their heads in a single slash followed by smacking their heads with a whirlwind kick. The horns on their heads pierced through the eyes and head of two other demons. He landed down, only to teleport and dashed around briefly appearing like a faint blur then materializes behind the demons he attacked. They were suddenly then engulfed in a series of Judgment Cuts that tore their bodies in a spacial level.
He sheathed Yamato slowly, and when he did, time then moved normally and all the demons that fell victim to his merciless onslaught now succumbed to the effects of his attack as they were either torn apart or collapsed from the unexpected attacks. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair before standing up straight. He looked on ahead and noticed that this would be a very long stroll which he grit his teeth due to. He took several steps only to widen his eyes slightly when demons appeared out of nowhere behind him from above, having their weapons overhead and intending to skewer the son of Sparda. But before they could, a glint of light sped past them, and they were immediately vivisected brutally as their body parts fell to the floor with blood raining down. Vergil's eyebrows raised in surprise, this was not his doing.
A shape landed down in front of him five feet away with a thud as dust formed from the landing. The figure slowly rose up and turned to look at Vergil, whom sized up this individual. It was a demon, and it wore a jet black skintight suit that showed off its strong build, but it had the head of leopard with a plating on top of its head with a small spike on top. Its arms sported the fur coat of a leopard yet resembled that of a strong man. In both hands it held two long spears with blood dripping off the bladed tips. "My apologies for that. They aren't exactly fond of foreigners that journey towards the City of Dis." It spoke as it flicked off the blood from the spear. Vergil eyed the demon and remained cautious, "Who are you?" He asked. The demon spun the spears before sheathing them both behind its back in a cross. "My name is Flauros. A duke of Hell. And I govern different sections within the City of Dis alongside my master, Andras." he answered. Vergil raised one eyebrow and slowly let his guard down, this was probably the subordinate Andras told him that he would meet.
"I need not know who you are, son of Sparda. Lord Andras already heralded your arrival as well as inform me of the situation at hand." He said crossing his arms slowly. Vergil said nothing for a moment before turning back to look at the massive damned walls of Dis. "I'm in need of something to make haste towards the city. Like transportation. I'm getting bored of fighting these fiends." He complained to which Flauros nodded. "Understandable. The path towards the entrance is quite treacherous. And thus I have taken the liberty of providing with you the transportation you seek." He said as he walked past him before stopping. Vergil looked at the corpses of the demons Flauros slayed. "Don't you think that this will alert the others of your...betrayal? Your master won't like it if he knew that you were helping me." He said, but Flauros simply chuckled, "I would not concern myself with that. Let's just say, that things here are rather complicated right now." He took a deep breath and released a powerful roar that echoed for miles. Despite being a demon that resembled a leopard, his roar was that of a tiger.
There was silence for several moments when a loud screeching noise emitted in response to the roar of Flauros. Vergil looked up with confusion, and could hear the faint beating of wings, which grew louder and greater the closer it got. Soon, he saw a large shape emerging from the plumes of smoke that were forming out of the lake of fire surrounding the city. The shape landed down with a mighty thud, clearing away the floating ember. It was a creature that was much larger than any known elephant. It had a long beak like a stork, two large horns resembling that of a stag's, two massive wings that looked as though they were decomposing as bare flesh and bone were visible. Its abdominal area all the way to its legs were skeletal. With its legs being the hind legs of a lion. Vergil blinked once. He assumed that he had to ride on that thing.
"You expect me to ride on that thing?" He asked the Duke to which he turned and looked at Vergil, "Unless you wish to travel by foot. I warn you though, this bridge is not only unstable, but a punishment of its own. For it is said that those whom wander through the bridge, are plagued by their already deteriorating sanity and seeing that the bridge forces them to experience the long and agonizing path to shelter. Simply put, the more you walk on the bridge...the longer it seems to get." He explained. Vergil sighed with irritation. He had no choice but to be honest he did need to hurry. He walked towards the large bird-like beast, to which it flattened its wing and lays it down allowing Vergil to climb up. He took a few steps and steadily sat upon the base of the creature's neck. The creature then began to slowly stand, supporting itself with its large wings like limbs.
Before it could take off, Flauros approached the half-breed, "Be wary, son of Sparda. For even if you are given safe passage towards the City of Dis, there will still be resistance." Vergil scoffed and looked forward, "Tell me something I don't know." He said sarcastically. "The gates of the city are guarded by Fallen Angels, whom won't take too kindly to trespassers. Especially those whom have escaped their torment. Once you enter, you must steal your mind. For the air in Lord Satan's kingdom will fill one's mind and spirit with woe and distress." Vergil narrowed his eyes, he was silently thankful for Dantalion's spell. The bird creature began to flap its wings as it accumulated clouds of dust around it. "Good luck, son of Sparda. Give my regards to Duke Dantalion!" He raised his voice as he took off towards the City of Dis, with Flauros watching them retreating.
The beast is seen flying above the damned bridge which looks as though it was a rugged zig zag line, and torches that were in the shape of crosses are lined throughout and set ablaze. It soars through the stormy skies as it approaches the city in the distance, and truly it was a sight to behold. The city of Dis was surrounded by walls and in a circular construct, with the skies above being an yellowish orange color with lightning followed by booming thunder echoing in the the dark clouds. The air was filled with ember as they flow down similar to snow. While it appeared to be a city, it was more of a fortress. The walls were made of both stone and wood on every section in the walls themselves lied a great plain of woe and cruel torment. Bitter tombs were scattered with flame made to glow all over, hotter than iron need be for any craft. The city within the walls were similar to an abandoned metropolis, that was decimated or rotted from the devastation of war. Below the bridge that leads to the city, appeared to be an dark pit with a fiery orange illumination from below, swarms Hellish bats soared through the cliffs below around the colossal exterior of the city.
He was looking below him, with his coat tails billowing from the winds due to the flight and his hair bristling. Vergil sighed and looked back in front him as he rode the beast that aided him in crossing towards the City of Dis. In his mind, he was thinking of how anxious he was to return back to the Human World. He knows not of how long he had spent in the Demon World. Then again, he is unaware of how time works here like it does in the Human World. He assumed that time here is much slower then in the Human World. Example being that a month is equal to four years most probably. He cringed slightly at the thought of that. Especially that considering the duration of absence, he shuttered to imagine on the tortures that Mundus assigned his demons to plague him with throughout the years. He also could not help but truly wonder; would he ever escape this infernal Pit?
Indeed Dantalion may have provided him a way of escape from the Demon World. But from what he has witnessed during his time here, he was beginning to have doubts. The tortures that befell the souls here whom committed heinous acts in the world of living would defy the imagination of even the most depraved mind in the Human World. And from the looks of their states, they were completely deprived of all hope. Their spirits crushed beyond repair. Signalling that no matter the struggle, freedom in Hell is a fallacy. He pushed that thought aside in way of what his father accomplished however. He heard the tales of his father's legendary power. And he would always admire him and have faith in the power that he inherited from him. So, why worry over the doubts of freedom from the Demon World? If his father was able to seal of the two worlds, and even provide a way to escape, then surely his own son can do so as well.
He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he did not take notice of the 'statues' that were mounted on the walls of the City. The statues in question were in actuality the fallen angels that Flauros warned about. Their stone structure broke apart, peeling and crumbling away as they emerged due to being alarmed of the son of Sparda's presence. They had strong upper builds, a black demonic fauld of four lames that latched onto their abdomen, and their legs armored with a black cuisse and grieve. They had large swooping horns on their foreheads, and massive decrepit chiropteran wings with patches of several black feathers. They bore no lips and showing their visible dagger-like teeth, along with their dark red eyes. They looked up to see the approaching cambion on the beast, causing them to growl and snarl. They signaled one another to draw their weapons which were imposing blades and took flight, charging at Vergil.
Vergil looked down and gasped upon seeing the legions of fallen angels that were soaring towards him. Thinking fast he quickly grabbed the hairy mane of the beast and gripped it causing it to screech before it descended down below with imposing speed. The fallen angels took pursuit quickly, resembling a swarm of bees that were chasing a single pigeon. Vergil was surprised that work, and he had no knowledge of how to operate the flying patterns of this creature. He quickly noticed that they were headed towards the lake of boiling lava and the creature wasn't slowing down. He acted swiftly once more, and gripped the mane again before pulling backwards commanding the creature to roar and fly back at the last second, he was inches close to plunging in the lava.
The bird creature soared through the pit of lava whilst Vergil was controlling it via tugging the mane around its neck. His face was that of intense focus as he commanded the beast to fly to the right and left continuously, evading the erupting lava bubbles and pillars. He then flies around the outside of the city whilst the fallen angels pursue them, growling and snarling. Vergil's hair bristled as his coat bellowing through the fierce winds when his eyes narrow upon seeing a blackish brown skeletal hand emerge from the cliff walls attempting to ensnare them. Vergil guides the beast to evade the hands that emerge from the walls as they lash out at them, with some of them ensnaring the fallen angels instead. Vergil ducks from one hand then skillfully leaps up from another and immediately flattens his body on the beast avoiding two more arms. He looks back to see the fallen angels ensnared or burned by the lava below. He then turns back to look in front of him only to see he was approaching the side of a stone growth connecting to the canyon wall.
Reacting with inhuman speed, he immediately leaped up high into the air and flew above the stone growth, the jump which would make the finest Olympic athlete green with envy. As he flew above it, he removed Yamato from its sheath, and spins forward like spiral with his sword held backhanded and pointing forward becoming a human bladed drill. He slashed and cut apart the demonic arms that sprouted from atop of the growth before front flipping, sheathing Yamato, and landed back down on the beast. Smirking slightly he noticed that more of the fallen angels were emerging from their stone stasis, and were actually a few feet in front of where Vergil is soon approaching. They roar and take flight, charging head on towards the Dark Slayer. Eyeing them, he concentrated as he then formed his Summoned Swords, all aimed towards the approaching fallen angels like missiles.
Vergil propelled his Summoned Swords forward. The blue spectral blades repeatedly pierced the oncoming fiends in the face, body, and head. Vergil continued formed and fired the blades one after the other with deadly proficiency and accuracy. They were all struck one after the other, sometimes even more then once. The punctured and pierced corpses of the fallen angels fell to the pits below as Vergil continued to fly through around the seemingly vast fortress. However, one fallen angel managed to reach the Dark Slayer and landed on the back of the beast. It roared, swung its infernal weapon, and leaped towards Vergil by swinging its sword down. However, much to its shock, it only struck what seemed to be a scabbard, and Vergil held it across the back of his neck without even looking. He quickly slid his hand to the tip of the scabbard, gripped, and used his other hand to draw Yamato, before slashing in a blink as he spun behind him. The fallen angel stood motionless for a moment before half of its torso slid to the side, completely vivisected and fell off.
He returned the sword slowly to its sheath as he held it in front of him across. He looked to see more of the fallen angels landing in front of him upon the beast. They growled deeply, holding their swords steady. Vergil scowled with a look that promised a cold and ruthless death. Neither of the devils moved, before the fallen angels attacked, and Vergil responded by flicking the tsuba of Yamato out with his thumb. It cast a brilliant light that was reflecting the lightning above, and temporarily blinding some of the fiends. Vergil took the opportunity to grab Yamato, and slashed once, cutting off the legs of one of the demons before spinning and kicking it away. Two of the fallen angels slashed with their blades, converging upon the son of Sparda as he parried each of their attacks. One fallen swung its sword overhead, only for Vergil to deflect it, then brings up his scabbard to block an oncoming horizontal slash from the second angel and counters by slashing down vertically and bisecting it. He slashed across again towards the other fallen angel only to block it, with him bringing up his scabbard across him upon seeing a third one leaping up and slashing down only to clash with his scabbard. He shoved away the fiend with his scabbard while simultaneously deflecting an oncoming attack from the demon that parried his sword slash.
Several fallen angels were surrounding him and attacking wildly only to have their attacks parried and for them to be torn apart to pieces afterwards. Vergil moved his sword around with incredible speed, nearly being invisible to the naked eye, and repeatedly parried and hacked away at the fallen angels. He beheaded another one, when he looked to see a stone crossing approaching ahead with frightening speed. He narrowed his eyes, and leaped forward, straightening his body, and flew through the narrow openings of the crossing, emerging from the other side and landing back down on the beast. The fallen angels weren't so lucky as they collided against the crossing, instantly killing them. He took a deep breath and sighed, however, his face twisted into that of annoyance as he noticed more fallen angels in pursuit. With several more above and descending down upon them. His eyes narrowed before he slowly stood up, glaring up at the charging fallen ones from above. Seeing that one was close enough, he suddenly leaped up, and formed the twin golden saws, Avarice. Activating one, he tossed it forward and it latched onto the close fallen one while also tearing it to shreds as it shrieked in agony. Tethered to the demon, he pulled himself towards it, and formed the Beowulf grieves. He spun and unleashed a karate kick against the demon's chest with incredible force to the point where its upper body imploded in a gory bloody mess.
He tossed forward the chain saw blade again and pulled himself over to the second demon, spinning several times with his leg bent and unleashed a devastating roundhouse kick to its head, beheading it as a result. He quickly leaped off its body, somersaulting forward and unleashed a flurry of kicks against another fallen angel before knocking it down with a heel kick. He turned behind him and tossed the chained saw blade again, moving forward. He repeated this pattern as he got higher and higher, blasting away with his Beowulf grieves and cutting apart with the chained blades Avarice. Once he was high enough, he overlooked the lava pit below that surrounded the city, and his transport. He soon noticed the remaining fallen angels that were chasing him from behind, flying upward as they too notice of him. Avarice and Beowulf dissipated, and gripped the handle of Yamato. He continued to fall down towards the fallen ones that threatened to skewer him, but Vergil did not seem the least bit concerned. His eyes were closed as his coat flapped from the velocity of the wind, while his right leg was bent, and his left was straightened out. Slowly, an aura of blue demonic energy was engulfing him.
Before the fallen angels even realized what happened. Vergil's eyes snapped open, and were burning with a fierce color of bright crimson. His Devil Trigger form momentarily replaced his human form, before he disappeared and transformed into thin bright blue light which propelled down like a speeding bullet that was moving at the speed of sound or possibly more. It moved in a zig zag line, piercing through the heads and bodies of the unfortunate devils, and leaving a faint trail behind it that soon faded away. Vergil materialized himself on the back of the creature, sword drawn and held to his side. He waved it once. Sheathing it slowly, and it was fully sheathed, the devils combusted into a gory bloody mess that rained down from above. He sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair, continuing on forward.
Eventually, the beast began to fly above the city as it entered beyond the gates. He still had a long journey ahead as the scene slowly panned away with the bird monster flapping its enormous wings slowly, whilst the sky above continued to be riddled by savage thunderstorms, with endless echoing cries and screams from agonized sinners being heard all around and within the infernal metropolis.
I'm back. Sorry, I had a long two weeks of exams, and my finals are coming up so I might be slow. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Also, if you want Vergil's aerial battle to be more epic, just play the Devils Never Cry soundtrack from Devil May Cry 3: Dante's awakening. Enjoy. Read and Review.
