The two were locked in combat like Lucia had never known. Hacks, slashes, spins, cuts, and flashes of red, white, and sanguine blazed at her. She had never moved so fast, blocked so much, and faced such power. Malphisto was a black blur of red lightning, storming with fury. She was driven back towards the figure of Vlad and used it to escape from one of Malphisto's many attacks. Dodging twice, she kicked the mannequin at the devil and ran into a large, broad hallway. Great pillars stood beside her as chucks of plaster and stone rained down. Whole sections of columns were demolished by her enemy, hunting her down as she tried to evade.

Quickly he was full frontal and in her face, relentless with his red glowing blades – a barrage of beaming brutality. Each hot crimson attack pushed Lucia back as she barely had time to breathe. Trying to find an opening to attack, Lucia lost it to his furious flurry.

Soon, she was surrounded by lightly armored mannequins with spears and round shields. Spartans? She thought. If that were true, then she had made it to the Greek exhibit. And if she had made her way to the Greek exhibit, then Zaxber couldn't be too far. Somehow this demon had driven her right where she needed to be.

Didn't mean she could look around so easily. In fact, she could barely make sense of her surroundings. She thought she was in an arena of some sort, but couldn't be sure. Malphisto's attacks were still coming at lightning speed and she was only aware of where she could move and couldn't.

Finding herself between rows of seats in the arena, Lucia caught a few seconds of rest. However, Malphisto hopped up a wall, spun easily above her, and landed in the rows. Viciously, he attacked her like a savage, slamming his claws over and over on Lucia's blades. She dropped to a knee until she rolled back as he ran after her.

Sent flying through one of the arena doors, the demon hunter found herself in a Greek-esque marketplace. Wax fruit and wax people surrounded her as she looked around for Zaxber. She was quite disgruntled, not knowing what she was looking for. She also knew she had to look fast, already tired of the food and clothes – and not weapons. The only thought that gave her solace was that she'd know it when she found it.

Malphisto came through the same way he had thrown her, and chased her through the street lined with wood-stand vendors.

The marketplace was their new battleground as Lucia was tossed through one of the cheap kiosks, slamming into a thick marble wall. There was no rest for the devil warrior as her enemy slammed his red claws down on her timely crossed swords. The two stared at each other as Malphisto said with a smile, "You can't win, pawn. I am a dark knight, and you are just –"

Letting go of one of her swords, twisting away, Lucia pulled one of her daggers and drove the blade under Malphisto's mask. The demon reeled back. The dagger stuck out of his face like an unkempt bit of beard. Grabbing it, slinging it to the ground, Malphisto said angrily, "Do you think your toys can stop me?"

Rolling, grabbing her sword, Lucia shrugged and said, "Thought it was worth a try."

The porcelain masked hell knight was back on the attack. His glowing finger blades clashed with Lucia's swords, driving her deeper into the exhibit. The last Vi di Marlie struggled to keep up. She matched his blows with underhanded blocks, desperate swipes, and other countless maneuvers.

A crazy question entered Lucia's mind. If I could sweat like a human, would it help me?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a guarded high attack as she was tripped and sent through a glass display. Her whole body crashed through it, tumbling to the ground. Spinning back to her feet with glistening glass falling from her body, she ignored the shattered case and was under heavy attack again.

Dodging and avoiding Malphisto, she took a glance at the broken pieces and saw a gold plaque that had the word: ZAXBER. On the ground were two black, curved swords. That's it! She thought. With a new sense of urgency and energy she slipped past Malphisto, sheathed her swords, and picked up Zaxber. She held the two obsidian blades with pride. She looked at Malphisto and took an armed stance, ready for whatever…

These aren't it. Usually when Lucia held a Devil Arm she could tell. She could feel the power of the weapon. These didn't have any power.

Malphisto charged her and she instinctively guarded. The black blades busted to pieces, raining to the ground. Lucia looked at the obsidian shards, her mouth agape. Tilting her head towards Malphisto, she whipped her red hair and said, "Looks like today is your day."

He backed away and flashed his claws at Lucia. "Sorry to say, I think those were just recreations. Most humans don't know how to make Devil Arms. If they had been the real thing, they would have blocked a blow like that easily."

"You mean like these?" came a voice both Lucia and Malphisto knew all too well. The dark knight turned slowly, gazing over his shoulder. He saw Vergil holding the real Zaxber with Trish by his side. A long, sadistic smile cracked across Malphisto's porcelain lips. "Perfect. Now this is going to get interesting."

Vergil held the two black swords like Lucia held hers.

Trish had Sparda over her shoulder as she asked Lucia, "You okay over there, girl?"

Lucia smiled and nodded.

"Got a message for your master," Vergil said, pointing one of the Zaxber blades at Malphisto.

Clinking his bladed fingers together, Malphisto asked, "And what's that?" He marched towards Vergil, readying his crimson slicers.

"I'm getting my brother back," Vergil said.

Malphisto and Vergil clashed. These black blades didn't break. The two stared at each other, their eyes locked as the dark knight asked, "Where did you find these?" referring to Zaxber.

"Right where I knew they'd be," Vergil answered.

Trish walked next to Lucia and said, "Promised I'd only jump in if he needed help."

Lucia looked at her and asked, "He let you promise that?"

"Uh, he doesn't let me do anything," Trish said.

The fight continued as the two ladies watched. Vergil was sluggish against the dark knight. The half-devil looked like he was suffering from wounds and exhaustion. They watched as Vergil was tossed into display cases, thrown into fake dwellings, and knocked to the floor several times. Before Lucia or Trish knew it, Vergil was soaked in sweat and blood. Red streams poured from his head, and stinking sweat stained his elegant clothing.

"Enough of this," Trish said as she went in with Sparda, twirling the large sword with relative ease. Unfortunately she was batted away like a cat toy. A few quick slashes with those red claws and Trish was on her back, the Sparda across her chest.

Lucia pulled her swords and went in for an attack. Malphisto handled her and Vergil with ease. The lady hunter not able to land a single blow. The brother of Dante huffed and puffed, holding his chest with pain. He sluggishly swung the swords as Malphisto said, "The seed of Sparda without power. It's almost not worth dragging your frail body back to Samhain."

"I'll show you frail!" Vergil yelled. He reached back with one of Zaxber, but was sent off his feet with a backslash from Malphisto. A frown came over the dark knight as he said, "What a pity. I was really hoping for a challenge."

Trish was back up and in Malphisto's face. The Sparda came flying down but was instantly blocked. Trish asked angrily, "Am I not enough of a challenge?"

Quickly in five moves, Malphisto had Trish down and answered with a disgusted growl, "No, you're not." Turning towards Lucia, Malphisto grinned. "You, on the other hand…" He swaggered over to Vergil and slipped Zaxber from his tight grip. He then tossed the swords at Lucia's feet. "Pick them up."

Sheathing her swords, Lucia looked at the devil sideways and asked, 'What?"

"You're the only one who can give me half a challenge. Do it. Pick them up."

Swallowing, Lucia looked at the swords and even though she didn't have them in hand, could feel their power. She slowly bent down and grabbed the swords. The obsidian blades pulsed in her hands with strength. She spun, tossed, and flipped the swords, getting a feel for them. They felt infinitely better than their copies. Real steel, reflecting little light from their carbon dark metal, feeling as good in her hands as her own.

Malphisto sped in with his red claws back and a smile across his mask.

He was caught by Trish though. "You thought I was down, didn't you?"

Instantly, Malphisto frowned and in no time had Trish on her knees. He then kicked her right in the face, and said, "You look down to me."

This was when Lucia came in. She was a storm of fury, swinging Zaxber like a mad woman. Malphisto more than happy to defend against her. The two were locked in combat again as Trish got to her feet. Soon the lady hunters were fighting Malphisto with Vergil now up and heading their way with Yamato at the ready. When all three were attacking Malphisto, he did away with Trish, knocking her to the side and Vergil he left in a sorry state on the ground.

It was just him and Lucia once more. She chased him down throughout the museum. They actually found themselves in a flight exhibit as planes and helicopters came crashing down. Malphisto jumped on one of the biplanes and fought the nimble warrior across the machine. She was sent off the wing and bounced off a NASA escape pod replica.

Lucia was at a loss for what to do next. They were evenly matched. Even with Trish and Vergil rejoining the fray, it wasn't enough to gain an edge. He was too strong for all three. All he was doing with Lucia was playing with her. She had to gain some kind of upper hand. She did have one last trick up her sleeve, but it had been so long since she had done it. If she could Trigger, she might be able to send the dark knight back to the demonworld.

In one last effort she attacked Malphisto with several daggers and then pounced on him like a jungle cat. He was hardly affected. He easily got her off and sliced for her. A large gash streaked across her face.

Trish and Vergil jumped in front of her as the leather-clad hunter asked, "You okay?"

Lucia could feel it. Her Devil Trigger. It swelled inside of her as she saw blood on her hand. Problem was that her own insecurities came back faster and harder than her demon self. They pushed it back down. She closed her eyes and said, "I don't want to be a monster."

"What?" Trish asked.

Malphisto sent both of them to the floor, roaring out, "You two are nothing compared to me!" Pointing at Lucia with one long, crimson claw, he said, "I just want her."

Lucia attacked. She sliced and slashed Zaxber at Malphisto – and he couldn't have been happier. At one point she felt her Trigger snap and then fade. This had given her pause and Malphisto took advantage, sending the Vi di Marlie warrior to the ground. Zaxber flew from her clutches and she looked up at Malphisto with sadness. He stood over her and flashed his red blades. "It was a good fight, devil. But time's up. I must go claim my prize. If you will excuse me."

He turned to walk away, but Lucia stood up and yelled, "Hey!"

He stopped.

She picked up Zaxber and said, "We're not done yet. You still haven't fought the real me."

"Oh, been holding back on me, eh? Okay, where is the real you?"

"Dante," Lucia said with tears in her eyes. "I am a devil. I am a monster." Spinning both black blades, she said, "I'm sorry Matier, I'm sorry Dante."

Malphisto's blades twitched and his mask shifted with a curious look.

Lucia glared at Maphisto with her hair covering one eye. "She's right here." Her hands suddenly turned black, sprouting obsidian claws. White feathers covered her body as her eyes disappeared behind beams of light. Bolts of power surged across her body and her legs became black and bird-like. Wings unfurled from her back as she held up Zaxber, the black blades replaced by black light beaming from her hands.

Malphisto smiled manically and said with delight, "You're beautiful! You should never hide what you really are." He readied both sets of blades and added, "It makes you a weaker warrior."

Lucia's voice had become cold and dark. "Being this thing doesn't make me better, my training does."

"Touche," Malphisto said.

The two demons charged. The bright black lights collided with the red glowing blades of the dark knight. They fought hard and fast. They moved around Trish and Vergil. They crashed through walls, columns, and displays. Glass, stone, marble, and concrete fell to the floor as the whole building began to quake.

Vergil grabbed Trish's arm. "We need to get out of here! Now!" The two exited the museum as the entire building collapsed behind them. Trish looked around to see if Lucia or Malphisto had survived, but more than that, she searched for the rest of the STG soldiers. What was left of Gamma came out of the dust. Babsul removed his helmet and looked at the collapsed structure. "What… I mean what the hell happened?"

Trish called out, "Lucia!"

Vergil looked at her and told the ex-Mundus henchman, "She's still alive, and so is Malphisto."

As the rubble and dust cleared they saw two figures fighting inside the cloud. The dark and blue light of Lucia slammed against the red glow of Malphisto. Their shadows danced and cascaded through the debris.

Trish went to join the fray, but Vergil stopped her and Gamma. "No," he said. "You'll only get in her way."

Blasting out of the destruction, Malphisto was sent from the wreckage into another building like a speeding comet, and Lucia chased after him. Punching through the glass and cement of the other building, the two fought upwards through each floor, the skyscraper imploding on itself. Rocketing through the top, fighting in the red sky, they looked like two firecrackers trying to outshine the other. Lucia slashed at Malphisto with her black-lit blades as the dark knight fought back with his blood red fingers.

There was only one problem: Malphisto couldn't fly. He began to plummet back to Earth as Lucia went after him like a hellish hawk. Both fighting on the way down. Malphisto tried to defend himself as he was in a free fall, but there was no defense. Lucia could fly and could fight mid-flight. This gave her the edge, this gave her the opening. Malphisto's blades were knocked away and Lucia plunged one of Zaxber right through Malphisto's heart.

The two landed next to the crumbled museum with a hard impact. A ring of dust was kicked-up around them as Lucia drove the other sword into his chest. Malphisto roared out and watched Lucia walk away, changing back into her red-haired, human form. A slim smile cracked over his mask as he told Lucia, "Well-played, devil. Being in the human world has definitely made you a stronger beast. A reckoning for any dark knight. Remember that, Lucia." His body began to turn to ash and blow away. "Never give up on what you are. Your monster is not part of you, it is you. And it will save your life… and others." He was then gone.

Grabbing Zaxber, walking around the demolished buildings, Lucia saw Gamma, Vergil, and Trish.

Trish went to grab her, but Vergil snatched her arm and swaggered up to the sad devil. He looked past her at the carnage and asked, "Blaming yourself?"

Lucia shook her head. "No. It's something Malphisto said."

"What?"

"He said, 'I'm a monster.'"

"Some might see you that way. Those who fear power."

Lucia leered at Vergil. "You don't deny it?"

"You are a devil, Lucia. There's no avoiding what you are."

Appearing on her back were two crisscrossed sheathes. She spun Zaxber into them and told Vergil, "Maybe I am. But I'm a devil with a job to do. I won't leave Dante trapped. He's the only who didn't think I was a devil."

"Dante doesn't think a devil can cry. But… devil's cry. It's what makes them devils. They know more than anyone how much pain and suffering they can cause."