It was the beginning of February by now and everything was going relatively calmly, if you ignored Amedeo's nightmares. Talking to his mother about it had only helped Amedeo to a limited extent. Vergil worried about this, he didn't like not being able to help his children. Even Nero's otherwise good mood has been clouded over the last few days because of it and that in turn only worried him more.
"Everything will be fine Vergil, you also had nightmares for a long time, like Nero when you came to me from Fortuna. With him it's just later, Amedeo simply processes everything he has experienced. Everyone does that at a different pace." Dante tried to calm him down and massaged his temples. Vergil didn't sleep well, but who could if one of his children woke up screaming in the middle of the night and sounded like he was about to die?
"You're probably right, but I feel so powerless and you know how much I hate that feeling." Vergil grumbled and closed his eyes, just trying to relax.
"Of course I know how much you hate it, but we just have to be patient. We are there for him when he needs us, we told him and showed him that too." Vergil hummed in agreement and just tried to consider what might have been the trigger for the nightmares. Was it really the calm, relaxed mood at the moment? Or was it because Dante was currently taking jobs again from Morrison and was therefore sometimes not there day or night? He don't know.
Dante's longest absence had been two days, but only because it was a bigger job. Vergil had been so tense on the second day that he had fallen around his brother's neck as soon as he saw him. Regardless of whether Dante needed a shower or not, he just had to give in to the urge. He still knew how much Dante had stunk, the demon had hidden in the sewer, Dante had to defeat him there, which had also explained the stench. They both needed the shower afterwards, until there was no more warm water...
Otherwise everything had actually been quiet, now and then Amedeo had come along to Jobs. It had been difficult for Vergil to allow his son's wish, but he had wanted to help and he had not forbidden him. He didn't want to limit Amedeo's development, which was making really good progress. His two sons could now read human language quite well and they made progress with writing. But Vergil did practice with them every day, just as he taught Nero to use his wooden sword. Amedeo or Dante were always recommended as training opponents, but both enjoyed it and Vergil was only too happy to watch Nero try to defeat both. 'You will kneel before me!' Nero had called out to both of them one day after the lesson. Nero hadn't been really focused that day, had always lost, but his courage hadn't been diminished. Dante had laughed so much that Nero had caught him by surprise, he had just jumped on his back so that Dante fell over, his face to the ground. Vergil himself afterwards had a stomach ache from laughing.
It was such moments that Vergil loved, especially in the last few months. Even Patty had been to visit twice in the meantime, once she had even brought her mother with her. She said she wanted to go shopping and had been around. Vergil hadn't quite believed her, but he could endure her now. Lady and Trish also came by regularly, wanting to know how he and the child are doing. Whether he could still bear Dante after all these months. So far he could still take Dante very well, even if he sometimes tried to forbid him to move. Once they actually had a really loud argument about it, but they had made up again quickly after the children had looked in because they had been worried. After that, Dante walked around the block once, went shopping and even brought him chocolates and flowers as an apology on the way back.
Vergil hadn't really known why flowers of all things, but he had accepted the apology. In retrospect he wasn't really angry with Dante, he knew that Dante only wanted the best for him and the baby, but he didn't let everything be forbidden.
As for the baby, he didn't feel anything unusual. Rather, he felt a constant energy within himself that stayed on the same level. It wasn't quite true either, the energy had increased and even Nero could feel it when he concentrated and was very close to him and touched his belly. Dante and Amedeo felt it quite well now even without being close to him, even Trish and that even worried him. That's why he thought about going outside with Dante from time to time and the children, he wanted to hide the energy. If Trish already sensed her and she was just a guest, the demons in the vicinity can perhaps sense it too, and he didn't want that. Even if he didn't really believe that demons were around, he knew that Dante made it a point to quickly eliminate all demons in his vicinity. But he just wanted to be sure, he didn't want any complications.
Vergil sighed and leaned more against Dante behind him, pulling his hands away from his temples and closer to his belly.
"Do you remember New Year's Eve? The four of us sat together on the roof after you and Amedeo had cleared the tiles for it from the snow. There he had no nightmares and both children were amazed at the fireworks." Vergil could still remember very well that Dante had sat next to him, Nero on his lap and Amedeo sat next to Dante. Dante had one arm each around him and Ame and pulled them close.
"Sure, I still remember. Especially the day after when the two of them literally begged that we would do the same next year, only this time with our own fireworks." Vergil could still remember it very well, he really hoped that he would be able to fulfill his children's wishes at the end of the year, maybe there would be five of them by then if everything went well. That was his wish for the New Year that his baby would survive.
"Let's go to sleep, you look tired Verg." loving words he heard from Dante and he nodded and shifted himself on the bed, snuggled up against Dante's chest.
"Tomorrow will be a better day." he replied softly and gave his brother's bare chest a quick kiss before closing his eyes and trying to sleep.
"Nero what's wrong?" were Dante's first words after entering the Devil May Cry when Nero threw himself on him. He caught the dwarf and hugged him and stroked his back soothingly.
"Mom ... Mom ... Mom ..." Nero whimpered with a tear-streaked face and Dante just kept stroking, mumbling a few hopefully soothing little things and at some point Nero was a bit calmer, finally.
"Mom was kidnapped." it finally escaped Nero and Dante sank to his knees, he suddenly had no more strength in his legs. "How? But?" he brought out breathlessly and stared at his son who tried again not to lose his composure.
"How, Nero?" he said, looking at the sofa, trying to get there after finally getting up and sitting down.
"Where's Amedeo?" he asked now, somehow his big foster son was missing and he suspected something bad.
"Ame ... it was Ame, but again not. Ame was black, like he fought against father back then. But he was partly still himself. He let me flee." Nero stuttered and slowly everything became clear to Dante. All the last few months, all the peace they had, the few demons. Everything had been just a plan, a very big plan, and Dante had played along perfectly.
"Explain everything to me exactly, okay? What happened after I left for a job this morning?" It had been a big demon crowd, not that he couldn't cope with, but it had taken a while because the ladies weren't in town either, because of another assignment.
"We were in the park. Mom had her sword with her and Amedeo also wanted to watch out. Ame and I were playing, we were swinging when it started. His eyes went black and he fell to the ground. He writhed and cried for mom. Only mom couldn't do anything, but she pulled him close and stroked his back. I saw his eyes go normal for a short moment, as he said evil is coming for him. We thought he was just scared, a nightmare or something. Only the black spread again. Mundus is coming, after us he kept saying afterwards." Nero snuggled up very close to Dante again and he hugged him.
He shouldn't have left, he had a bad feeling the last few days and now he knew why. Maybe he should have noticed it earlier? After all, Amedeo had nightmares, he had often told of a dark figure who chased him, that called him son. Vergil and he had just thought nothing, had thought it was the torture that Amedeo had to endure all the years.
"What happened after that?" he asked with a broken voice, everything in him screamed that he should look for Vergil immediately. Only he knew that it would not work, his brother was back in hell, in the captivity of Mundus.
"After Mommy heard it was Mundus, she pulled Amedeo to her feet. Talked to him that he couldn't give up control, that he had to be strong and fight. Just ..." Nero broke off and shook his head and clawed his fingers in his chest more.
"Only it didn't work, the blackness broke out of him, swallowed him and mommy ... she couldn't get away from him. Amedeo then threatened mommy, said she should create a portal, otherwise he would kill me. But then said shortly afterwards Ame that I should flee, mommy agreed, everything would be fine she said. I ran away and hid, watched everything from a bush." Nero's voice broke and he cried again and Dante had no choice but to wait until his son had gotten himself back to talking. He himself buried his hand in Nero's soft hair and stroked it tenderly.
"I should have fought dad! I should have been brave and strong like you and mommy." Nero lamented and Dante just pressed him closer and tried to stay calm, it didn't help if he accidentally criticized the boy. It just didn't work ...
"Nero, you were brave. You ran away, but you watched everything, you can tell me all about it now, if you hadn't done that, I wouldn't know anything." Dante only hoped that the information he got from Nero would do anything at all so that he could save Vergil. Finding was less of a problem, they were connected since he had marked him, at least he hoped it would work.
"Ame didn't do this willingly to threaten mommy." Nero muttered after a while and Dante believed him. He knew for himself how difficult it was to escape Mundus control, only the boy had bathed in the black slime for years ... Why had he actually allowed Vergil to go out without him? Why?
Why had he and Vergil assumed that Amedeo would no longer pose a threat to them? Why now of all times and not much earlier? Did it have something to do with Vergil's pregnancy? Did Mundus want to wait until Vergil and the baby were more stable? They were now about the fourth month, but when he thought of Amedeo, Vergil had lost him much later and he had got blood from Amdusias. He just didn't understand something, some piece of the puzzle was missing.
"Mommy then created the portal as Amedeo asked for, he dragged her through too, but in the last second when the portal closed, mom threw her sword out." Nero said softly and Dante blinked, did he understand that correctly? Vergil had left Yamato behind?
"Where is it?" he asked Nero and he watched as his son slipped off his lap and got on his knees in front of the sofa and pulled Yamato out from under the sofa.
"Vergil did that really well, at least that way the sword won't get into Mundus hands." he sighed and shook his head and bit his lower lip, he was really wondering why his family was so unlucky. In any case, he knew that he would kill Mundus, his brother should be happy with his children and he would achieve this goal.
"Nero, you did well too. Have you eaten something since this morning? If not, I'll order something right away, i call Morrison and try to reach the ladies, we need support. Mundus will wish he never attacked us when I'm done with him." Dante's serious words as he picked up his son, who held Yamato, on one arm and ran his hand through his white hair. It had been a matter of time before Mundus had to die anyway, he had hoped if Vergil had the baby, but that had been wishful thinking. But now he would not hesitate, he had lost his brother once, many years ago, now he would not allow him to be lost again. His brother was his and nobody else's!
"Son of Sparda, you are finally back where you belong." Mundus greeted him when he was shown to him. The tall statue stared down at Vergil and he had pressed his lips together into a thin line.
"What do you want?" he asked, trying not to show his fear.
"You will find out in time." Mundus' loud voice seemed to come from the statue, only Vergil believed that it wasn't his true form. Dante had somehow remembered seeing him standing next to Amdusias, not as a huge statue. So that was just one of the tricks this demon could do.
"Tzz, spit it out what you want demon." Vergil dared to express himself and he heard a loud threatening growl that went through the whole hall in which he was standing. He wasn't weak, he wouldn't give in, he had to protect his children. Amedeo stood next to him in silence as a black demon and he had to try to reach him. His child was not allowed to give in.
"Ame ..." he whispered quietly and looked at him.
"He doesn't hear you. It is completely my son now, after all, my blood saved his life." Vergil got an answer from Mundus. If he had the power to kill Mundus he would now dare, but he still had to protect another life that was growing inside him.
"You weakling, soon my blood will flow in your veins, it will ensure that you do not lose another child ... and then it will be mine." a loud roaring laugh emanated from his statue and Vergil swallowed, he was afraid for his child.
"Son, you accompany your mother to her new quarters and you accompany the two of them." rang out the loud voice and Vergil could watch a black big cat break out of the shadows.
"Son, you will come back afterwards, I need to talk to you about your further plans to take your father's place." Vergil shook himself briefly when he heard these words and felt sorry for his son, who bowed and then started moving. Amedeo grabbed his shoulder and pushed him forward. Vergil had no choice but to obey Mundus' words first. The big black cat that looked like a panther followed them on quiet paws.
"Master, is it safe to just send Shadow to watch out? The boy has turned against you before." mused a large bird that had now made itself comfortable on the shoulder of the statue and stared after the three.
"Quiet Griffon. My son will not betray me, I have him completely under control, moreover he betrayed Amdusias and not me, I will not repeat this mistake. I had been too lenient with Amdusias. But since you're so worried about Griffon, go, follow them and also take care of my new Omega. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid, I want his child." Mundus' words and the bird croaked loudly and pushed off the shoulder of the statue and flew after the other three. A word of his master was an order and the General obeyed them, so now Griffon flew quickly behind and caught up with the others.
"Hey Sparda son, it's been a long time." Griffon croaked and landed elegantly on Shadow's back and let him carry him on to the new chambers of the omega. Griffon ignored the questioning growl from Shadow and just nodded when he looked up at him, ignoring Vergil's scowl.
"That means Vergil for you, bird." Vergil replied and Griffon only looked at this half-demon disparagingly, he could break him so easily if he wanted to. Just grasp the waist and squeeze, but the Master wanted him to take care of him, to play babysitter for him.
Why couldn't he just hold his beak? Why hadn't he just done that? He would save himself a lot of work that would undoubtedly now come to him.
"You have nothing to say to me weakling, I could crush you so easily if I wanted to." he croaked back and only saw a 'dare you' smile on the lips of the omega. Griffon puffed up because he was angry, but then put his wings back on and looked at the demon who had been silent up to this point. This young demon was a son of the omega, Mundus wanted to create another creature like that, so he would practice holding back.
"I'll take over from here, go back to Master Mundus." he ordered and wanted to test how obedient the boy was.
"No, I follow my master's orders, not yours." replied Amedeo coolly and looked at him with dark purple eyes. There was something Griffon didn't like about the boy, something he couldn't quite put into words.
Arrived in the new chambers, Griffon looked around for a good place for himself from which he could observe everything.
"Mother." a single word left the demon's mouth and Griffon watched the interaction of the two as the omega took the boy's claw and squeezed, nodding. Something was still wrong, something how the two of them acted, but probably he just imagined it.
"Go back to Mundus before he punishes you son." Words spoken by Vergil and somehow they sounded so soft and warm in Griffon's ears that it tingled everywhere and he wanted to throw up. Likewise the hand on the cheek of the black demon before he nodded and turned away and left the room. He did not know such behavior.
"When your master cares so much about my child. I want something to eat and drink. I also need blood and some books." cold commanding words from the Omega and Griffon was inwardly upset again about how this half-demon could dare to express himself like that! Shadow stared at him intently and Griffon sighed, since he was the only one of the two of them who was able to speak... his job was to organize it.
"Shadow, take care of the weakling." He now ordered the panther who only growled at him in amusement and he dematerialized shortly afterwards.
Vergil sighed deeply and examined his new room. It was at least more homely than what he had lived in with Nero back then. It was probably one of the rooms Mundus gave his concubines, but better than nothing. He sat on the large canopy bed and slid into the middle and lay on his side. A hand rested on his stomach and caressed it.
"We can do it, so far we have held out and we will continue to do it. I did not give up then and will not do it this time. Your daddy will come to save us." quietly mumbled words and he then buried his face in the pillows that lay here. Tried to collect his feelings, he didn't want to be weak now. He had to be strong, but the thought of Dante and his little boy made him shed a few tears.
Shortly afterwards he felt a tremor on the bed and watched suspiciously as Shadow made himself comfortable on the bed and leaned against him. Did the cat want to give him comfort? He looked away from his jailer again and stared into the room. At least one thing he was sure of, Amedeo was not quite lost, even though Mundus had said it was. When Mundus had fully controlled his son, the eyes had been completely black, now they had been dark purple again, as he had known it. So there was still hope.
But somehow he was really unlucky in his life, he was happy for a few years until demons destroyed his home. He was then arrested and later violated and ill-treated. Then he finally managed to escape with Nero, the only living son he knew until then, only to end up in captivity from the Order of the Sword. And now, it had happened to him again, he was locked up, only this time two of his children were in captivity with him, Amedeo and his baby that he couldn't lose under any circumstances. He could never forgive himself for that, that's why he would probably fall back on Mundus blood if he had to do it to survive. What consequences that would be later, he would take care of it when it was time.
When Griffon came back less than half an hour later with another servant from Mundus with the things the Omega had asked for, he found it asleep and Shadow snuggled close to it. Shadow had always been soft at heart, not like his other siblings. Perhaps that was also a reason why Griffon had formally offered to take care of Vergil. Instead of waking the weakling so that he could eat and drink, he sent the servant away with the food. He kept the water here, for blood and food he would simply call the servant again later. He had even got hold of books himself so that Vergil could read them later. He did all this only for his master ... but why did he hear the other Generals laughing maliciously in the back of his head? 'The great General plays babysitter for a half-demon' ... he wouldn't tell them and he hoped Master Mundus wouldn't say more to others about this Omega either.
He believed and hoped anyway that Master Mundus had only called him because he knew about the existence of Vergil. Amdusias had made a small mistake then and Griffon had spotted the Omega. He had spoken to his master about it and he should have been silent as a result. That he now rose to take care of it himself, or rather descended ... He really should have kept his beak shut. He shook his feathers and pulled one of the pillows that appeared to have fallen on the floor to make himself comfortable on it. It would be enough for the beginning, only he would need more later, when he literally moved in here, he would need a neat nest for himself. Babysitter for a pregnant Omega, he also took care of the Shadow didn't mess up and then there's the black demon. Great how his life of a highly esteemed General ended so quickly and became something completely different. He and his beak ...