Chapter 53.5: Distant duel Pt1.
*3 years ago*
Midnight.
On a street of a certain city, a teenager cladded in a dark blue outfit just walked out from a rather large strip club.
"That's the last of those wretched Demons…", said the young man.
As the moon light shone on his figure…
Blood.
His whole body was covered in blood.
However, not a single injury on his being, nor a torn in his clothing can be found.
The blood… wasn't his. But a stench unlike the blood of humans, can be scent.
A foul scent that is even fouler than the smell of a long dead corpse…
Demon blood…
That's the only plausible explanation. Even more plausible with the addition of the young man's identity.
"Now then…"
As he was about to move on to his next goal…
VROOOOOOM!
"!"
He bends his body backwards, avoided a red motorcycle lunging at him.
He reaffirmed himself and faced the assailant.
What he witnessed, was a beautiful curvaceous young woman in her mid-20s, she has lengthy, blond hair that is parted slightly to the right side of her face, and a very fair complexion.
She wears a small, revealing black corset with white filigree and a large lightning bolt design on the front, revealing her midriff and cleavage. The zipper on the front is also designed like a lightning bolt. Her black leather pants are held up by double-ended belts, with lightning bolts on her rear and white filigree-like designs on the hips. She also has a pair of knee-high high-heeled boots. Her accessories consist of a black choker and a black leather gauntlet with three belts on it. Her nails are painted black, and she's wearing sunglasses.
"Quite late at night for a young man to be walking on the streets covered in blood"
She said as she lifts her body up from the motorcycle.
"That's rich coming from you who tried to ram me with a motorcycle".
The teen responded as he glared at the woman.
Hmm… why is this woman look so… familiar?
He thought.
The blonde then gets off her bike.
"…"
"…"
The two stared at one another for a while…
Then…
"You're the young man who lost his family to evil nearly a decade ago. The son of the Legendary Dark Knight, Sparda, Vergil-kun, am I correct?"
The woman was the first to break the silence.
The young man did not respond in words, but rather…
CLICK!
He slowly brought out a unique object on his left side, one that signifies his presence and power.
The legendary tachi of darkness, Yamato.
He puts his finger on the tsuba, and slightly pushed the sword out of its' sheath.
Seeing the infamous samurai sword, the woman smirked satisfyingly.
"Guess I just hit a nerve", she said as she shrugged her shoulders.
Indeed, the teenager wielding the sword in front of her, is the infamous Son of Sparda, the Dark Angel, Vergil himself.
"In that case, you must be familiar with things like… THIS!"
BUZZZZZZZ!
BLAST!
As the woman shouted, a bolt of dense Yellow-colored lightning was shot out of her hand.
The bolt was immensely fast, seemingly gives Vergil no time to dodge.
But…
BUZZ!
CLANG!
Unfazed, he deflected the bolt with the black scabbard of his sword.
BOOOOOOM!
The bolt got sent high into the sky, and exploded spectacularly.
As Vergil moved his gaze back at the woman…
WHOOOOSH!
A whisk of the wind sounded as he tilted his head to the side, dodged the woman's surprise thrust kick that pierced the air.
Not giving up, the latter then delivers a flurry of fists and kicks empowered by the same yellow lightning she threw at him.
This lightning… demonic power…
Is she a witch?
Or a demon…
Thoughts ran through Vergil's head as he pleasantly dodged the woman's relentless assault.
At one point.
"Enough."
DOOON!
"Guh!"
As he had enough of the woman's assault, he yeeted her a way with a simple backhanded slap. She got sent back considerably.
"Tch!"
She clicked her tongue as she moved to pick up her bike, and tried to throw it at Vergil.
But…
"Huh?"
He wasn't where he was anymore.
And…
SLICE! X3
BOOM!
"Kyaaaaa!"
Her bike, which she was lifting over her head, got sliced to pieces, and exploded.
Before the woman can reaffirm herself and stand up…
SHING!
The blade of the Yamato was already next to her slim neck.
"Don't even think about moving", said Vergil with a cold voice.
The woman, hearing that, did not make any move.
"Judging by the feats you have, you're either a witch empowered by ancient demonic powers… or a straight up demon. Huh… guess I'm getting closer."
Without any intention of putting his sword down, he continued.
"Any last words?"
Accompanied his words, his black and red demonic eyes glowed menacingly.
"…"
The woman was silent for a while, and then…
"Well, you're not wrong when you said you're getting closer…", she said as she shrugged.
"… but I'm not your enemy"
Vergil narrowed his eyes as the woman says that.
"And why should I believe what you said?", asked Vergil
She stood up without minding Vergil's sword pointed at her.
"My name is Trish, and I've been looking for you for quite a while now. I need your help… to put an end to the Primordial Hell, Inferno"
"What?"
Vergil was full of skepticism.
The woman, named Trish, after having gazed at the moon, turned back to Vergil, she removes her sunglasses, revealing a pair of pure blue eyes.
"!"
Those eyes seem rather normal… But combine with Trish's appearance, they invoke an image of an individual that only Vergil would know…
Mother?
True to his doubt, Trish… bears an uncanny resemblance, to the mother he had lost… a long time ago…
…
*Next day*
Despite the skepticism Vergil had, he was willing to hear out the story of the mysterious woman who attacked him, Trish.
The woman, surprisingly, managed to garner Vergil's utmost attention by the information of one of the Son of Sparda's greatest nemesis.
One of the evilest beings in existence, the ruler of half of Inferno, the Emperor of Darkness, as well as one of the true perpetrators responsible for Vergil's tragedy, Mundus.
According to Trish, various signs of Mundus' return to the mortal realm has occurred for the past decade, started from that fated night that puts Vergil on the path he is now.
Mundus, still ambitious in his conquest to rule over everything, plans to come back through opening the Gate of Hell, on a rather discreet location:
Mallet island, a massive island filled with mysteries. Also known as one of the great three Infernal Gates, alongside the legendary tower of Temen-ni-gru and the Hell Gate of Fortuna, this barren land is one of the closest places to the Primordial Hell, Inferno.
Tempted by his desire to destroy Mundus, while remained vigilant, Vergil accepted Trish's offer to take him to the island.
It only a day after their discussion that they arrived at the location through the sea route in the morning.
On the outside view, the majority of the island is dominated by an ancient castle. As typical for a castle built before the fifteenth century, it has a barbican outside the footprint of the main castle. The island also seems to accommodate other structures, including a Cathedral, multiple gardens, a labyrinth canyon, and a large amphitheater.
DOON!
With a crisp kick, Vergil blew away the castle outer stone gates with ease.
Along with Trish, he moves into the cliff behind the gates.
As the woman took a step ahead of him, she said.
"The main castle is above this cliff, come on, let's go"
She then took a huge leap up to the area she pointed to.
That woman… why does she look like mother so much?
A thought ran through Vergil's mind.
He decided to make a detour, through the common routes of the island's infrastructure.
As he makes his way through the outer structures, stench of demonic presence can be felt from every single molecule of the island. They were signs of Vergil's subsequence demonic encounters, a parody of small fights, filled with untrained brutes, all the way to the insides of the castle.
*The castle*
Overall, the castle features multiple floors, contains numerous rooms, as well as a number of connecting hallways. Beneath it is a maze of sewers and waterways. The main hall is home to a statue of a knight holding a spear upright while riding a rearing horse, and a rather large statue of some god.
However, Vergil recognized that statue's appearance more than well enough, that he crushed it without hesitation. He then continued to make his way around, eventually passed various libraries.
The fragments of the castle's history found in these libraries state that it was established as a citadel at some point prior to the twelfth century. In the late twelfth century, it went through a period of wide-ranging and needless modifications by successive Castellans, which the staff found baffling. Bizarre happenings plagued the castle and its surrounding area, including crops growing out of season and time flowing unevenly in different parts of the castle, and the occupants frequently suffered terrifying nightmares. Later Castellans were known for imposing excessively high taxes and barbaric punishments.
But with his experience, Vergil knows too well, that these occurrences throughout history, were in fact the results of the act of the island's very creator, Mundus himself, and his demonic minions.
Innocent souls got cursed, tormented, captured, turned in malevolent demonic beings. While the tainted ones became either loyal servants, or eternally in an unpayable debt for the tyrants and his minions.
Such play by Demonic beings, be it the Demons of Inferno, or the Devils of Christianity, they were too familiar to Vergil at this point for him not to recognize.
Having went through the island's history, Vergil left the libraries and continued his journey.
At one point, he reached a certain large chamber. Just like all the chambers he came across beforehand, this one is also filled with rust and dust.
But there was a certain object that caught his eyes.
A large broadsword that has an ornament shaped like a dragon's head biting the large blade. The dragon wings acted as the guard of the sword. The hilt has a swirling pattern leading to skulls at the bottom with a spike pointing out.
The sword is embedded in the chest of a sculpture of a woman with an agonized expression on one of the walls in the chamber.
"Hmm… Demonic power runs through the core of that sword… and this presence… a soul? Is this… a Devil Arm?"
Vergil made a quick assumption seeing the weapon.
"Hmm?"
BUZZ BUZZ
Suddenly, blue lightning encompasses the sword. Then, something like letter of ancient Demonic language, was formed by those lightning bolts.
I am Alastor. The weak shall give their heart and swear their eternal loyalty to me.
That was what the letters said.
"So that's its' name… Alastor.", said Vergil
ZUUUUN.
Like an illusion, the agonized woman sculpture disappeared, revealing a twisted sculpture of a priest, with a skeletal body, and six arms spreading out.
PLUCK!
In that moment, the sword plucked itself from the sculpture, a fly towards Vergil at high speed!
Vergil narrowed his eyes. He… has no intention to dodge.
As the sword was a less than a meter away from him…
CAUGHT!
Vergil slightly leaned to the side, and caught the sword's grip neatly in his free hand.
"Me? Swear my allegiance to you? No no no, that's not how it works"
As he said that, the sword responded violently by trying to shake itself off his firm grip, and emanate intense lightning to zap him.
But even as the sword was shaking vigorously, and his body being electrocuted, Vergil remain unfazed. With his cold glare, he declared.
"Your allegiance… is to me!"
He then strengthens his grip, causing the sword to respond more violently than before.
Then at one point.
CRACK!
From the handle held by Vergil, cracks started to spread all over the sword. The struggle lessened significantly.
SHINE!
A bright blue lustre shone from the demonic sword, pierced through the glass dome above where Vergil is standing. As the light dissipated, what Vergil witnessed, was the weapon, all cracked and rusted, before fading away in dust.
Blue lightning, once from the violent sword, now emitted across Vergil's arm. He has obtained a new power.
He inspected the demonic power in his hand, and then shot out a blast of lightning.
DOON!
He blew a hole in the chamber, which looks to be leading to the path to the Cathedral.
"Hmm… not bad.", said Vergil.
He dissipated the lightning, and head through the hole he made.
*The cathedral*
Once again, a pack of enemies stood in his way, but as they were just minions with primal instincts, they were no match for him.
As Vergil arrived at the Cathedral, he witnessed the beautiful, majestic hall that elevated the place from the rest of the island's structures, despite it being rather corroded.
… But that's only on the outside.
According to the castle's records, one day, the cross of God disappeared from the altar and a strange power warped the cathedral's interior. Its' residence claimed the place to have been defiled and tried to bring it down, but as most of them were killed before they can start, this cathedral was ultimately decided to be left vacant.
As Vergil inspected the altar, he made an expression of confirmation.
Once again, signs of Mundus' meddling were confirmed to be presence in the building, just like with the rest of the island.
"Hmm?"
Vergil's senses alerted him.
SMASH!
The glass dome atop of the defiled cathedral shattered into pieces as a massive shadow fell down.
An oversized Arachnid, as gargantuan as an elephant and covered in a shell resembles rock. The exoskeleton is grey in color and covered in intricate red patterns: through the gaps, the creature's molten lava body is visible. It leaves a trail of fire behind it as it walks. The head has six distinct eyes, deep blue in color.
(Arghhh! Another small one! I sensed something a little bigger… what a disappointing catch!)
Shouted the creature after it has smelled Vergil.
The latter, having easily realized the creature's true nature.
"So you're one of Mundus' better lackeys, the spider general. To be honest… I'm disappointed", said Vergil coldly as he shakes his head to the sides.
(!)
The demonic spider definitely gone mad. Its' eyes changed to red as a massive scorpion-like stinger tail, also made of rock and magma, extended from its' abdomen.
(You puny pathetic thing! I'll step on you like an…)
Before it can finish its' sentence…
Vergil walks passed it, the Yamato on his hip was mysteriously drawn from its' scabbard and is in his hand. As he sheaths the blade…
CLICK!
SLICE!
(A…)
The spider's gargantuan body got split into several pieces. Its' head started rolling on the floor, eventually stopped at a position where it can see Vergil's entire figure.
Breathing heavily, it spoke.
(You… you're not… just any… ordinary… human… What… are you?)
Vergil only gave a piercing glare back at the damned creature.
In that moment, the aura of a familiar figure started overlapping Vergil's figure in the spider's vision.
(!)
It was the figure of Sparda, the Legendary Dark Knight, as well as Vergil's father.
(No… the Legendary Sparda… it can't be… You're…)
Having no need to hear anything anymore, he left the cathedral, leaving the demon to its' last breath, as its' remains dissipated into a pool of molten lava.
From a vantage point on a cliff, where the entire cathedral can be seen, the woman, Trish, stood as she witnessed Vergil swiftly killed the Demonic lava spider.
"He defeated the Phantom so easily… no wonder why he was considered to be the biggest threat… incredible power…"
Trish says that as she left to another unknown location.
*Later*
After defeating the lava spider demon, whose name was Phantom by Trish's word, Vergil continued venturing around the castle, continued his investigation.
Along the way, he encountered demons made of darkness and shadow, which he defeated with ease.
He eventually reached a rather spacious bedroom, presumably to be the master bedroom.
The bedroom was filled with deteriorated decorations and appliances. There's also a massive mirror that took a third of the wall near the balcony.
As he inspected the bedroom…
His reflection in the mirror suddenly turns around on its' own, with a smirk on its' face.
"Hmm?"
His senses once again warned him.
He immediately turned to the direction of the mirror.
With sharp eyes, Vergil managed to see the spatial distortions on the mirror.
"!"
He witnessed his reflection slowly walks out of the mirror. In the moment after, there are two Vergil in the room. One with serious narrowed eyes, the other from the mirror, constantly smirked in confidence.
ZUUUN!
Suddenly, the body of the materialized reflection slowly being covered in dark and blood red aura. A raw, ominous demonic aura that contrasted Vergil's silent, more refined aura, which the latter emitted in response.
Slowly, the reflection faded away, revealing a tall armored knight figure, with the primary body being a heavy, obsidian black-colored demonic armor with deep radiant red pulsing lines running across it. A liquid large cape purely made of dark red blood was wavering, despite that there's no wind. His helmet is engraved with a demonized humanoid face that has glowing red eyes. The helmet is also surrounded with a set of 6 curved horns protruding from the sides and went backwards, reminiscent dragon horns. He also has small rounded shoulder pauldrons, which are covered by a pair of demonic flat tusk-like horns that also holds his cape, ribcage-like chest plate that has a small red gem in the middle, and grieves with dual-spiked kneepads.
From his back, he drew a massive crimson sword seemingly made of crystalized demonic power, emanating the same aura as his body.
Seeing such action, Vergil said.
"Huh… these stinking halls were the last place I thought I'd find anyone with some guts."
SNAP.
The black armored knight then clicked his fingers, the doors to the balcony opened.
He waved his hand, telling Vergil to follow him, before proceeding to jump outside the balcony himself.
Before Vergil was about to move….
SLAM!
The balcony doors shut tight.
"…"
He was silent for a moment, before shaking his head to the sides.
"Cheeky little bastard… ask me to follow you, yet you shut the door right away…"
Vergil then moves to the door…
DOON!
With a spartan kick, he blew the door away in pieces.
Beyond the balcony was a long path that leads to a rather large area. Vergil travel along the path, eventually arrived at the area.
It was a rather large garden, among the gardens around the island. Presumably, due to being part of the castle, this particular garden features more intricated statues and sculptures than the others around the island. Though most, like the castle, have corroded due to the passage of time…
As Vergil entered the garden, he walks around it, inspect the surrounding.
It was just a few seconds later did he felt that presence again, in the center yard of the garden, where he is now.
WHOOSH.
A whisk of the wind passed his ear…
CLANGx2.
The sound of 2 metal plates consecutively collided lightly with the ground. As Vergil moves his gaze to the direction of the noise, which is up.
It's the black armored knight.
He is standing at the peak of the garden's highest tower. With his crimson sword raised high to the sky, he took a glance at Vergil, and then…
LEAP.
He jumped, and quickly descended down with an overhead strike!
Vergil calmly dodged the sword blow by dashing backwards.
DOON!
The crimson sword collided with the ground, generated a crater of decent size.
A cloud of dust accompanied the shockwave generated by the strike soon spread to the vast surroundings.
WHOOSH!
But it was soon wiped away, by Vergil, who has now drawn his blade.
"So you want to play huh. Fine, have it your way."
The two swordsmans entered their stance, and the battle begins!
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Sound of swords colliding echoed throughout the area. Shockwaves blew away stones and soil.
This guy's sword can keep up with Yamato? Interesting.
Vergil thought as he continued the exchange of intense blows.
At one point…
ZUN!
The knight teleported as both he and Vergil knocked each other away, the latter immediately spotted him on top of one of the walls surrounding the garden.
Did he just chicken out?
But then he sees the knight put out his hand, waving inward, as if to say "come on".
Oh… he's provoking me… think you're the only one that can play that trick?
Having thought of that, Vergil suddenly disappeared in a pulp of black and dark blue smoke… before appearing right behind the black knight in less than a second!
Unfazed, the knight swung his sword to the side as he quickly turned around, but…
SLASH!
Vergil was faster, his Yamato, with its' ability to cut through everything, easily split the crimson demonic sword in two.
Seeing his sword broken, the black knight leaped back.
It seems that sword of his has some inconsistencies in its' construct…!
In the same moment of thought, Vergil felt danger behind him. He leaped into a backflip as he witnessed the other part of the crimson blade that he cut off earlier flying pass him.
As he landed, he witnessed a grotesque scene:
Two halves of the broken sword shifted its' material state from inorganic crystal and metal into a composition of organic blood and flesh. They then merged together and reformed the crimson sword, shifting back to its' previous inorganic state.
The knight then channels immense demonic power into his weapon, causing its' fiery aura to become thicker, more intense
Hoh… so that sword can repair itself… and he's adapting… impressive…
Once again, the two charged at each other. They exchanged sword strikes while constantly teleporting all over the place. Metal collision sounds echoed throughout the area. Shockwaves created from their clashes slowly destroy the structure of the garden.
Eventually…
"Hah!"
DOON!
Vergil knocked the knight through a wall nearby. The impact caused the wall to fell apart instantly.
The black knight recovers, but he fell down on one knee right after.
Seeing his opportunity, Vergil move in for the kill.
"!"
DOON!
In a moment of surprise, the knight became faster than him, and knock away his sword by a kick. The two immediately switch to hand-to-hand combat.
"!"
Vergil was surprised as he was slowly being overpowered in this exchange of fists and kicks.
DOON!
"Arghhhhh!"
The black knight pinned him into a wall nearby, choking him.
This guy… he's… physically stronger than me!?
Vergil thought as he struggles to break the hold on his neck.
"Hahahaha…"
The knight laughed creepily as he was so assured of his victory.
And then…
A necklace slipped out of Vergil's coat as the knight was about to deliver the finishing blow.
A simple necklace with golden chain and a dark blue refined crystal held on to the chain by an Angel-themed Platinum ornament.
"Huh!?"
The knight witnessed that, somehow became surprised.
DOON!
He threw Vergil away, the latter collided with another wall a distance away, bring it down instantly.
As Vergil recovers almost immediately after, he moves out from the rumble, only to witness a strange sight.
"GRUUUAAAAAAAA!"
The black armored knight screamed in agony. He held his helm tightly with both hands, demonic power started to coax all over his being.
SHINE!
FLAME!
In that moment, the knight's body got transformed into a mass of demonic crimson light and black fire.
WHOOSH!
That mass rose to the sky… and fly away.
"What the hell was that? Why did he react like that?"
Vergil asked, pondering of the knight, as well as what he just saw as he looks to his necklace.
…
*Extra chapter: One way*
(The images of the events on Mallet Island fades in white light, Vergil now back to his present self, on the demonic bike, Cavaliere)
"That dream again huh… Woah!"
(Vergil timely dodged a car that he was about to crash into, he then steadies himself as he continued on the almost empty highway at midnight)
[You alright, partner? Your mind just went blank for a moment there.]
"It's nothing, Ddraig. I just… reminiscence a memory, that's all"
Yeah… a very unpleasant memory…
[I see… Still, partner… are you really okay with this? Leaving those kids like that?]
(Vergil was silent for a long while on the road. He then spoke.)
"All pleasantries must come to an end, Ddraig, especially… for a cursed existence as I am. They'll hate me, that's fine. This won't be what they want… but they'll be safe, and be free."
[I see… so it's decided then? Our destination?]
"Huh… you know me so well"
[Haha! Of course I am. I have so much fun just by accompanying you. This upcoming trip… will be one hell of a ride.]
"Yeah…That's right, that's where we're going… straight to hell"
(With resolution, Vergil revs his new bike intensely, speeding through the air like an unrivaled speed demon)