Out in the Open
Vergil stood outside the shop, having teleported there after Dante had tried to talk some, inhis eyes opinionated, sense into him, falling flat without notice. Yet, his words still sunk in, deeper and deeper into the void, Vergil called his existence.
His thoughts were cut short, for he was met with eerie silence through the still broken glass window. Stoic face in place and Yamato in hand he stepped inside in a slow gait, misleading the three occupants of the room easily, that he just casually strolled in without tensed muscles. Yet he was prepared, for whatever was to come.
Three pair of eyes just stared at him, awaiting a reaction, any kind of reaction, Vergil wouldn't deliver, at least not to the ones, who didn't pay attention. His eyes met Danzig's, widening only a fraction and if they'd have blinked, they would havve missed it entirely.
Vergil strode forward, heading straight for Danzig, but those damned eyes from Nero and Devon followed his every move, way too cautious to be put off as simple surprise at his sudden appearance. Nero's gaze briefly flickered to the old man, then to Devon, before he cast them down.
Nero's heartbeat spelled trouble, but he didn't move an inch. Yet his designated face gave away another clue for Vergil.
He looked over to Devon, who stared back in a patronizing way, that didn't sit well with the twin. Something clearly had happened and the connection was made between Danzig and Devon. As ridiculous as it seemed, Vergil kind of knew. The old secret obscuring Danzig had been solved while he was away. And Dante didn't even bother to brief him on this.
Danzig turned from his position at the desk, where he had leaned, head hunched over a book. After Pesh had retreated back inside the young woman, he too had reverted to his usual form, and unbeknownst to the hybrid, had awaited Vergil's arrival.
"I see Dante has failed to inform you about the current situation." For Danzig it was easy to tell, but he knew the blue devil better than anyone else in the room.
"Indeed he has." Vergil warily watched him, as he closed the short distance. And Danzig saw the realization flicker across his face of his bright, bright boy as he stopped in front of him. "I apologize."
"So, after all those years...you decided to get it out in the open?"
"Not how I imagined it. It just happened, right there." He pointed to the very same spot Vergil stood on and the twin looked down, uncomfortably so, as if there was a stain left of whatever had occurred, and stepped he away from it.
"I didn't know, but my brother was here the entire time. We met. It was delightful."
Nero wanted to concur, yet bit his cheek and swallowed the biting remark he wanted to spit out at the old man. It hadn't been pleasant, at least not for the ones cursed with devil blood. He was drained and tired, feeling not up to the discussion, which might would follow his remark.
"I'm sure it was", Vergil replied, showing absolutely no enthusiasm to his words.
Danzig bowed, with his right hand on his chest. "My boy, I am more than sorry for having to deceive you all those years. But I am sure, you'll understand and believe me, when I say, it was with the best intentions."
Vergil bit his lip, absolutely clueless about what to reply. His non beating heart gave no leeway about how to respond either, his brain although told him within much reason, that this wasn't about him alone. Or Dante. So, under watchful eyes, he lifted his hand, not knowing he mirrored Dante down to a T, when he squeezed the frail looking man's shoulder in a reassuring manner. "It is alright. No harm done. Moreover, I believe you did it to prevent the very same."
Devon and Nero exchanged a pointy look, with Nero whispering at her, obviously continuing a conversation from before his arrival. "Told you so." Devon only smiled, first at him, then at Vergil, who ignored it in favor of resting his eyes on the old man, likely to see, if he could catch a glimpse of that angelic presence he apparently hid somewhere behind his fabricated exterior.
Danzig nodded a few times, almost looking like he wanted to fall asleep. Yet he always had those droopy demeanor about him, suggesting he was anything but the sharp minded individual, he tried to concea,l in favor of making folks take him as harmless as possible.
Did the trick on the twins once, only to learn, he was really anything but, with a vault full of treasures and a wardrobe full of the most expensive clothes this world had ever surfaced and a heart full of secrets no one dared to poke at. Furthermore, Danzig never had given them a single reason to do so in the first place.
"Nothing changed." Vergil effectively stated, solemn look to boot. Danzig countered him with a guilty smile.
Vergil sighed in defeat, motioning to all of the old man. "This is not what you really look like." It wasn't a question.
"I'm afraid not. And I'm sorry to inform you, you missed the show. This masterpiece of a spell slipped for the amount of time, my reunion with my dear brother lasted."
"Please, don't make us live through that again."
Vergil spun on his heels at Nero's deflated plea, seeing him perked up and ready to leave, should this happen again. It sounded very convincing, but held a distinctive drowsiness, his voice couldn't hide either. Vergil was too trained to not pick up on all these small giveaways, that it hadn't been pleasant to watch.
"I'm not interested, don't worry." Vergil allowed him his rest.
Nero muttered a breathy thank you, letting himself sink into the soft cushions, while Vergil raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Danzig. "It might have taken a toll on everybody, but especially young Nero here."
"Great gramppa here makes me sound like a weak bastard." Nero said to no one in particular, but couldn't hide the sardonic grin either.
"Ah, yes. Charming as ever, I daresay. I haven't done that today, no?"
"Shut it, gramps."
"I am no grandpa, boy." Danzig reminded him through his teeth, letting his opposite know, this was the end of the banter.
Nero gritted his teeth, as vivid as it was, he sure as hell had a hard time, bringing that man from before together with the raspy voice and his default look of a skinny geezer. It didn't fit at all. To him, Danzig would be always affiliated with sideburns and crinkles as deep as the clogged gutter channels of Capulet City.
"Yeah, right. You're one of those." His nose scrunched up in disgust, catching Vergil in mild surprise.
"Oh, they had an unpleasant encounter with some of our lower rank brethren."
Vergil slowly veered his attention towards the old man, giving Danzig a taste of his threatening glare, that could chill humans to the very bone.
"They are invading? Have you disposed of them? Are there more?"
Nero flinched with every single question, making Devon perk up, giving him a worrisome look. He turned his head away, hiding his furious face, not able to suppress a groan aimed at Vergil, which Devon mistook to be solely for her. She retreated further from him, feeling the strain rise even more, under which Nero was, ever since the incident happened earlier.
Danzig patted Vergil's arm. "Rest assured, they have been sent back."
Devon turned at his. "What do you mean, sent back? They are not dead?"
"No, as I understand it, those were soldiers, drones if you will. They fall and rise. Fall and rise, if not within their home realm, controlled by a master. They hardly speak, for there is no reason for them to do so. They listen and act. That's their sole purpose." Danzig explained, stunning Devon and Nero altogether.
The information Danzig had received earlier, as Dante went to look for Vergil, from their brief encounter and how Pesh had been able to assist and defeat them in mere flash suggested so. However, there was reason to worry. They had seen Pesh and his potential. A dangerous risk, that Danzig could ignore nor hardly underestimate.
Heaven would soon make it's move, to whatever end though, Danzig could only guess. But by what Draven had told him, complications where to expect soon. And here he was, not able to do anything, than be condemned to wait and watch, blindly adjusting his plans as they went onward.
The board was set and the game about to start. And he hated the analogy the moment he thought of it. It wasn't a game. Humanity was at stake, Danzig was sure. As soon as Dante would return, he would have to lay his cards on the table, to have everybodies attention and cooperation. The riders played a crucial part and so were his three boys. They were the wild cards in a game of opposites and opportunities.
Vergil wasn't nearly satisfied with what Danzig had said, no it was unsettling. He walked over to his beloved armchair, dragging it up to the side of the couch where Nero lounged in an ungraceful slant. It reminded Vergil too much of his brother, his object of most irritation still, making his request sound like a bark.
"Tell me what happened."
Nero pursed his lips, before chewing his lower one with eyes cast down, truly agonized by the thought of having to repeat and imaginary relive the attack, but Vergil was adamant, not taking a no for an answer.
To Vergil's veiled fascination, Devon grew wary of Nero's reaction, having the nerve to throw Vergil a reproachful gander, before shuffling closer. Nero felt the movement, but didn't react nor look. The patronizing hand on his arm made it worse and his bile boiled in the pit of his stomach, making the acid rise and leave a bitter taste in his mouth.
Before Devon could say anything, he told Vergil once more, what Danzig had made him describe in every excruciating detail before, stunning Devon and Vergil into silence, equally perplexed by the bitterness in his voice that didn't wear off, even after retelling the story a second time.
Vergil's look was impassive, but changed throughout the story. Nero had still a long way to go. How to cheer him up, though, Vergil didn't really know. From the woman, he didn't take it either, as it showed quite fundamentally.
Something in their dynamic had changed, that much Vergil could decipher. But why, he could only guess.
But the regretful expression of his younger fellow hybrid, he was well acquainted with, and his undead guts had the audacity to churn. Vergil didn't need this added to his pile of dirt at all, but couldn't bring himself to ignore it either. He had been there before and it was a treacherous path, you had to be ready to walk. And one of them walking down that path had to be enough. They had to watch Vergil, while he did and not the other way around.
"Nero, what's done is done. You've been given an opportunity. Do not waste it."
The circumstance, Nero had willingly opted to take the hit and sacrifice himself, spelled it out for Vergil, more than to anyone else. Yet, no one bothered or simply didn't catch on, so the older hybrid decided to let sleeping dogs lie, for now.
"I could say the same to you." Nero snapped back weakly, and here Vergil did something unexpected. He smiled at him and it did wonders to the boy. "Don't worry, I don't mean to. But your priority is to worry about yourself, wiseass." And indeed, Nero chuckled at him, despite feeling down. Vergil ever only used insults to cheer him up, because he rarely ever did, leaving all the colorful expressions to him and Dante alone.
In addition, Nero did nod at Vergil for emphasis, who looked satisfied enough. From next to Nero, Devon offered Vergil a hesitant smile. Vergil returned it without missing a beat. Devon was grateful once more and wasn't it the most puzzling feeling ever emanating from someone he hardly knew.
Devon knew now, she was the odd one out apparently in this whole hybrid thing, nevertheless there was some relief, Danzig belonged to Pesh. At least he would be able to give her some kind of advice as to how they should handle this. Devon could hear Pesh inside, his muffled voice nothing but a incoherent string of agitated whispers. And Devon couldn't focus any more, feeling physically and emotionally drained, trying her best to blend him out. She was dead tired. Pun intended.
"Hey, don't fall asleep on me." Nero nudged Devon's arm, who was still sitting close to him, seemingly nodding off and looking exactly as tired as he himself felt. They both have had the chance to finally get clean and change clothes, yet not feeling refreshed in the slightest. It was taking a toll on Nero, all this thinking going on in his head. Once again he was charged with watching the premise, but this time he didn't object, feeling rather lucky, he didn't get nabbed away like Dante, who had ventured in tiredly through the front door only to get himself turned on the heel to leave instantly by Danzig, War and Death no less. Not business as usual, as this action heavily implied.
Where they were headed, Danzig left it a mystery. But he was adamant and urgent about it, so there was no choice left for poor Dante, than to follow his swift steps out into the night with the riders on their heels.
"I'm not, I'm not." Devon slurred, rubbing her eyes and trying to smile, but felt like it only to be a distorted mask, than anything genuine. For what had taken place, before Dante had been off to search his brother and the very same stalking in much later, they all were awfully calm.
There might not be too much to worry about the circumstances, yet even Vergil had taken the news with a stoic expression. He was still here, even after Dante, Danzig and the horsemen had left. And he seemed not interested in conversation either.
"It's not a big deal isn't it?" Devon blurted out without thinking, making Nero turn towards her.
"What is?" Nero couldn't quite follow, as the weariness crept up on his own body after being so mentally exhausted. It was funny and strange, that the meeting between Pesh and Danzig had obviously drained his physique and Devon was feeling it even more.
"That he's an angel, too?"
Nero cocked his head, lids heavy and a hearty yawn breaking free. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything." He admitted nonetheless with a shrug. "But, what I do know is, Danzig is Danzig. Nothing's changed about it. Am I surprised? You bet. But other than that, there's noting to say or do."
Little did Devon know, he had seen and experienced too much shit already to act on it by now.
"Dante did take it well, too." Devon said, with a side glance at Vergil.
Nero chuckled at her. "Dante takes anything pretty well," he stated matter-of-factly.
Vergil, who gave no indication of how much he acknowledged his surroundings, listened very closely. He very much would have liked to concur, but still didn't feel like talking about it. He knew, the moment he had left the house in the middle of the ritual, Dante had triggered, a burst of power that had vibrated in his empty shell with echoes of days long passed. Dante's involuntary trigger had been as impressive as his unknown knowledge of incantations.
Vergil found it almost ironic, that after all these years of controlled power, remembering how he had been the reason for Dante's first trigger ever, he was yet again the one who taunted Dante into it. In addition, Vergil asked himself how long it had been for Dante to have his devil take over accidentally inbthe first place and if Vergilhad been the only one to ever have that kind of effect on him. With a glance at the two people on the couch, he also remembered rather guiltily, it could've been dangerous for those two to be caught up in a storm of a devil's unadulterated wrath. It was best to have that not happen again.
Devon and Nero both looked exhausted. Even Dante had viewed him with a tiredness in his eyes, that Vergil hadn't seen before. Many things were brooding on the far horizon, Vergil could feel it echo equally strong as Dante's concerned face had already told him. The coming of the riders, cursed angels trapped in human bodies and now Danzig, still keeping his secrets, but also finally sharing his biggest one so far.
Vergil had wanted to go with them at first, but found it safer to stay, having his eyes trained on the human woman, with the other angel inside, that had grown strong enough to manifest. How in the world would her frail body endure such power and for how long? Also, he felt Nero needed more of a guiding hand, than the others. Danzig wouldn't endanger them knowingly and without spilling the risks, so Vergil was quite relaxed, for now.
Nero sighed for third time in a row, making Vergil's mouth twitch lightly. "Well, since I'm bored and there's not much to do, I'll finish my initial punishment." Nero huffed, as he stood up. He said it lightheartedly and it finally coaxed a reaction from the awfully silent twin. The younger heard him chuckle behind his back and swirled around. "What?"
"You should rather sleep than exhaust yourself even further."
"I really don't feel like it, Verge," Nero whined, rubbing his hand and bringer together.
"It was just an advice," Vergil replied nonchalant, he didn't even bother to look up from his book.
"Noted." Nero turned to Devon and she yawned at him from behind her hand, and then gave him a sheepish smile. He didn't smile back, but was rather austere which was again highly unlikely of him. "You should rest, too. I'll have the room proper and clean in no time, just hang in there."
"That's fine. I don't think I can sleep either."
Vergil snapped his book close with a dramatic sigh. "What is it with you two?"
"We're fine." They said in unison, making Vergil blink a few times in astonishment, before his expression changed to amusement. He waved his hand at the both of them. "Well, do as you please."
"I promised to help you, remember?" Devon reminded Nero, which wasn't necessary, for he hadn't forgotten. But he had hoped, Devon had. He looked uncomfortable, scratching his neck and flexing his arm out of nervous habit. Vergil picked up on it, watching closely at their interaction. "No, it's fine. You need your rest more than I do. I'll fetch you, when I'm done." Nero brushed her off, voice a little more determined, than needed.
Devon lowered her gaze and simply nodded, noticing the change in his voice as well. He sounded too urgent, for lack of a better word. He didn't want her to help, for whatever reason.
"Okay. I'm gonna get some fresh air, while you're at it, alright?" Nero shrugged at her. "Sure." He then turned and stalked off, walking up the stairs without a glance left or right. Devon sighed, as she got up from her spot as well.
"Stay close." Vergil called behind Devon's retreating form. "I'll be right outside on the stairs." Devon replied, giving him a playful salute, which he tilted his head to, minding to not look amused and lighten the leverage of his commanding tone. "I've learned my lesson."
Devon sat outside on the cold stone steps leading u the front door of the shop. The cool air was helping wear off the drowsiness from before. Devon heard Pesh whisper inside her head all the time and finally gave in, because he didn't shut up. They needed to talk apparently. And with no one listening in, Devon felt a lot more comfortable to do so, still forgetting about the impeccable ability to hear the twins possessed.
"I have a request." His voice echoed in her skull.
"Shoot," Devon said out loud, not remotely thinking she'd look like a loony, talking to herself.
"Can I...switch with you?" Pesh asked tentatively, yet wasn't able to suppress the underlying eagerness, should she say yes. Devon perked up, slightly alarmed. "You think this is a good idea right now?"
There was a short silent, before Pesh let out a deep heavy sigh.
"Please. I wanna feel the wind, the rain. I wanna smell and see for myself. Please." The bastard was actively trying to sound cute, which Devon noticed right away. But, she could also hear the plea among it.
"You don't see what I see?"
"It's a bit blurry to be honest. It's not the same as before, where I saved your cute, little friends ass."
And Pesh cackled at his own language. He enjoyed this more, than Devon had expected. "How can you laugh? Wasn't it dangerous?"
"No, not in the slightest. Those soldiers had nothing on me. Didn't you pay attention, Dev? I am a virtue. Highest of angel ranks. Though I have to admit, your human body brings quite the inconvenience with it. Which brings me back to my humble request. I need to figure out, how to not hurt you should something like this happen again."
"You didn't hurt me. If so, I didn't feel it."
"You were exhausted, passed out. But as I broke free for the first time, I underestimated how it would affect you. And I wanted to apologize for that. Sorry, Dev." He sounded embarrassed, albeit still cute. She could imagine his face crowned with golden locks and the small smile, that played on the corner of his mouth.
"Will I be able to talk you like you do now, if I let you out?"
"Yes."
"And will you stay close by, so we won't get in trouble when the others come back?" Devon stayed resolute, despite feeling him growing more impatient by the second.
"Define close by." He tried to weasel his way through and sounded way to amused, to let Devon take him seriously any longer.
"In sight of the house. And we need to tell the others." Not that she tried to make it sound extra serious anyway.
"They wouldn't understand, trust me. Also, they make me itch. I'd rather not meet them in true form."
"If anyone would understand, it's Nero." The woman reasoned still and Pesh found the persistence to be rattling him to his nonexistent bones.
"You got a very dangerous soft spot for him."
Devon changed course too, because Pesh hit home in a mere second, which drove her irritation right back at him. It was true. And it hurt. And it reminded her yet again of the, to close for comfort, almost kiss, which she knew would have made things much more complicated, or so she told herself. "That's none of your business. And why would it be dangerous? He's nice...", Devon interrupted herself, not liking where her traitorous mouth was going, sucking in a deep breath. She prepared mentally against the slip up and for a different approach. "Pesh, he almost died for us back there."
Pesh puckered up, feeling the surge of emotion and not linking it one bit. "He's got a lot of turmoil in his head. You ought to get hurt, if you peek inside to much."
"What did you see?"
"That's as much as I will say. I'm not one to brag, Dev. If he chooses to hide it, then so be it. But listen to me, he's as complicated as they come. Even if he has compassion to show for it, I wouldn't rely on him, he has his head full already without us adding up to it." Pesh would rather rely on Danzig than anyone else. He was the one Pesh had let down and he was dead set on making it up to him one way or the other.
As for Devon, she concluded a different reason, which was also true. Pesh wasn't being rude. He was being kind. "He needs to figure out a lot, better leave him to do it on his own."
"But we might be able to help."
"He doesn't want it, or he would have said so, don't you think? Let him have his secrets, he doesn't wanna share. All those regrets inside him spell trouble, if you get to close. No one can make him understand, until he figures it out on his own and he knows. That's where true strength comes from. And wisdom."
Is that why him and Dante were on a strained relationship? And now it all made a little more sense to Devon. Nero acted like he didn't have a care in the world, because he was trying so damn hard to hide behind it. With Dante he was different. They both had a history together. Was Dante trying to protect him? From what?
Pesh sighed at her inner musings. "You might be right. Dante is a gentle soul, fierce if needed, but truly gentle. He cares a lot, and worries equally as much. Putting restrictions down might be his way of keeping everyone in check, so he doesn't have to worry all the time."
"There's so much shit going on, and here I thought they were a neat family of misfits. They all are so damn cheery all the time, don't you think? Okay, except for Vergil, but he's alright in my books."
"He is, I can assure you. But there's a darkness and no humanity left in that one. He's hollowed from the inside out, but not yet entirely empty. He searches. For what I don't know. Just that he's, let me think, restless. Yes, that's the word. Restless and relentless. But he's an honest guy, bit blunt, but that I also like."
"I'm amazed you can see that at all."
"It's more feeling rather than looking. I could have had my eyes closed, and still tell. I never told you this, but I'm glad you stumbled across them. I'd never imagined such a thing to happen. My hopes were dying down, yet you kept on going all these years. I have to thank you for that. You lived a troubled life because of me."
Devon turned her head towards the sky and the dark brooding clouds, thinking of how the sky never changed. No stars to follow, no light around, but then again, if there was reason behind this, it didn't look as dreary as the always dark sky told her. "Because of you? How so?"
"Ah, yes. You still don't know that much I reckon." Pesh's voice turned quieter. Knowing the risk and the toll it could take on their young and fresh bond. However, hiding this, he thought wasn't right either. Not fair at all. And for what it's worth, he would trust his feeling once more. She had been worth saving, altering his path finally, so Pesh knew, he owed her just as much. He took a deep, unneeded breath, simply out of habit. "The curse not only affects me, but you as well. Didn't you wonder why I couldn't heal your eye? Why everything had gone to shit, from day one?"
Devon tilted her head, then looked down with her halved vision to inspect her hands, flawless skin, no scrapes left, no scars to show either. Like a miracle, only it wasn't. Of course, she had wondered, but had been to afraid to find out why. But not anymore, not when he deliberately chose to tell her. "I did. And loosing my eye, I would be lying, if I'd say it doesn't suck. It does. But also, I was afraid, you'd think I blame you. Maybe I did at first. I don't know. I'm still afraid, but now I know, you suffered as much. Didn't you?"
Devon's voice was thick, laced with genuine regret upon this very epiphany. Pesh wasn't either to blame nor to be held in responsibility.
"For millennia. I would awake in a haze many times only to see my host wither and die and be planted into the next to start the cycle anew. All the time. They'd hurt and I was shut off and couldn't do a damn thing. Only feel, how they crumbled and broke apart. Nothing ever good will happen to you, for as long as I'm inside. You need to get rid of me, if you want to live. That eye was just the beginning. I can't restore it, it is part of my punishment, that transferred onto you, for being my host. It is cruel, but He made it so the tainted humanity will suffer as much I do, for putting your kind before Him. He's a jealous master, who doesn't like to be ignored. And we did so lightly, in our pride and want. And I openly transgressed, for begging for mercy. Devon, I'm sorry, so, so sorry, for I never expected the consequences would be yours, and not only mine, to endure as well. But now I have the chance to make it right for the first time, though it won't bring back the other lives I already consumed. But on their behalf, we have to find a way."
Devon was at loss for words. The pain in her chest she identified as Pesh's. His regret and sorrow seeping into her flesh and bones, making her physically hurt. And the truth, she had cast aside so easily, was there. She would die, if Pesh stayed inside. Her body started shaking. Knowing she'll die one day was different to this very feeling, a predetermined fate she couldn't escape and by the underlying anguish swinging in his words and voice she knew without him spelling it out letter by letter, it wouldn't take a lifetime full of different experiences to happen. No, she would die in the near future.
And if it wasn't the most scary thought to come up with on a cold stone step in the middle of the darkest night with rain pelting down on her shaking figure. The realization crashing down on her like a caving wave, breaking over her slumped down form, drenching her cold awareness of no future, but a darkness like clouds gathering beneath her feet.
But Pesh's resistance to adhere to the dark thoughts, sparked up a tiny flame of hope.
"What about Danzig? Nero said, he might know how to stop it."
"If so, he would have said already. I'm sorry..."
Pesh grew silent, listening to the heartbeat of Devon and it reminded him of Danzig's. His heart held the same frantic pace when they reunited, not to mention Pesh's bedazzled face to have him found through the half devils and in their company no less. "I'm surprised about my brother, I have to admit. Raising the demon children like they were his own. But then again, he is Wisdom, so maybe he knew it would all come together one day. He never does anything without purpose."
Devon whined suddenly, pressing both her palms to her temple. "My head is spinning, Pesh. One second you give me hope, only to crush it within the next. I don't know, if I should yell at you or smack myself in the face."
"Sorry, Dev. I'm not used to mince words. Really, sorry. But, believe me when I say, my brother always has a plan. He might not share his thoughts all the time, because it would be damn tiring, but he can't hide it from me either. His plan is set in motion, as we speak..." Pesh let out a small chuckle, before he continued,"..and I'm glad that you didn't loose your humor. We'll get along just fine."
And for someone, who might be responsible for her death, Devon couldn't help but to feel his hopes shining through and react to it. There must be way. If it was a fabricated curse, it can be undone, right? And Pesh did something, he knew might come back to bite him, but if he lost hope, he would have stopped caring a long time ago. But he failed to do so, true to his virtue. "There's gotta be a way to fix this."
Time might be running short, but if they managed to actually gather enough information, with Danzig's help added to the surmountable effort it might take, for he was making a huge difference in Pesh's opinion, they might succeed. Believing this lead him to say it so easily. "I won't let you die."
Devon nodded to herself, half assured and half of her brain still figuring out how to understand her impending fate. And on that notion, she knocked her head, in order to have Pesh ready. He laughed at the strange gesture, which naturally had no effect whatsoever on him. "What was that for?"
"Attention please, ready to switch." Devon replied in a voice that meant business and Pesh cackled happily, not entirely believing it.
"What? Really?"
"Yeah. You gave me reason to trust you. You could be lying your ass off about everything, but you didn't. I'm still afraid as hell, but you said, it, we have to find a way. We have to. We both don't deserve this."
The angel turned solemn one last time, before letting excitement take over completely."It's not in my nature to lie. And I'm glad I have your trust. I won't disappoint you."
"I'd give my pinkie, if you had one."
"For what?"
Devon laughed, getting an idea. "Switch now." And she felt Pesh taking over, the heat spread from her heart to her arms and her fingers, linking both smallest fingers of her right and left hand together. "That's a pinkie promise. We won't let each other down."
Pesh emerged from his golden glow, fingers linked and Devon's voice echoing in his heart. If that's how the humans did it, so be it. "Promise." His voice sounded hollow for a second and it reminded her of the voices from the other angels he had defeated, she quickly shoved the unpleasant thought aside, ready to revel in Pesh's newly acquired freedom with him, also pleased, she finally had a place to rest and none safer than this.
Pesh took a deep breath of air heavy with rain and the myriads of different scents and smells. From dirt to oil, from human to demon, his conscience reached out far and wide, embracing the world in all it's filth and glory. It sure had changed a lot, but he still was drawn to it all the same. His eyes were tightly shut, as he stretched his arms with intertwined fingers towards the dark sky, manifested in all his glory at last.
"It feels so good..." He sighed dramatically, feeling the tiny droplets of rain cool his skin down. And the wind, it blew over his skimpy linen and hit his torso with a freezing gust. And Pesh laughed - laughed at the moon behind clouds, laughed at the dim street lights, illuminating the street and the house with the curious sign.
"Devil May Cry, huh." It fit the hybrids all too well. Knowing the devils could shed tears out of pain and sorrow and have mercy on the poor souls, show compassion towards each other, Devon couldn't have done better than this. In all honesty, Pesh was appreciating each and everyone of them. It was a twisted world, that was for sure. Where angels killed in cold blood and demons lived together as a family to care about each other.
Pesh was never one to mindlessly heed the hierarchy and sermons of Heaven, where everyone had purpose, but no free will. It might be the curse of being among the first born angels, but Pesh would never want to miss it. Humans don't know what they got, when having possibilities to choose from, than rather have everything presented to them and set in stone. This was absolute freedom. And he wouldn't want to see that taken away from them. They were far from perfect, but that was what freedom of choice brought with it. Over the more he valued the ones, who actively chose to do good, human or not.
Demon, hybrid, devil, angel. Pesh didn't care anymore, having felt and seen enough in such a short time to turn his beliefs upside down, ready to adapt to the new concept.
He flexed his body, after the transformation completed. "Time to run a little wild."
From the inside Devon yelled at him and he laughed on the outside. "Don't worry. Pinkie swear and all. Just a bit of exercise to get used to it." And Devon relaxed. "I'll keep an eye on you. If I had two, well, you know... And please, don't make me loose a limb, too."
"Yeah...Glad to see you're back on the funny side, though. I'll be careful."
They walked briskly, with Danzig dictating their fast and secret steps down the old park, where Dante once drove past Devon without him noticing, because he had been to caught up in worries. No difference this time, except for his eyes and ears caught up on every distinct sound.
The riders walked silently at arms reach behind them, with Danzig leading them on foot through the night like thieves. The park smelled of dump and wet grass, though the rain had given up on them for the time being. Dante listened to faint noises, dripping water somewhere and in the far distance some car drove by. But here it was as dead as it could be.
No light there, but their own eyes, with each sporting a different hue. Danzig gray eyes wandered restlessly to and fro, his clothes shuffled in the colt breeze, where Dante's trademark coat made little to no noises. War's heavy boots were surprisingly silent as were his brothers, both as well wrapped up in their tattered coats, similar to Danzig's.
"Now, what happened to the house and the mirror?" Danzig asked curiously.
"He triggered." Death admonished out of the blue, when Dante still tried to come up with an easy enough explanation.
"I accidentally triggered." Dante then had to confirm sheepishly. "And destroyed the room and the mirror."
Danzig, cloaked in his old and comfortable self and ragged clothes, looked funny at Dante for this piece of seemingly useless information. "Accidentally?"
"I didn't do it on purpose."
"Wasn't it a situation to act on?"
"It wasn't too dangerous."
"Then why did you trigger then?"
"You're not listening, old man." Out of habit, not because he wanted to say it, but old Danzig grinned his sly fox grin. There would still be some getting used to it from not only Dante's side.
"I don't understand why you triggered, when you didn't want to. That makes no sense."
"When you wouldn't interrupt me every time, I like to explain."
War groaned impatiently at their unnecessary banter, not knowing they enjoyed it quite a bit. "You got angry."
Danzig turned his head, eyes wide at the red rider. "He got angry?"
"I got angry." Dante echoed, but more deflated, in comparison to War.
"Because of his brother." Death threw his two cents in as well, yet again dodging one of Dante's pointy stares. "Of course, why don't you, " the hunter muttered under his breath.
"And this made you trigger?" Danzig shook his head in disbelief, leading them past bushes and casually shoving naked twigs out of his face.
"You make it sound like it's my fault."
"It isn't Vergil's." Danzig admonished with a sigh.
"Alright, now you're just trying to take the piss out of me."
"Is it working? Do you want to trigger right now?" The old man was teasing him and enjoyed it the fullest, judging by his broad grin.
"I didn't want to trigger back then. I just sort of did."
"Nearly ripped my skin off." Death chimed in, this time returning the heated stare from Dante with a sardonic smirk. This was like tattling a sons mishaps to a father. And that he found amusing to no end. Especially with seeing Dante's reaction.
"Singed my clothes too." War added, in Dante's opinion uncalled for, as well. What was it with these two today?
Danzig played along just fine, in favor of having both horsemen exchange a low chuckle. "Now Dante, why did you do that?" And here the hybrid realized, they all played along on his expanse.
"I didn't do it on purpose! Vergil was being an ass and I got mad."
"You sound like a winy mule, Dante. Have some composure." Danzig went so far as to add insult to injury, Dante wasn't even surprised.
"Uh...", The hybrid groaned loudly, ruffling through his hair in frustration, "...let's just drop it, guys."
Danzig merely sniggered from behind his thick shawl draped around his neck. And on they went, feeling a bit lighter and in higher spirits, all sharing a fair amount of dark humor. And didn't work it well.
"Why are you so being secretive, anyway?" Dante asked, remembering his original question before Death had altered the subject. And it seems the amusement wore off as quickly as it came. Danzig didn't answer right away, not having the right words to put it down without them getting agitated. He'd rather make them see for themselves than to spill it out, letting the weight of it do the trick and hopefully dodging the direct aftermath and have it drowned in stunned silence.
Death growled lowly. "Where are you leading us?"
Danzig acted like he caved in as much as he could. "Beneath the city. Like I said, I have something to show you. It will all make sense, once you see it."
"Could have just told us," Dante complained under his breath. Danzig stopped dead in his tracks to give him a long hard stare. "Oh, stop it. It's better you see this with your own eyes. And to know the way, for you might have to return here without me."
The ominous reply Dante received was both and unsettling and foreboding in some weird way. Why would he need to come here alone, to whatever the hell he dragged them towards to? This didn't sit right with him.
"Are you planning to go somewhere?" Dante asked carefully, but couldn't fully hide his concern for the old man and the possibility of him vanishing again.
"No, sonny. No, I don't plan to go anywhere." Danzig chuckled at him, as they continued side by side with the riders in tow. Dante overheard the pet name, for one he was used to it, and for two, his brain refused to acknowledge he was talking to someone looking just his age, but in truth was still old as time.
"For a moment you got me worried."
"I said I don't plan to. But that's the thing, plans don't always go the way we want them to. So, there's always the possibility of me not being there, when you need me. I am merely preparing you to act on the what if's."
Like he had always done.
Dante squared his jaw and noticed a tightness in his throat forming at the thought, he might loose his mentor. He never doubted Danzig to outlast each and everyone of them, but it would seem Danzig had a different opinion. Which just told Dante the same, that War had claimed the first night they came here. Something was brewing under these heavy rain clouds.
"Don't be ridiculous. Everything's gonna be fine. You've prepared me enough. You're here with us and look behind you. There's no way in hell these two will let anything happen to us either."
He was right and Death grunted his consent. Well, nothing more or less anticipated from the stoic horseman.
"And our brother and sister are out there as well. You dealt with Draven and got us his support." War spoke, adding some more comfort for the old man. As he and his brother had witnessed the short transformation upon his reunion with the one inside the woman, he wasn't as surprised as everyone else. Both him and Death had always known, Danzig was anything but a demon. Or a devil for that matter. He always had felt too pure. But the story of angels being cast out of hell, for a crime both the riders didn't know about, had been a true revelation. Never had the Council dropped a hint of some sort about it, if they even knew. Which could also mean, it happened before their coming into existence.
So Danzig and Pesh lined up with the short list of Old Ones – the term used for beings way before the Council. Like Lucifer for instance. Death now didn't find it suspicious any longer, that these two knew each other. For Lucifer was indeed the only known angel who had fallen from grace and thus, Heaven. He was made an example of like no other and still managed to pull himself out of Heaven's grasp forever by leaving Hell on his own accord and to vanish in the mass of humans. Unseen. And never to be found.
Well, at least until he had decided to show up in time, which had happened many years ago. Danzig and Lucifer apparently shared a special relationship, which only now made all too much sense. Maybe Danzig even held a grudge against the Heavens. But what did Death know of these things? He wasn't approved to walk the White City, neither where his brethren. The race was a stranger to him, even if he partly belonged to it. But there was no mutual feeling to them as far as he was concerned. And the angels had a very different take on dealing with their own. And they condemned every other, who dared to meddle in their affairs.
War either held not much love for them, but he knew Danzig as a person, and held him in high regards. Not the angel he might had been at some point, but the ever wise and helping hand, he and his brother had relied on, when confiding in him about the Charred Council. He was an accomplice, if they wanted to give it a name. If this circumstance added up to Danzig's existing crime, he appeared to not give a single care. And never had he given them reason to not be trusted. All those years, they were becoming friends, if he was forced to give it a name as well.
"You said, there were more." War piped up, when they passed along old stone statues and towards their unknown destination. Danzig held his hand up, making them all stop. He pointed at a small stone pantheon up the slope, their path lead towards, it was overshadowed by thick trees now. The last angel statue on the way looked at them with hollow eyes from withered marble. The wings were green with moss and black with dirt, that even the relentless rain couldn't wash off.
While swiftly walking right towards the small pantheon, that didn't even have a bench, which Dante would have used to briefly rest upon, Danzig slicked his gray hair back and motioned them to stand right in the middle.
His gray eyes landed on War. "All in due time, my impatient friend." He patted Wars gauntlet, showing affection towards the veiled worries on his face, his eyes dim for once. "I have several matters to attempt to and they all start here."
And as he said it, the stone circle they stood on, moved. Dante was eerily reminded of the contraption in the Fortuna chapel and his guts twisted more, the lower they descended down a narrow shaft, fitting the moving platform exactly. The steady scraping started to echo in his mind. Like the swirl of thoughts, which equally scraped the insides of his skull, too many to properly fit in there at times. And after what seemed like hours but where probably just minutes, Dante thought he was about to yell at noise to stop. But before he could burst, the noise abruptly stopped. The shaft ended and they silently floated down a vast hall. Old and musky, dust particles floating through the nearly stagnant air. but the walls were intact and many adorned with patterns unlike the rest of the city.
"How deep are we?" Dante asked, not masking his astonishment, as they safely landed in a ring of, yet again dull and faded, marble, where the platform had an equal fitting spot like above under the blind eyes of the angel statue.
"We are far below the city. And these catacombs are the remnants of an older race." Danzig didn't need to say more. They understood. He was the one, maybe together with his siblings who where responsible for this.
"Is this why you were punished?"
"Not exactly. Not for building the elevator." He really liked to make this as ominous as possible. But that was Danzig for them, always gambling for much more effect than necessary. No wonder Dante ended up becoming who he was. War involuntarily snorted at the thoughts.
"That wasn't my question." But Dante couldn't contain his own amusement, sparing the red rider a glance with twinkling eyes. Both silently commuting, at how Danzig would never change. And hopefully so.
They followed the angel into one of those tunnels, connected to their elevator staring point, and headed north. Yet, tunnel was not the right word to describe, what once must have been beautiful, but thousands of years had sunken the teeth of time into the beauty and gnawed on it, until it had turned to a bare skeleton.
The murals were nothing but ripples on dull stone. Colors had faded to various shades of gray. No gold. No shimmer left of anything worth coming down here, the angel noticed glumly.
"Only a little walk and we are there." Danzig tried to keep them at bay and at the same time heightened their curiosity. Even Death's head whipped from one side to another to take in the architecture of this place so long forgotten, buried under rain and stone. He could smell sea and moss off the stone down here and the way it looked, several floods might have passed the halls and tunnels, washing what had been left of the angels presence off the tired surfaces surrounding them in the dark.
They passed several stone bows, with iron gates barely intact, rusting on broken hinges, all open and turned aside by time and water.
And only now they notices the steady trickling of water. An underground river?
Dante turned his head towards the direction, it was coming from, before giving Danzig a questioning look. "The water needs to go somewhere right? You never wondered why the streets aren't flooded by the heavy rain?"
Dante merely grinned dumbfounded. "I assumed it to go underground. But not like this."
"It's a river, yes. It flows towards the ocean under the desert. We build it, so our home wouldn't drown. But as Capulet City was build atop, they might have clogged some drainage tunnels. It would at least explain why this place is in such a desolate state."
"You sound surprised. When was the last time you were down here," Dante asked, intrigued by Danzig's unexpected claim.
Danzig's answer was cut short and slightly gruff. "I don't recall." He was supposed to guard the place, not live in it. Not that he couldn't. To many memories whispering from the cold stone and to many worries lurked down here in the dark, however here it was where he could keep them at bay, by knowing it was safe, thus never visiting it again ever after his banishment.
Up until now. The riders had set the worlds in motion. Still, Danzig gave his consent, the relic of old had to vanish along with the last corruption left to inflict pain and loss among them. In one thing, the angels were right, the world needed cleansing. But Heaven had a different plan, not like his own intentions, judging on the events Trish, Nero and Devon had described, but on a whole different scale.
The White City was on a warpath, Danzig was certain. And this world was on the receiving end. Once mankind was betrayed for Eden. And Eden fell. Now it was Earth. And who would be there build them another home, when Earth fell, with the Council dead and the Creator gone? No one.
There was no one left to plea upon. Not that it would do any good, when Danzig thought about Pesh, who was cursed with a vile alteration of his own punishment.
No, they could only rely on themselves. But he wouldn't be Danzig, if he hadn't several tricks up his expensive sleeve. But one trick at a time or the audience might catch on and or wanted it's investment back. He'd like to avoid that. The opposing forces had no idea, or so he hoped.
Good thing, Nero and Pesh didn't leave anyone behind upon their encounter. But it was also unlucky, for they could have received crucial information.
Danzig straightened his back involuntarily in response to his own musings, no use crying over spilled milk. Also, they were close. If the angels had any means of a travel route between the realms, it was this. But seeing this place with his own eyes after all those years, he was sure it was still untouched and dead to the worlds.
"Behold the angel's curse and the reason for their punishment." Danzig hollered as they passed under another stone bow to come to their nightly stroll's destination.
"You gotta be kidding me..." Dante sighed. And rely on the hybrid to know exactly where they where. They had headed north for quite a ways. Straight up to the center of the city far above. The center, that still was home to the skeleton of stone, once surrounding and spitting out the Tower of Fear, his brother had summoned.
Even though Dante knew next to nothing about it, it was in this moment and evidently so, that there was a connection. Why the dead outer shell wouldn't disappear. Well, on the bright side, maybe he could get two birds with one stone. It always bothered him, that it still stood there, not entirely void of power, or the structure would have crumbled along wit it's main part, when he had fought Vergil on it's footing at the edge towards Hell in the demon realm.
Danzig turned towards Dante with sorrow in his eyes, bowing his head in demure, knowing to well he had risked a great deal. "I'm sorry, sonny. This is my legacy. And I had to protect it, by staying silent. Just as you are my legacy, which I try to protect as well."
Dante was speechless. The humble voice and sadness hitting him right in the chest, making his heart heavy at the sight of the old man lowering his head in shame, his bony fingers clenching the fabric right above his heart.
He closed the short distance and his gentle words echoes through the vast hall. "It's alright. You had your reasons, I guess." His hand landed on Danzig shoulder, while he walked past the hunched figure of the old man, letting go only after he gave him a soft squeeze to emphasize his words.
"But, I don't need your protection any longer."
Danzig turned to look at Dante in admiration and with renewed vigor in his eyes, knowing he had been right in his decision. "That's why I brought you here. You are everything the world needs. I'm but a relic. Just like this is."
They stared in awe and equally horrified at the structure before their very eyes. And as much as the riders and Danzig blinked, it came into view just the same, all too real.
The Gates to Heaven.
"From here, I can summon the others, now, that Pesh is found. United at last."
Nero heard the phone ring, which wasn't a good sign this late hour. He highly doubted it to be a customer and the phone seldom rang after midnight ever. It spelled emergency, the moment the ringing stopped. He approached the top of the stairs just in time to catch Vergil holding the receiver, after the typical business greeting, with a look most sour look.
Nero hopped down the stairs, eyes fixed on Vergil and his tensed posture. The twin motioned for the young man to stand beside him and as he did he could make out the uncanny voice on the other end of the line, which belonged to no other than Johnny, the owner of Love Planet.
Nero's gaze met Vergil's narrowed eyes as he listened to Johnny, who spoke fast, urgent. Vergil finally found an opening. "Did you fight them off?"
Nero heard Johnny explain, how he managed to defeat a few and upon realization, they had encountered a stronger demon, they retreated, leaving the place in shambles. And right now Johnny was standing in his wrecked office, roof leaking and his employees and customers either dead or scattered into all directions. It was a fast attack no one anticipated. At this time of day, the club sure as hell had been packed, Nero guessed.
Vergil tried his best to stop the gushing from the blonde on the other end, but equally urgent pointed towards the kitchen and Nero nodded, quite determined, and followed the path Vergil pointed to. It left no doubt, that the attackers were the same, the way Vergil had reacted, basically telling him to gear up for hunting.
Behind the door for the pantry was the pantry, but additionally it was also the entrance to the level below, where all devil arms and other weaponry was stored. It was secured with a blood reactive spell, allowing only five people to enter. Nero was one of them.
As he descended the narrow stairs, Dante's collection hummed and sighed at him, eager for a fight. He always found it creepy, how it felt when he came down here. Some weapons were sleepy and drowsy, barely taking notice of him, but others downright yelled at him, making him jump every time. Agni and Rudra were of the latter, while Nevan belonged to the other. She only ever woke, should Dante himself wander down here, she had a nasty infatuating with him, but he loved her equally, well as far as you could love a dangerous weapon.
Everyone else though was advised to stay the hell away from her. Nero once made the mistake and Nevan let him play some sick riffs and he was so caught up in his seemingly mad skills, he barely noticed the heavy influence of her spell, until it was too late and his knees buckled. The succubus had been on his neck, the second he slumped sideways to the floor, ready to suck him dry. His curiosity almost got him killed that day, but luckily Dante had been searching the house for him and ventured in, just right on time, hammering her away from the poor boy. Later they laughed about it, but everyone knew, it had been a close call. After that, he swore to never touch nor look at either of them.
With a proud spring in his step, Nero flipped them all off without a single glance, while walking past the locked displays, eyes resting on his weapon case, with the red crown etched into the black surface, only.
"Hello there, Queen. Hope you're ready." He didn't need to check and the greeting was mandatory ,as he clicked the case open, for he knew she was ready to go, making sure every now and then, she was fueled and in spiffing condition.
He secured the sword holster around his torso and after little adjustment, the Red Queen was secured on his back. He wasn't used to the heavy sword, but he'd give a few minutes, and the he wouldn't even feel the weight anymore. To think about, how unbecoming it was for him to run around without a sword, or any weapon, he gritted his teeth. He was reminded of the times in Fortuna where he barely left the grounds of Hq or his home without it. She was his companion ever since and it was sad, he seldom used her.
He tested the engine for the fun of it, revving it up a few times, smelling the gasoline, fire and smoke. He inhaled the scent deep into his lungs, reveling for a moment and then quickly went back to join Vergil.
The hybrid stood in the living room, already having retrieved Nero's other priced possession and tossed it over with a jovial smile, before adjusting his gloves and coat some more. "Devon shouldn't come with us. It might get dangerous."
Nero only laughed in response. "You saw him didn't you? I'm sure she's safer than any of us. I'd rather take her with us." As bitter as he was about Pesh needing to save his ass, that was on him. And he could acknowledge strength when he saw it, though he didn't have to like it.
"She'd become a distraction and someone will you have to look out for her."
"I don't think it's a good plan to let her stay behind alone. Danzig and Dante both will be out for our asses, if something happens. Which reminds me..." Nero stalked off towards Dante's desk, grabbing the notepad, quickly scribbling something down.
Pizza was out. We go hunt down some more.
It was the code for 'shit blew up in our faces and it needs immediate fixing'.
Vergil nodded at him. Ready. Set. Go.
And when they both stepped outside, they stared around dumbfounded.
"You gotta be kidding me..." Nero put his hands on his hips, letting out a frustrated groan, while Vergil rubbed his temples. He really wasn't cut out for the babysitting job, as it would seem.
Devon was gone. And Vergil blamed it on himself and his trust in her having some sense of responsibility in that bony body of hers. None of them could sense her, because of that damn angel inside, Dante had mentioned it to him on top of it and Vergil was sure, he'd rub it in for as long as he saw fit.
Vergil's eyes scanned the surroundings and in a flash, he was on the roof of their house, in order to cover a wide range.
"Nero, look." He pointed a few houses down.
"Oh, goddammit!" Nero saw, what Vergil was referring to and spew some neat obscenities into the howling wind. He really, really didn't feel like dealing with that kind of fuckery right now.