Dive into the Heart

"You failed me... AGAIN?!?!" The statue shouted toward a terrified Cursa. "Y-Yes, my lord, but fret not! For Midnite is already sending the next invitation! Those fools won't get it this time!!" "Of course they won't, because this time, you're going to do what I told you to do, and take Nero Angelo with you." "B-But my liege!! The Spark Hunters need not a puppet to protect them!!" The statue chuckled. "You shall soon see Cursa." "...See what, oh great one?" "You will see that Nero Angelo, is more than just a puppet."

Stop


The team jumped out of the WM ARC and into their next location. Midnite had given them a note leading to the "Ancient Gardens". Another Nostalgic location for a majority of the group. They walked onto the old wooden bridge, and saw multiple trees a long the now covered plains. "Strange, it seems that the Demons fought in the fortresses are effecting the environment around them. Like when we fought Tidas in Sherbert Desert. It was a lot more sherbert than desert in my opinion." Beep-O chuckled. The group sighed at the lack luster joke and continued on. But then, they heard a rustling in the trees. The sound was so loud, they all froze. "What was that?" Rabbid Peach inquired fearfully. "No Idea, be ready." Dante responded. The Team each pulled out their weapons. They continued their trek until they came upon a strange, ancient-looking temple. "Alright, lets get this over with." Rabbid Rosalina said, starting the walk to the temple entrance. The others simply follow behind.


The group has successfully entered the Temple. There were various statues scattered throughout the main room. All reclaimed by the vegetation. In the middle was a large stone platform, and on top of that was a stone statue of a Wildclaw, an enemy faced by the group (excluding Dante) during their first fight against Cursa, but something was wrong. "Wait a minute, were's its claw?" Rabbid Luigi Pointed out. "Everyone look around, finding that-a claw might just-a be out ticket out of here." Mario suggested. Dante jumped onto the platform and inspected the statue. And just like the previous statements, there was a massive hole in the forearm where the claw was supposed to go. He jumped down and walked over to Edge. "Sorry, but I don't really know what that thing we're looking for looks like. Any chance you could fill me in?" "It looks like a tiger's paw, be on the look out for that." "Right." Well, that at least helped. Dante walked away and decided to start looking around. After a few minutes of searching the area, he finally got somewhere. A large mass of vines and leaves. He dug through it, and found a large, stone tiger paw. 'This has to be it.' He thought. He rubbed his hands together, and effortlessly lifted the paw above his head and walked over to the statue. The others watched as he attached the claw to the forearm of the Wildclaw statue, and a door on the platform opened. "Let's-a-go as a single group this-a time." Luigi suggested. The team walked into the door, ready for anything that awaits them.


And what awaited them was... jungle? "I don't understand! How can a jungle be inside of a temple?!" Beep-O shouted, confused at the sight before him. "Don't question the work of a demon." Dante half demanded, half reassured. They walked through the strange indoor jungle, until they heard another rustle in the bushes. "O-Ok, n-now I'm-a worried." Luigi shivered out. The team continued, and they managed to find there way into a large clearing.


"You remember the plan right?" The Rabbid knight nodded. "Good. now don't screw it up." The knight nodded again, but something told that this was... wrong.


Dante looked around with the rets of the group. No sign of any demons... yet. But they had to keep looking. Meanwhile, Edge was deep in thought. These locations had a connection, but what? Suddenly, everyone heard a scream.

Insecurity

It was Rabbid Peach being dragged away at high speeds by a... Fire-Lion... Thing? Dante shook his head and focused on the task at hand, he took out Ebony and took aim. 'Shoot that thing, NOW!!!' He commanded himself. Unfortunately, when he shot the lion, it disappeared into the bushes. "Damnit!" He cursed. He started in a run towards bushes with the rest of the team following close behind.


In the lion's lair, Rabbid Peach is thrown against a wall as the lion lumbers closer. It's at this point that she sees that it's not a lion at all, but a humanoid figure, A humanoid is if he had no skin, his muscle fiber was dark, around his neck and wrists were metal cuffs with broken chains, the crevices between each each muscle glew flaming orange, and on his head was the head of a black demonic-looking lion with red glowing eyes. The demon roared and lunged toward her again.

MAD WORLD

But was stopped by a smack in the face with a certain Flying Blade. The demon recovers and lunges at Edge, who nonchalantly pulls out her shotgun and shoots it in the face. Dante walks up and high fives her, "tagging in". The beast recovers, and Dante runs at it, tagging it multiple times with Ebony and Ivory. He then jumps onto its chest, kicks off, and puts 2 bullets right between its eyes before landing. Rabbid Peach recovers, and tosses her Shuriken at the beast, and manages to put a nasty gash in its shoulder before the shuriken spun out and flew towards her. She thankfully caught it though. Dante walked up to the groaning demon and spoke with a smirk. "How about we take this outside, yeah?" He grabbed the demon by the shoulders, and flung it out into the forest before tagging it again with Ebony and Ivory, with Mario helping out this time. The demon growled, and everyone's eyes widened as the lion pelt transformed into the beak, and feathers of a bird. It flew into the air, and Luigi trailed his sniper onto it. He took the shot just as the demon attempted to dive bomb the group. It screeched loudly and took to the air again. Dante summoned Dectan, and Peach took out her Rocket Launcher. They fired and shot the demon out of the air. Edge and Dante took out their respective swords, and jumped at the demon, slashing at him multiple times in rapid succession. The fell to the ground, and Rabbid Luigi and Rabbid Rosalina took aim, and fired the final shots. The demon fell to the ground, but stood back up. Edge growled. "Why Won't You Die?!!!?!" Dante sighed. "Well, looks like we gave some work ahead of u-"

Stop

Suddenly the demon's head fell and rolled onto the floor!!! "...What was that?!!?"

The body fell to the floor, revealing a large Rabbid in pitch black armor, with glowing purple crevices, his helmet had 2 horns curving down framing his face, also glowing in purple. Dante assumed that these horns housed his ears. But that didn't matter, as the Rabbid knight readied his large black and purple greatsword, and lunged at him!!!

Ultra Violet (regular)

Dante was just barely able to bring out his sword to parry the attack! "You're pretty fast big guy!! But try this on for size!!" Dante said, bring out Ebony, and aiming for the knight's face at point blank range! But suddenly, The knight was disappeared befire the bullet could hit!! He reappeared above Dante, and attempted a downward slash that Dante was only just able to dodge. Dante skidded to a stop and ran towards the knight and attempted a slash, but was parried. The two combatants traded blows so fast that even Beep-O couldn't track it! "W-What's-a goin' on?!" Luigi inquired fearfully. "I don't know!!! They're going too fast!!!" Beep-O responded. "Thankfully, you won't have enough to worry about that!!!" Edge was suddenly knocked into a tree face first! She recovered, and the group turned around to see Midnite, her hand glowing a light blue. She shot a blast of energy at Mario and sent him skidding back!!

"What the hell?!?! You couldn't do that before?!?!" Edge shouted. "Got some improvements! curtesy of my new master!!" "Mundus... Tell us how he revived Cursa!!"

"Sorry!! But that's confidential!! Need-to-know basis and what not!!" Edge growled and luanched herself at Midnite, only to be smacked away in Midnite by the reappearing knight!! "Edge!!" Dante shouted as he landed. His eyes started to glow red. but he calmed himself. He couldn't let them know... Not yet anyway. He turned to Midnite as she spoke. "I see you're acquainted with my new friend, Nero Angelo!" "...Black Angel? A little on the nose." Mario commented. Luigi simply nods in agreement with his brother. "...Kill them." Midnite commands flatly. Nero Angelo nods and shoots toward the group. they all jump away as Angelo slashes toward them, but Rabbid Rosalina is too late to make it up comepletely, as Nero Angelo grabs her leg, and slams her into the ground. "Rosa!!" Rabbid Luigi shouts, kicking off of a tree and launching himself into Nero Angelo! Only to be swatted away. Dante growls animalistically, and jumps toward Nero Angelo, sword in hand. The 2 resume their struggle, as the others fought Midnite. The clashed in the air, only being visible every few seconds, and disappearing again. Dante finally had enough, and breathed fire into Angelo's face as his eyes glew red!!! The distracted Angelo long enough to allow Dante to strike Angelo in the chest with his sword. But Angelo recovered fast, and grabbed the sword, tossing Dante with it to the ground!! Dante was lucky enough to roll out of the way as Angelo thrust downwards in an attempt to stab him!!! He took out Ivory and shot at the face of the unflinching knight, but, as you could expect, he didn't flinch. "Damnit!!" Dante cursed as he rolled away again, parrying multiple strikes from Nero Angelo as he did. Angelo was able to pin him down by throwing a final strike, with it predictably being blocked, and pushing his blade closer and closer. However, while not expecting this, Dante was ready. He kicks Angelo in the face, and jumps upright before shooting at him again. "Angelo!! Get the Devil Arm!!!" Midnite commanded. Angelo looked toward the head of the fallen demon, and Dante traced his sight line. The 2 opponents looked at each other, and lunged for the head. Dante wrestled Angelo for a minute before shooting the knight's arm. He got free and ran for the head, grabbing it. "Sorry big guy, ya snooze ya lose." The head and body transform into black energy before slowly merging. The light dissipates and reveals a strange looking spear with a black pole base, and a large fang for a blade. Dante smirks, and blocks a slash from Nero Angelo with the spear.

But Nero Angelo quickly swings his greatsword and slices diagonally into the spear. Dante was forced to block another strike from Nero Angelo before taking cover behind a large Rock. Angelo searches fir a while, allowing for Dante to jump up and surprise attack him with the spear!! Angelo staggers forward from the slash, and turns to see Dante. The rest of the group join him, and Midnite realizes that she's outnumbered. "We're falling back." Angelo nods and the 2 retreat into the woods.

Stop

Dante smirked, and rested the Spear on his shoulder. And then collapsed.


Dive into the Heart

"You... what?" "I failed master." Midnite repeated to the statue. "Even with the assistance of Nero Angelo?" "Yes." The statued exhaled softly. "This is fine. Although you've obviously proven incapable of gaining the Devil Arms, I still have a use for you. The job of... inviting our enemies to their dooms to someone else. I'm assigning you another job."

"Yes master." And Midnite left the room.

"Come in Bedrock." The aforementioned Spark Hunter entered the cathedral. "I take it that you understand your job?" Bedrock nodded. "Good, and you understand that Nero Angelo shall be joining you?" Bedrock nodded again. "Good. Now go."