AN: Hey as you tell there's a lot of Greek Mythology in here. I hope you like the little twist I added.
Chapter 3: From Hell and Back
Diana looked at Knives as both circled one another getting the feel for their opponent's movements. Knives started to load the blade of Hades, and Diana strung an arrow in her bow. They prepared to attack and Knives made a move firing the gun at her. She jumped up towards the vibrant sun, Knives looked at her and was blinded by the light. Diana pulled and fired an arrow while Knives had lost his sight.
" Prepare to die," she said
The arrow hit right in front of Knives creating an explosions and forced him back. She landed and fired a shot directly at him. Knives was struck by the arrow and thrown to the ground.
" You are weak Knives, not what I expected, by the man who controlled 12 warriors," Diana said
" I am that strong, I'm just getting warmed up," Knives said
He pulled the trigger and a bullet was fired at Diana, but that was the beginning of his attacks. Knives pulled the golden arrow that pierced his left shoulder in the exact place Vash had shot him. He looked at it and hurled the arrow back at her, then fired the blade of Hades at her. He hit her directly in her mid torso and she fell back.
" I believe I have the upper hand," Knives said
She smiled and hurled a dagger in his leg and Knives narrowed his eyes. She did a back flip and got to her feet. She pulled two arrows and looked at him, the feathers caught on fire as she pulled them.
" Taste hell's arrows," she growled
The arrows came at him and suddenly two bullets hit the sides of the arrows knocking them off track. Diana turned and looked to see Vash standing there holding the blade of the Willing. He smiled and blew across the barrel and gave a wink.
" A woman as fine as you shouldn't be playing with fire, it's a dangerous thing," Vash said, " Especially in a nice dry…."
An arrow flew at him and he ducked and narrowed his eyes.
" She is a woman," he said
" Vash the stampede, I'm so glad you join me and your soon to be dead brother. In fact you gave me a chance to kill him with that wound you inflicted on him," Diana said, " Come join me."
" Sorry, I'm a married man, I don't cheat," Vash said, " So, maybe we can have a couple of drinks and settle this argument in a civilized manner."
An arrow flew past his head and he looked at her. He gave a smile and chuckled.
" You're a very feisty woman and I'm sure you'll find someone with a good heart to settle down with. I know many back in town that would like you," Vash said
" Vash cut the crap and shoot her," Knives hissed
" I already shot two," Vash said
" Prepare to die," Diana said
Vash smiled and pulled the silver gun and fired a shot, but again his shots didn't go through. He looked at her armbands seeing that more arrows and daggers appeared. He narrowed his eyes and Knives held his shoulder. Knives looked at the blade of Hades and lifted it up, he was going to make an attempt to make it into an angel arm. Vash looked at his brother and saw the blade of Hades reacting it was a dark glow and the angel arm formed, but with one shot Diana nailed his arm. Knives growled and saw black blood dripping from the unformed angel arm.
" Knives!" Vash shouted, " Let it go now!"
" No!" Knives shouted, " I feel the power it's coursing through my veins."
" You are a fool," Diana said, " The blade of Hades will consume your soul."
Vash ran towards Knives and Diana looked at Vash and threw two daggers. Vash blocked one, but the other nailed him in the side. He fell and Knives fell to his knees as the angel arm formed eating at his energy. Black wings sprouted and he laughed and fired it at Diana. The blast lasted 1.5 minuets and the dust clouded the air. Knives dropped the gun and looked at his wounded arm that would be rendered useless if he tried to fight with it. The dust settled after 4 minuets of silence and there Diana still stood, but with minor scratches and bruises. Vash gasped seeing that Knives had only injured himself and left Diana with little minor things.
" I will destroy you," Knives said as he lifted the gun
" No, Knives you will kill yourself," Vash pleaded
" Your so stupid Vash, the only way to get through this all is to kill them!" Knives shouted
Suddenly there were screams all around and Diana covered her ears and backed away. Knives stood and lifted the blade of Hades and a smile curved into his lips.
" Are you a believer in the Underworld Diana," Knives said with a sinister voice
Vash looked at Knives seeing his eyes glowing, but there was something else. A dark aura covered Knives' presence and Diana was feeling the darkness.
" Knives," Vash said, " Stop."
The screams continued and Diana fell to her knees and her arrows fell to the ground.
" Stop that noise," she pleaded
" Stop it, how can I stop it, it's not me at all," Knives said
His eyes continued to glow and he neared Diana as she began to plead for her life.
" Are you afraid of the dark Diana?" Knives questioned
" Knives stop it!" Vash shouted
He pulled the gun and Knives turned to Vash.
" Are you going to shoot me Vash?" Knives said, " After I have saved you from Cerberus?"
Knives laughed and it seemed that the ground around him began to shake. He pulled the gun and fired a shot just by Diana's head. She reached for a dagger and pulled it from the strap of her lower garment.
" Your so weak," Knives said
" Stop it Knives," Vash demanded
Knives turned the blade of Hades and fired one shot at Vash and he was thrown to the ground.
" I have the power, in my hands, the power of darkness," Knives laughed, " And you will feel it now."
An orb appeared before Knives and he grabbed it.
" Darkness, is only the beginning of light," Knives said
Diana narrowed her eyes and held the dagger. She leapt at Knives and slashed his hand and Knives looked at her. She jumped behind him and fired two arrows.
" No!" Vash shouted
He got up and ran towards Knives and Diana. Knives turned and hurled the orb that levitated before him at Diana. Vash pulled the blade of the Willing and fired a shot. A blast of light engulfed the three of them and they fell to the ground.
" Vash, please come back," Meryl's voice said, " Don't leave me alone."
Vash opened his eyes and looked around and a little girl appeared before him. She had brownish gold hair, blue eyes and wore a white dress. He hesitated for a second to move, but the girl knelt down beside him. He looked at her and studied her features and she smiled at him.
" Daddy, look at me," the girl said
Vash sat up and grabbed the little girl's hand as she placed a hand on his face.
" You have a good heart daddy, don't lose that," his little girl said
" Am I dead?" he asked
" No, daddy your very much alive, you have used the blade of the Willing to save your brother and your enemy," his little girl said
Her angelic voice was a gift to hear and see her standing there. He put his hand up and she placed her hand on his.
" Daddy, you need to wake up now. I will see you again very soon. I'm taking carry of mommy don't worry," she said
She then kissed his cheek and vanished and Vash opened his eyes to see Knives still out and Diana gone. Knives opened his eyes and then sighed.
" Why did you save me?" he asked
" I did what my heart told me," Vash replied, " No, I did what the will wanted me to."
Vash slipped the gun into his holster and helped Knives stand. Knives touched his left arm and felt no pain and Vash looked at him.
" Did she leave?" Vash asked
" She vanished into the sands," Knives said
" Are we staying together this time or separating?" Vash asked
Knives didn't get to answer, when a sudden blast of sand blew at them.
" It is strange how you can keep defeating the Titans, but I assure, that you will not defeat me," a voice entered their heads
" Who are you?" they growled
" I shall tell you who I am, but I will have to kill you," the voice said
" Kill us, you won't lay a hand on us," Knives growled as his eyes began to glow
" Surely even you can see that the Underworld is no match for me," the voice said, " Nor the Heavens Vash the stampede. I look forward to our meeting."
The wind blew and a man walked out and Knives and Vash looked him.
" Legato," Vash growled
The sand covered the man and he was gone.
" He's alive!" Knives shouted
" How? I killed him with this gun," Vash said holding the silver gun
" Perhaps the Will didn't let you win," Knives chuckled
Vash growled and threw the silver gun down. Knives picked it up and tossed it to him.
" If your going to meet with him, you might as well kill yourself," Knives said with a smile
" Shut up!" Vash shouted
Vash walked ahead as he looked at the silver gun. He held it in his hands and sighed.
" I killed him, I shot him with this gun. It's not possible," Vash thought
Vash sighed and got up and walked off and closed his eyes.
" Nor the heavens, what does he mean?" Vash thought, " He's dead though. He looked at me directly when he appeared. Why?"
Raven smiled and looked at Megami as she looked at the plants and monitored their growth.
" They're almost ready to awaken," Megami said
" Our little Legato, knows how to strike fear in Vash the stampede," Raven said
The nine muses looked at Raven as she stood there.
" Using the dead to do your bidding Raven?" one questioned
" He's very much a live," Raven said, " Why are you here?"
" To have what you have taken from us," a second said
Raven smirked and whistled and an orb appeared.
" Mother Earth has been destroyed, where will you hide this orb that these foolish humans have forgotten?" Raven questioned
" Where the new Mother Earth appears, in time your plants will very much alive and so will the beginning of a new race," another muse said
Legato walked in and Megami looked up at him and the muses smiled.
" Legato Bluesummers you foolish dead man," a muse said, " You won't kill him."
" Legato, has already killed Vash once," Raven smiled, " Run away now and do your half of the deal."
" The brother is nearly dead, the Underworld's power will not keep his body for very long," the muse said, " You'll have his head in no time."
The nine vanished and Raven smiled and looked at Legato.
" Continue to play with Vash the stampede. I want him mad before the final battle," Raven said
Knives looked at his arm and breathed deep, it was burning. He removed his coat and laid it on the grounds.
" Here," Vash said
Knives looked at Vash and took the canteen Vash offered him. He poured the water over his arm and felt the relief.
" I don't understand, my skin burns," Knives said
" It's the power of the coat, maybe you shouldn't wearing," Vash said
" What are you going to do about him?" Knives said
" I don't know, he doesn't seem like the Legato you controlled. I believe it's all up to fate," Vash said
Knives stood and looked around. He slipped the black coat and Knives closed his eyes. Vash continued on until he heard sounds of people. He ran and saw the town they had left.
" We're back where we started?" Vash said, " They've been making us go in circles."
Vash and Knives walked into the town and found it quiet…to quiet for it's own good. A desert wind blew and Vash looked around.
" Forgive me," a voice said
He and Knives turned around and saw the owner of the grocery store. She fell and Knives and Vash looked at the blood falling from her head.
" Do you want me to make it easy for you Vash and shoot you?" Knives questioned
" Shut up!" shouted
Knives gave a smirk and they walked around the dead town.
" Vash the Stampede, I believe I've heard that name before," a voice entered his head
" Legato," he growled
" So, you've found out my name. I guess that means I'm going have to kill you," Legato said
Legato appeared and looked at Knives and Vash.
" Knives Millions, what a pleasant surprise," Legato said, " You travel with your own mortal enemy….perhaps that just shows how week you are."
" Shut up," Knives growled
" Don't listen to him," Vash said
" I see your wife has a child, one my master is requesting," Legato said
He looked towards the house and two men held Meryl captive.
" Let her go!" Vash shouted
" Vash help me," Meryl said
" Yes, Vash help her," Legato said, " That baby, it's so precious, I fear it may never see light."
Legato snapped his fingers and the men let go of her. He smiled and Meryl looked at Vash as she placed her hand on her stomach.
" I'm taking carry of Mommy, don't worry," his daughter's voice touched his ears
" I know," Vash said lowering his head
He reached for the gun and looked up at Legato. He pulled it quickly and fired a shot at Legato. Legato dodged the bullet and drew a red double, straight blade sword. He cut the bullet in half and sent the halves at Vash.
" Not possible," Vash thought
" Vash," Meryl cried
Vash was hit in his arm and leg. He fell back and Knives drew the blade of Hades. Legato looked at him and twisted Knives' hand with his telepathic power.
" You foolish plant!" he shouted
Knives' wrist snapped and he dropped the gun.
" I told you that the Underworld is no match," Legato said
Knives closed his eyes and smiled.
" I created you, you lifeless son of a bitch," Knives growled
Legato laughed and started to choked Knives. Vash sat up and looked at Legato. He breathed and tried to find a weakness.
" Raven and Megami, have brought him to life, he's stronger and has more sight in his eyes. He's under their control," Vash thought, " I guess it's up to the will, to do my bidding."
Vash reached for the blade of the Will and he fired a shot feeling the power enter the bullet. Legato looked at it and narrowed his eyes. He let go of Knives and drew the red blade. He slashed at it, but the bullet went through the blade and struck Legato in his right shoulder. Legato sheathed the blade and held his shoulder, he then looked at Vash and forced him back . Vash flew into a sharp stake that went through his lower abdomen.
" Vash!," Meryl cried
Vash looked at the blood dripping from the puncture wound. He breathed deep and saw Meryl's worried stare on him as he drifted away from consciousness. Legato looked at the waking town and he vanished with the wind and the sand.
" Get some help!" Meryl shouted