Three

Lady cried. There was nothing Dante could do to help; he didn't know anything about what was going through her head. But in tie, she was ready to explain.

The man they had encountered was Ramos, an associate of Arkham. They were close friends. Ramos was even there at Lady's birth. She remembered him constantly being around in the early years of her life. He was responsible for turning Arkham on to dark practices. Slowly poisoning his friend's mind with his own life's dream, Ramos infected Arkham with stories of Sparda. Tempted him with the notion of unlimited power. Together, they began to search for forbidden books that would be used to reveal the secrets of the Temen-ni-gru, and its rituals.

Eventually, the two began to take on separate perspectives. Arkham took possession of the Grimoire of Sin, a banished book that revealed the location of the Temen-ni-gru, how to break its seals, and the method for conjuring the Envoys of the Seven Deadly Sins. But Ramos had a different agenda. After all, the power of Sparda was not meant to be shared by two people.

Ramos instead began searching for another book; one that was far more sinister. The Claviculus Mundai. The Key of Mundus. Within its gruesome contents lay the secret to unleashing Hell on Earth, through a very particular gateway. No one knew what happened to him, or if he ever found that book. But judging by his unique abilities, the answer was obvious.

Arkham and Ramos left on separate paths, but still on friendly terms. Yet they still knew that one day, if they were both successful on their journeys, they would end up battling for control of the dark new world. The last thing Lady remembered of Ramos was his intense smile of approval… when her father killed her mother.What could Dante say that could help her?

"… Let's get him."

At first she was a little mad. It was so simple and inconsiderate to her pain. But it was from Dante. And that meant that the intentions behind it were so much greater.

"…Yes. Let's get him, Dante."

"Master…"

"How did your assignment go?"

"As planned… up until the last moment."

"You've lost your arm. That is irrelevant. Soon you will have many arms. Soon your new body will be ready. I only need a little more time."

"Thank you master…"

"And one more thing… You must leave another clue for Dante. Bring him to the island so that my new apprentice can destroy him."

"Of course, Master."

"Stop sending women to deliver your messages. His officious partner will shoot anyone who poses a threat to her relationship."

"Oh… shall she be invited too?"

"It is up to you whether or not you bring the daughter. Perhaps her father would wish to see her again."

"Yes, Master. Please, give my regards to my dear friend."

"I will not go near that retched filth! He still reeks of Sparda… those remnants still flow within him and I will have nothing to do with that bastard demon. I can barely deal with my own new apprentice. Now go… Your new body is almost complete."

Dante and Lady searched for anyone with knowledge of the island, knowing that it was a lost cause. Only one person knew of that place because only one person possessed that book.

"(That blonde bitch that ruined my store might've known where the heck we're supposed to go..)"

"What was that?"

"What! Nothing!"

In their eyes, the only option was to track down Ramos. Returning to the Devil May Cry to rest and think up a plan seemed the best idea.

"(No need to use the front door anymore…)"

Dante was stunned to find that in their absence, his shop had been further vandalized. Inside, someone had started a small bonfire. He had nothing to put it out with but his coat; he needed a new outfit though anyway.

He looked at what had been burning. They were pages of something. Along the side were some pages yet untouched by the flames. He read the titles out loud.

"Gluttony… Greed… Lust… (definitely a favorite!)"

Lady hit him for that last comment. They were pages from the Grimoire of Sin. Dante cleaned up the ashes by sweeping them into a corner. He sat comfortably at his desk, where he found a note waiting for him. The directions to the island were all there, given away in great detail.

"So the enemy's inviting us right in…"

The thought worried him. Sure he was grateful; made his job much easier. But they would have to possess a great power to allow this. Ready for his next big party, Dante grabbed some of his newly acquired weapons and left with Lady.

They chartered a boat leaving the mainland and set foot on the island in a matter of hours. The wind was heavy and a foul smell blew in the air. Death surrounded them. They could feel it. Spirits. The castle had a spirit of its own. Something horrible must have happened there… And fury. The raw emotion scratched at the inside of their throats.

But they couldn't falter. Up the hill and around the bend, they walked, until finally coming to a large, locked iron gate. It was rusty, and hadn't been used in generations. One swing from Rebellion and a new path opened before them.

"No turning back now."

Dawn broke upon the heroes, and the rain seemed endless.