OK..so here it is...Chapter 10. I wasn't gonna post this for another day or so, but since it was done, I figured I wouldn't torture my loyal readers.. :)
Thanks everyone for the great reviews you have given me... Mor, Darkmaster2, Wyatt, Seeker, SaiyAsianMaki, and Lee...you are all great and I thankyou for following this story with me :)
A/N...Just a note on the name used in this chapter. Brayden was the name of one my friends who was killed on his motorcycle (I am a rider too) not long ago. So I kinda wanted to dedicate this chapter to him and the kind of person he was...he was caring, kind, and respectful, so for that...I will miss him...
OK..on a cheerier note, I'm almost done with chapter 11 so I will post as soon as it is ready! On with the story then...
Vergil began to tell Dante the story of how he got out of the underworld.
"About a week ago, and I can't even be sure if it was a week, because I lost track of time completely in that place,... we put our plan into action. Brayden had intimate knowledge of the guards positions, and shift changes. He also knew when the minotaurs patrolled the corridors, looking for any escapees. To them anyone caught trying to escape was a free warm meal. so we knew that we had to avoid them at all costs. It wasn't that they were particularly big...not much bigger than a blood goat really, but they were ten times stronger, and carried huge deadly axes with them at all times. On that night, I was sound asleep, resting from the flogging I had recieved earlier in the day. I heard my cell door creak open, and a hand was laid gently on my back."
--Flashback--
"Vergil?...Vergil?...Can you hear me?" Brayden was whispering soflty as not to bring attention to the cell.
Vergil managed to roll himself over, pained but avery much alive.
"Brayden...is it time?" Vergil sat up against the back of his cell wall. The coolness of the stone against his burning, wounded back made him close his eyes in a fleeting moment of comfort.
"Yes sir..." Brayden still thought of Vergil as his master, but he knew that Vergil thought of him as a friend. He would never admit that to Vergil though, for he thought it as disrespect for the man he so much admired.
"Here sir...I found these and I thought you might want them back..." He handed Vergil a rolled up bundle of clothing.
As Vergil took the clothes and began to get dressed, he never would of believed how good it felt to be back in his leather pants, and blue coat. For the past years he had been wearing nothing more than rags, and felt very undignified wearing them. His appearance was always something he had prided himself on, and Mundus knowing that, had stripped him of them the minute he was sentenced to purgatory. He took his hand and brushed his hair back out of his dirty face.
"Well... how do I look?" He stood arms out looking at Brayden, smiling slighlty.
"As regal as ever sir. There is also something else I think you may want back..." He reached a hand up onto his shoulder, carefully unhooking the strap that held a package he had been carrying on his back. Taking it in his hands like a baby, he got down on one knee in front of Vergil, extending it to him.
Vergil's eyes grew huge. He knew instantly what it was. He could feel energy radiatiing from the bundle. Unwrapping the cloth that was concealing his prize, his lips grew into a wide, evil grin.
There before him laid yamato. He picked it up gently, taking time to caress every inch of it before kissing the sheath. He attached it once again to it's rightful place at his waist, and drew it in a swift, lightning fast movement. As he held it before him, it glistened in the dim light of the dungeon.
It was then, that Vergil stopped making love to his sword, realizing that Brayden was still on his knees in front of him.
"For god's sake Brayden, get up. I owe you my life as a debt. You have no reason to bow before me." He put yamato back in its sheath and knelt in front of Brayden.
Vergil put a hand on one of Brayden's shoulders and they exchanged grins.
"Now what do you say we get the hell out here?" Vergil stood up followed by the timid man.
"Right!...Ok...here are all of the keys you shall need..." He handed Vergil a small ring of keys. "You will need to remember the key that has the infinty symbol on it, for it is extremely significant. This key is only to be applied to the last door, which is marked with the same symbol. Use this key in any other door and you will trip an alarm, sending the guards rushing to you. I will accompany you as far as this door, but I will not be leaving with you. I hope you understand Vergil...this place is my home."
"I do...Lets get moving then..." Vergil smiled at Brayden before quietly exiting the cell.
They made it through several corridors with no incident, making Vergil believe that Mundus was not doing a very good job of managing his guards, when they rounded a corner only to be stopped in their tracks. Vergil cold see the infintity door at the end of the tunnel. "So close" he thought.
"Freeze prisoners!" A minotuar stood over them, axe resting on his shoulder.
"A believe a hasty retreat is called for..." Vergil turned around pushing Brayden the other way, only to be stopped by one of the other guards.
"Brayden?...YOU TRAITOR! You will pay for decieveing our master!" The guard drew a long sword off of his back, moving his legs into a fighting stance.
"Azreal...no it's not what you think...Mundus is using us...Vergil was good to us..." Brayden felt Vergil put a hand on his side, pulling him around so that he was now behind the dark twin.
"Shut up you fool...you will not speak of master like that!" Azreal was loosing his temper, and Vergil knowing that anger made people think unclearly, decided to add gas to the fire.
"Why don't you go back to Mundus and lay on his lap. I'm sure if you begged enough he would give you a dog treat." Vergil put his hand on top of yamato's hilt, tapping it rythmically, waiting patiently for Azreal to make a mistake.
"Scum...this is between Brayden and I...But i will be happy to kill you after I am done watching the minotaur there feast on his innards."
"Humph...have it your way Azreal, but the only thing I foresee the minotaur eating is you..." He continued to tap yamato. "Damn shame for him though...you aren't much of a meal..."
With that Azreal yelled to the minotuar..."KILL THEM!"
Vergil now realized that he had put Brayden in a rather terrible spot, for he was now facing a charging bull equipt with an axe.
The minotaur ran at them raising the axe over his head. Vergil in one motion, drew yamato, and grabbed Brayden's collar, sending him flying out of the way and into a nearby wall.
He just as he threw the man, he swung yamato up in front of his face, blocking the axe that was bearing down him.
They stood there, in a match of stregnth pushing back and forth, when Vergil saw a line of crimson on his own cheek. He could feel a small trail of blood dripping from it to his chin.
"You WILL pay for that you overgrown cow!" Vergil pushed with all of his might at the beast, sending it backwards. He put yamato back into its home and closed his eyes.
"VERGIL! LOOK OUT!" Brayden was sitting on the floor in horror, one hand extended, feeling as if he was watching his good friends demise, when the entire tunnel was illuminated in a bright blue, blinding light.
All of the occupants in the tunnel had to look away and sheild their eyes because of its intensity.
When the light had finally dulled down, the minotaur charged at Vergil once more. It was unhappy however, to find that as it's axe was swinging down, closing in for the death blow, it had been caught between two large clawed hands.
A large, blue demon with enormous wings, stood where Vergil once had, its eyes still closed.
"I thought I told you not to do that...it tickles..." The demon just stood there, smirking at the minotaur.
The demon, axe still held securely between its hands, swung the blade, minotaur and all into the wall opposite Brayden. It sent a shockwave through the tunnel, causing pieces of rock, dust and dirt to fall from the ceiling.
The indentation the creature made in the wall was deep and form fitting. Blood oozed from the minotaurs snout, dripping down both sides of its ring like a deadly water fall.
The minotaur tried to get back up, but it was bleeding internally, blood now oozing from its mouth and eyes, and didn't have the stregnth.
As it looked up at its attacker, it was suprised to see a man standing over it, not a demon. Vergil had his sword extended outward, and was using the tip of it to play with the hairs on the minotaurs throat.
"Such a shame that I don't have a grill. I believe that you would make a wonderful steak..." He thrust yamato into the creatures heart, causing blood to spray upwards, painting Vergil's face and coat with tiny droplettes of red.
He turned around and helped Brayden to his feet. Brayden put his hands on Vergil's shoulders. "That scared me my friend, please don't do that again..."
"Friend? You think of me as ...a friend? Why do I deserve such an honor?...I am a dark prince...the outcast of my family...surely i don't deserve..."
Vergil was cut short as Brayden shook him back and forth slightly. "You were the only one to show me kindness, and respect in all of the years I have been here. I know that you are not the evil, hate filled man you let other percieve you as. Dante is very lucky to have you. You have given me hope, and a purpose in this dark place,and for that I consider you my..." He was cut off and his eyes were the size of a grapefruits. A slow steady stream of blood trailed out of the corner of his mouth.
"Brayden? What the..." Vergil looked down to see Brayden's hand wrapped tightly around a blade that was exiting his chest.
"Vergil...stop...Mundus..." Brayden's eyes rolled back in his head, and his breathing ceased.
"NO...Brayden..." Vergil heard the sick sound of ripping flesh as he saw the blade retract into its owners hands.
He laid the man down carefully, taking a knee before him. "It is I who was honored to of met you my...friend." Vergil placed a gentle hand across Brayden's face, moving it over the fallen man's eyes, closing them.
Azreal stood there, proud at first for what he had done, but then seeing the rage in Vergil's eyes, thinking twice about what he had just done.
"What are you looking at me like that for Vergil? Demon princes aren't suppose to have friends anyway...it makes them appear weak...you should thank me...I just did you a favour..."
Vergil said nothing, but just started walking slowly, methodically, towards the man, yamato now drawn and at his side.
"Come on Vergil...if you let me go, I can help you get out of here...you can take me with you...I can help..." Azreal was now backing up from Vergil, trembling slightly, until he felt his back hit a door.
"Dead end..." spoke Vergil, holding the keys out on one if his finger twirling them around it. "Unless you happen to have the key...but I don't suppose you do..."
"Heh...Vergie...come on...I considered you a friend too...I always thought you were stronger than Mundus...really...I did..."
Vergil still remained silent until spinning on one foot, he swung his blade a single time, sending a cloud of dust into the air.
All that could be heard in the blindness of the dust was a chink, as Vergil put yamato back at his waist, and the moaning of a man in agony.
As the dust cleared, Azreal laid on the ground holding his stomach. Blood was flowing from it, but not so much that it would kill him right away.
"Please...Vergil..." Azreal watched as Vergil knelt beside him.
"I'm sick of hearing shit spew from your mouth Azreal." Vergil drew yamato once more, and propped the man's head up to face him. "What do you think we should do about that?"
"I'll shut up...I swear Vergil...I swear..."
"And you see that the problem presents itself yet again...YOU are still talking. Very well...you leave me no other choice..." Vergil pulled out the mans tounge, slicing it off in one quick movement.
Azreal put his hands up to his mouth in what was now a muffled scream. Blood poured over his hands, soaking them, and the underlying ground.
Azreal saw the blinding light that he had seen earlier in the tunnel and shut his eyes tight. Opening his eyes, he saw his death, standing before him.
"Now I will show you the true meaning of the word suffer..."
The demon picked up the small terrified man before dropping him to the ground, and dragging him into a cell that was near by.
All that could be heard for the next few minutes was the gagged scream of a man being ripped apart alive, and the roar of a wounded demon prince.
--End Flashback--
COOL! Another chapter down and more to come! PLEASE R&R! I have SO many hits and not as many reviews... Sniffs and wipes tear away, drawing sword...Don't make me come over there! LOL