DEVIL MAY CRY

THE

BATTLEGROUND

CHAPTER III

It began with a headache.

He could feel the numbness fading away as he opened his eyes. At first, everything was a blur. All he could see were jagged, uneven shades of black and grey. He knew enough to conclude that he was lying on his back, but other than that, he hadn't a clue.

Dante blinked furiously, and eventually, his proper eyesight returned to him. He could see now that the black and grey he was staring at was actually the tall roof of the area he was in.

He tilted his head to the side and looked down. He was lying in the same position he was in when he had been transported to this place. That much he remembered.

The rocky surface he was laying on was strangely warm, as was his whole body. Dante tried to sit up.

A pain that he had never experienced before jolted through his body as he shut his eyes and gritted his teeth. A single tear rolled down his cheek. He fell back down in his laying position. Feeling the pain coming from his chest, he glanced down.

There were a couple of scars and small bits of blood, but nothing looked so severe that he couldn't even bring himself to sit up. Cautiously, Dante tried once again to get up.

Again, the same pain shot through his entire body. "Damnit!" he said as his body sank back down to the warm floor.

He let out a long sigh, then closed his eyes. His body ached. His head pounded. He had no idea where he was or how he would escape.

Since there was nothing else he could do, Dante tried to remember how the hell he ended up in this place. He remembered lying on a Temple floor bloodied and bruised. He remembered the Temple was badly damaged. He remembered being able to notice all of the dark sky above him and the hills and plant life that surrounded the Temple. He remembered that fires that raged all around him.

He remembered reaching for Alastor….

Then it came to him.

"Mundus."

Dante chuckled and shook his head. "He's the reason I'm here. That son of a bitch."

He knew now that his body was repairing itself from whatever damage the Dark Angel had inflicted on him, and somehow forgot the pain it caused when he tried to move during the process.

Dante's eyes suddenly shot open. There was something else at that Temple. Something mysterious that he couldn't quite grasp.

"Dante, I will come for you." These words repeated themselves in his head over and over again until the image of who was saying them finally came to him.

"Father…." Dante felt a great sorrow overcome him. He had waited ever since his childhood for the day he would be reunited with his father.

"I only got to see him once before I died," Dante spoke to his dark surroundings. He knew no one was around to hear his words, but it felt better to say them aloud. He screamed.

As his body neared the end of its restoration, one final pain shot through his body again. This one had the power to knock him into unconsciousness.

As he fainted, two large creatures came walking in his direction from the shadows. Their skin was dark green and scaly. They both had large grey stone-plated shields in their left hands. Their swords dangled in their side pouches as they walked. Brown leather straps covered their shoulders and crossed across their chests, meeting in the exact center where a stone amulet held them in place. The features that stood out the most were the giant white skulls placed over their reptilian heads and their shiny, orange eyes. Large tails protruding from their lower backs swung from left to right as they moved across the rocky floor.

Suddenly, both of them came to a halt. In front of them lie the body of a man. He had bright white hair and a dark red trenchcoat. His black leather undershirt was ripped open, but his chest and abdominal muscles were not damaged.

The two creatures known as 'Blades' glanced at each other, then back at the body.

"What do we do with him?" The reptilian-like voice echoed throughout the large area.

The other Blade spoke. "I haven't eaten in ages and he looks ripe enough to me."

The other looked at him and frowned. "No. We will not devour him. We will take him to Master. He'll know what to do."

The two nodded to each other and walked over to Dante's body. One of them bent over and hoisted his body over one of its shoulders. The other Blade followed behind him, making sure that if he woke, he wouldn't escape.

Dante awoke to the loud roars and clashing of weapons. His eyes shot open immediately. He tried to move his arms and legs but could not. They were being held in place by thick stone chains.

He was lying on a demonic structured elevator device that resembled a giant claw and in the center was where he lay.

Through all of the roaring, he heard a single voice. "Lower him down!"

Large spikes shot up around his entire body, ensuring he wouldn't escape. As he felt himself being lowered, he glanced through two of the large spikes by his head.

Demons.

Agonofinis, Blades, Nobodies, Sin Scythes, Shadows, Savage Golems, all different kinds of Romancers…Dante could see every type of demon he knew of. Levels upon levels of endless demons occupied what seemed like a dark Amphitheater. The whole area was covered by fleshy purple and red veins.

He quickly glanced over through the spikes to his other side. It resembled the opposite side.

As the elevator neared ground level, Dante looked toward the front of the elevator.

There was a warrior standing there with a large mace in his hands. He had an unbelievable amount of spikes all over his body, and was wearing orange-red armor underneath.

"Son of Sparda, prepare for your torture."

Dante glanced around him one last time at all of the Demons, then looked in front of him at the spiked Demon. As he lay on the demonic elevator, one single word rang through his head.

"Shit"

Author's Note: Just so you know, this chapter wasn't suppose to be action-packed. It was just suppose to explain where Dante ended up after the Temple. Only seven days left until Devil May Cry 3! Don't know about you, but I'm excited. Hope it's as good as the first and better than the second. Anyway, please keep reviewing.

-Chris