Chapter theme: Sanctus /9QykZ_g9bho

Terminology:

SDT: SUBTERRANEAN DEMON TRIBE, often used to describe sentient and non-aggressive demons.

USF: UNITED SUBTERRANEAN FRONT, the recognized sovereign citizens of the Ebott. Valley demon association.

NNH: New New Home, the town's name. The only city located in the USF.

Central: Central Government, central city, main human settlement where the Grand Senate is instated.

WG: World Government, The coalition of governments, cities and island states, headed the Grand Senate.

WM: World Military, the standing widespread military for the entire world bar a few states and countries.

OTS: Order Of The Sword, a religious faction mainly situated in the city of fortuna, radical Sparda worshippers.

Disclaimer: Certain aspects of this story are based on a loosely fictional and exaggerated version of reality, of what is possible, of what could be, of the relationships we see day to day, between people, nations, and anything in between, to understand this is to understand that there is no agenda… Make your own conclusions, what you think is right.

I own nothing.

Sin Trigger.


The sound of dripping water pervaded his senses, the ground was cold… Uncomfortable, and the only source of warmth was the other being in the cell with him. But Credo didn't want to be near that guy… He was scary, humming about something incoherent. Bald with incredibly long nails and a very pale complexion, especially for Fortuna's standards…

Credo was afraid here by himself, he wished that...

'... Father…'

He hoped that his father was alright, he fought off those guys for a while but he couldn't win against all of them…

Brushing the grime off his forehead, Credo peaked through the little hole in the wall that let him see into the cell next to him. Curiously, he looks around. "I wonder if there are more kids here…" The small boy gulps suddenly, his yellow eyes becoming worried.

"I hope not…" But…

'If they need me, I'll help them…'

Without warning a scalding orange eye burned through the little hole, a screaming beast on the other side! Credo went tumbling back in pain with his face turning white.

The burning optical sensation only became more severe, with tears in his eyes the young boy opened his mouth to release a scream only for the other occupant of the cell to quickly hold his mouth shut.

Credo squirmed against his grip, grunting and screaming into his palm for a few seconds. The young boy was not irrational though, realizing that the other occupant wasn't harming him… Rather protecting him from the glaring orange light, so Credo opted to remain silent.

Eventually the light faded away, the creature on the other side leaving finally with a couple painful moans echoing through the eye-hole.

The prisoner released Credo finally, the small boy crumpled to the floor and began to run his eyes. Grunting in pain, he picked up the pace before two large hands stopped him.

The young boy blinked a few times as he caught the eyes of his saviour, they were a bright green… He then pointed to his own eyes, keeping them open for twenty seconds before pointing towards Credo.

Blinking even more during his display, Credo grunted at the painful sensation that wouldn't leave his eyes. But the man brought his face up with a tug before repeating his gesture, this time more forcefully.

Credo finally understood.

"Oh!"

Keeping his eyes open for twenty seconds wasn't that hard, he felt the pain slowly seep away until finally gone. Tears built up in his eyes but he merely brushed them away, furrowing his brows.

"Mister, what was that?"

Met with gurgling noises and warbling, Credo only frowned and hmphed. "Fine, be that way!" Crossing his arms and scowling, the young boy wasn't in the mood for jerks.

But then a thought occurred to his scholarly mind, you see… Credo has always been a little more developed than his peers, showing interest in literature and martial combat far earlier than most children… So when he realized that the man before him couldn't speak, a more pitiful gaze emanated from his deep and yellow eyes.

"You can't talk? That's bad." Furrowing his brows, Credo looked deeply into the prisoner's mouth as he tried to communicate… He lacked a tongue.

Credo felt like throwing up.

Sighing after a few moments, the man shook his head and looked towards his dirted and scarred palm. Taking an elongated nail, the man created a small incision in his palm and drew blood, this rightfully scared Credo.

"H-hey what are you doing? That hurts doesn't it?" Reaching out tentatively, the man's soft green eyes assure Credo that nothing is wrong.

Taking a finger, he rubs in the bloody wound and the crimson red coats his fingertips. He then uses the crimson life to gratuitously letter out a word… A thing.

"DEMON."

Credo felt his blood run cold… Terror filling up in his soul, he curled in on himself. "That thing… That's a d-demon?" Finally nodding, the prisoner sniffles and shakes his head. Almost as if holding back tears.

Frowning, Credo sits on his knees and glares at the other occupant. "Whoever did this to you is a bad person…" Almost innocent, Credo sighs and shakes his head rapidly.

And yet… Even despite the horrific blood soaked writing… Credo remained calm, knowing that…

His face lit up, "That's right! My father said he'd come for me! I'm sure the knights just forgot to bring him with us, he was pretty angry."

Little did Credo know, the wound self-inflicted had healed nearly instantly…

And then, heavy footsteps were heard.


"And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright…"

Step.

"And my foe beheld it shine.
And he knew that it was mine."

Step.

"And into my garden stole, When the night had veiled the pole; "In the morning glad I see…"

Step.

"My foe outstretched, beneath the tree."

Shutting the compendium with a resounding crack, Vergil's footfalls continued to reverberate with a foretelling sense of dread laced in his every movement. The dead of night revealed the moon's light against his skin, silver glare reflected in his flaming blue eyes.

Met with a heavily armored gate, two guards stand watch ahead of the compound with their swords stuck in the ground; they lean against the gate, alert for anything.

Not that it would help them much.

Step

Step

Step

His footfalls carried the kinetic energy of a bomb, approaching on the OTS facility with an electric fury. Blooke had informed him exactly where it would be using the cameras in the city to track and scan for the caravan, this is where they ended up at… Those filthy child kidnappers drew the worst, most chilling anger from the half-devil.

And now? In the dead of night the son of Sparda would launch his counter attack.

Two honor bound knights stood at the gate's maw, draped in the cool white of the Order's colors, their swords glimmered in the night and the chill wind brushes against their steel.

Vergil narrows his eyes, aggression rolling over his shoulders in a wave, his eyes a steely piercing blue, resonating a clam and controlled wrath. The half-devil's pale skin almost glowed in the night, and the shimmering chill moon reflected off of his silver hair.

Stepping through the night like a specter, weightless, silent. Vergil instantly caught the eyes of the guards standing watch, "Hey… Hey Albus you seeing this?" The taller of the two shot awake, noticing the storm.

His eyes widened, "Oh shit… He's here! Hold him off, I'll sound the alarm!" The knight nearly trips over himself trying to run, the gate closing behind him and leaving the sole knight to reach out in utter fear.

He bangs against the gate in terror, "What… What the hell man!" The footsteps only get louder until finally they stop right behind him, a visible sweat is drizzling down the knight's face.

Slowly careening his head back, he yelps in fright when he sees Vergil cocking a fist back; rolling to the side and then scampering away as his fist flies through the air, the son of Sparda lets his fist fly true.

KAKROOM!

Bursting into a thousand fragments, the heavily fortified gate falls away, reduced to rubble in the wind. Debris shoots through the hall and draws the sound of a blaring siren, alerting the entire facility.

Vergil stands in the wake of his own doing, glancing directly ahead through the narrow and white corridor… The siren blazing.

Dozens of knights outfitted themselves with swords, preparing to rebel against the attack. Vergil could hear them coming, feel their fear and apprehension… Word of his feats travel quickly, that he is more than a man.

They knew he was coming, if that guard from before was any indication… And they must have prepared to fight someone like him…

Vergil clenches his fist.

The walls beside him explode into rubble as two armored dreadnoughts violently exit into the path ahead, the shockwave would knock a lesser man onto his back. Both heavily armored assailants wield two Durandal blades, heavy in weight… Thick.

Without grace.

Vergil glances between the two armored giants, "So, this is your defense?" His question rings out without a response, the two dreadnoughts are completely silent. The armor they wear whirring and grinding like a metallic mechanical trap, it must be the source of their strength…

Who could've possibly provided them this? State of the art technology…

No matter.

Vergil only takes another casual step forward, a testament to the immense power wielded in each cell, in each bone, in each arm. His divine infernal blood boiling beneath his skin, ready to be let out.

He catches the red glare of his opponents, their eyes glowing artificially.

The smell of smoke and debris filled his senses as he bent down to grab a cracked block of reinforced steel, tossing it into the air and then gauging how much it weighed.

'This will do.'

The two dreadnoughts decided at that moment to charge through the hall, their blades dragging across the ground and kicking up sparks around them. The weight of their soles cracking releasing bangs of sound, as if guns are being fired. A symphony of violent preparation, their swords raised to attack.

Holding the debris in hand, Vergil glances towards the oncoming assault.

CLANG

The steel fragment crashes against them, a rough metallic clang sounding out as they dig their soles into the ground to resist the crushing steel projectile, finally it falls after losing its momentum…

Momentum gained by another.

Vergil splits across the hall as if teleporting, cocking his fist back like a well oiled firearm.

Time slows around the vortices funneling around the Darkslayer's fist, air heating up until catching aflame, Vergil's blow thrums with an incredible all encompassing kinetic force, coalescing entirely into the flat surface of two knuckles.

His knuckles practically warp the metal helm, cracking against the first dreadnought with such force that he is ejected down the hall as if fired from a cannon.

Vergil growls softly with his fist still outstretched, slowly turning his enraged gaze towards the other dreadnought.

Time resumes back to normal, Vergil shuffling towards the other assailant with a quick usage of footwork, raising his hand to intercept the dreadnought's sword strike. The blade penetrates his palm and runs right through it, Vergil grunts and runs his hand all the way through before finally reaching the hilt of the sword tearing from his opponent's grasp before using the pommel to stun him, his blood drenching the wall and yet… The wound has already healed.

Stumbling back, the cybernetic warrior shakes his head to clear his daze only to roar to challenge and bring his other sword down again with two hands clasping firmly around the hilt.

Vergil merely crouches down and raising his left to block, a metallic clang reverberating as he parries the blow before commencing a penetration step, wrapping an arm around the dreadnought's leg; Vergil stands to his full height before levying a flat palm strike against his opponent, cracking his armor and sending him through another wall.

Both were incapacitated easily,

"Pathetic."

Vergil releases a breath and tosses the poorly made sword away, "So much for being the Order of the sword, with blade work like that… You'd hardly make it without numbers." Ears twitching, the half-devil listens closely in the resounding silence.

Snarling, Vergil thrusts his arm through the wall to his left, plunging his hand and gripping into something no… Someone.

Tearing a knight through the wall and creating a new path, Vergil tosses his unlucky opponent away into the rubble of his newly created walkway, stepping over the debris. His heart beating incredibly rapidly, the half-devil levies a terribly dark glare over his remaining assailants.

He takes a step forth, they take a step back.

'These knights are no knights at all, merely pawns in the game Sanctus is playing with the people of Fortuna…' Vergil finally realizes the way they stare at him with fear… Unfitting of a knight, these men were not honorable.

A few ran off, leaving the remaining resolute to the 'cause' to fight the son of Sparda on their own. The half-devil could only grunt in disappointment, for an order that claimed to follow the teachings of his father… They surely didn't represent it well, they were unfocused, had no morale, no leader.

Just mindlessly following orders, their own instincts… Their own self justified monolithic ideas, unchanging and incapable of growth… Or rather, in the rejection of growth. It was pure tribalism… These men.

"Tell me, did Sparda die just so you fools can throw away your lives?"

Not a single one of them responded, these men were so ingrained in their delusion that the idea of a better path was locked deep deep down… Sanctus had brainwashed these men, devout to a God that didn't even know they existed… A God who is dead…

All that's left is him…

Vergil raises his hand towards them, taunting them. "Come on then..." A dead serious tone, he's in no mood to play with virile child kidnappers.

"Fight!"

Little did he know… It was all for nought.


The prisoner scurried away into the shadows quicker than Credo could even react to, once again casting himself in shadow and hiding from the light…

It was weird because… 'That's the big guy right?' Those heavy footfalls, slightly off beat from one another in an almost charming fashion.

But that only made him more confused, "He's nice… Why are you scared?" He would get no answer to his query, brows only furrowing as he clung to the bars of the cell and felt a globule of water crash against his nose and run down his face.

His nostrils began to itch and he raised his head back, "ACHOOO!" Agnus dodged the globules of snot by mere inches, a slight look of annoyance growing across his features before being replaced by a smile.

The larger than life scientist crouched down at eye level, "Sparda bless you young man, has our friend been giving you any t-t-trouble?" Kindly asking, Credo smiled at the much larger man with his yellow eyes flashing in response.

"Nuh uh, he's alright I guess… But uhm, do you have any candy?" Clamoring for a sweet confection, Agnus gave the small child what he wanted.

'My intuition is correct, children always clamor for sweets!'

Plucking the wrapped sweet out of his hand, "Thanks Mr?!" The simple enthusiasm of a child was infectious, the now named Bianco peeked through the shadows with a curious gaze, retreating when Agnus casted him a short glance.

"Agnus, however, you can call me professor. I work for the order, and I'm to be an a-assistant for you."

He met the older man with enthusiasm now that he knew he was safe and with the Order, "Okay professor." Credo smiles, thankful. After all, the order would always protect them.

Not knowing how to address a child, the scientist does his best to match Credo's smile. Yet, at the young boy's smile, Agnus was perturbed. "Hmph, well… Y-y-young man, I think it's about time we let you out of that cell hm?"

"What about Mr. Baldy?"

"This is his h-h-h-home, young man." What kind of home was cold and hard?

Credo was confused, "Why did you guys put me here anyways? Did I do something wrong at school?"

"No no of course n-n-not… We just needed some place to keep you while we… Settle your living conditions, yes…"

'Living conditions?'

Agnus let him out of the cell, but Bianco did not follow… Merely rescinding back into the darkness much to Credo's dismay. "What about Mr. Baldy, why isn't he coming with us?"

"He's a d-d-demon, that's why… He suffers from hallucinations, quite u-u-unstable."

"A demon…?" Credo shies away from the cage now, fearing the very man who'd seemed so kind and harmless… A man? No, a devil. It didn't make any sense, how is a devil a good person?

Agnus gestured to the boy to follow, shocking him out of his musings. "D-d-demons are not to be trusted, they are far too d-d-different from us, they do not have our best interests in mind, they can only hate." But that didn't make any sense…

Placing a comforting hand on his back, Agnus clenched his other hand into a fist. "And when the p-p-p-promised day comes… We shall be free of them at last!"

Credo seems confused by that, "What? The promised day? You're confusing me Mr. Agnus."

"Don't worry about it, young one, now… Sanctus wants to meet you."

"Huh?"

"Let's go, no keeping his holiness waiting!"

Credo remembered the lessons taught in school, nodding determinedly. "Right!" You couldn't keep Sanctus waiting!

The young boy energetically combed through the halls, a huge smile on his face. A fancy and spectacular decor as far as the eye could see, the smell of well scented candles and the exuberant furnishings.

'This place is… Huge!' Slack-jawed, the young Wingbuster glances around as they enter a large room, awe etched across his young features.

'If we lived here, we'd be rich!…'

An incredible excitement, the five-year old buzzed with energy. Quickly forgetting the previous unease he felt, Credo turned towards his host.

Smiling, "So, I get to live here?"

"That's right young man, you're q-q-quite special!" Angus began to sweat.

"What about father and momma? You're going to bring them here right?" Agnus stiffened at the innocent question, standing up straighter.

His speech shows hesitation, "Erm." But thankfully for the young scientist, his stutters won't be needed much longer.

An aged voice penetrated through the large room, "Ah… If it isn't a treasured youth, it's been quite some time… Credo." With his eyes widening into saucers, the young boy turned to see his holiness.

'It's really him!'

A huge smile grew, Credo skips towards the trepid holy leader. Sanctus gives the young child a warm smile, propped up by a walking cane, still wearing his holy garb.

But suddenly, the holy leader falls down. "Agh!" His frail body not able to hold himself up anymore, red eyes plead for help.

Credo gasps, "Your holiness!" Placing his small hands around the elderly man, he grunts and tries to help him back up. "Are you alright?"

Smiling warmly at the young man, "I'm fine my dear child, thanks to you. You truly have a heart don't you? I knew we picked the right candidate!" Credo gazed up at the now standing Sanctus, tilting his head.

"Candidate?"

Sanctus merely smiled continually, "Of course, you are such a well-studied young man who excels in all of his training, who else will lead our future generation of knights?" He did like to read a lot…

'The future generation… Is he talking about-' Credo gasped as he realized what this was all about, why he was taken here… They wanted to make him a knight!

The young shoeshine had stars in his eyes almost, the idea of being a great leader in the order was a dream come true… But still. "What about my family? Aren't they coming too?"

Sanctus sighed and placed a gentle hand over his shoulder, "I'm sorry my boy, but we can't endanger them… Being a knight is a dangerous thing, you want to protect them don't you?" Credo almost wept, the idea of not seeing his mother or father…

"Yeah… But I didn't even get to say goodbye…" A single tear rolled down his eye as his child brain tried to understand what was happening, that if he was chosen for this special task… He wouldn't be able to see his mother or father.

Sanctus wiped a tear from his cheek, "You are our future Credo, we need you to be strong… Understood?" His words were so kind, so heartfelt… Credo felt tears prickle in his yellow eyes.

"Okay… I'll be strong like Vergil." Sanctus stiffened, but his smile didn't fall away.

Suddenly, Sanctus stood up and walked away without the use of his cane… This confused Credo to no end, he opened his mouth to speak before inhaling and feeling his eyes droop.

Falling to the ground, unconscious… The young boy released not a sound, the holy leader did not fall with him. His annoyance was palpable, grown like a fruit from a hateful tree.

Sanctus stopped smiling, his eyes losing the warmth they once had as he rubbed his cheeks. "Get him out of my sight, Sparda what an annoyingly naive child… Ready the ascension chambers Agnus, we need to complete the ritual and acquire another, superior completed specimen. One who we can mold before he reaches adulthood." The holy leader of the order spoke with a voice far colder, his wrinkled face harbouring none of the previous warmth.

Agnus made a few mental calculations, "Give me a-a-a month, your holiness! And you shall have a true… Angel!" Agnus giggled in an excited glee, tapping his fingers together before roughly tossing the young boy onto his broad shoulder.

Sanctus crossed his arms behind his back, nodding towards the scientist. "Call the captain, I need him fully aware of our next goal." Agnus stutters a hasty affirmative, retreating into the castle and leaving the determined soul to his own devices.


The scent of burning wood filling his senses, the holy leader lets his facade drop even more as he settles into his private abode at the very top of the castle.

His dark red eyes illuminating in the shadows, Sanctus took a seat in his chair by the fire. "B-ANGELO is a failure… A simple-minded tool with no urge to fight or harm, if we could only isolate his demonic soul…" Tapping a finger against his wrinkled cheek, Sanctus stares into the flame.

In it, he sees the future of his divine conquest. "But Credo with his far more advanced faculties… He shall serve us much better… The general of our army, yes…" The idea filled the man with an elation indescribable, his red eyes brimming with…

Determination.

"The promised day… I can see it now."

Interrupting his musing, the door opens with more force than needed. "Ye called yer holiness?" A strong baritone muffled by a hooded mask, this knight was different.

He wore a brighter gold than the others, stood taller, and spoke clearer, rougher. "Mr. Stutters told me about our little plan, ey. Gots a mission for me?"

Sanctus didn't stray from the fire, in his eyes burned a reflection of the very inferno. "Yes." He said, a soft tone of voice letting the captain relax in his skin.

His voice reverberates through the sound of cracking wood, "Tell me Captain, what is our true mission? Our divine goal?"

The captain shakes his head but responds immediately, "To exterminate all em demons, of course. To protect."

"Of course, but us righteous men, so far above the weak and licentious crowd… We must make sacrifices all the same." Allusion, the Captain merely nodded as the holy leader stood and began to circle him. Dwarfed by the man and yet somehow bigger.

The captain stiffened, "Hm yer right." Eliciting a satisfied huff from his leader, Sanctus stopped in front of the fire.

The fire continued to burn in his red eyes, almost hotter than before. "Then you know what must be done." His red eyes narrowed into slits, and he held up a treaty contract that read 'Demon neutrality act.' The captain grinned underneath his mask, "Is that…"

Sanctus smirks as well, "My guise as an ally to the Subterranean demons has gone on for too long don't you think? Central with all their hubris truly believes we've reformed, unfortunately for them, after our plans come to fruition… Not even they will be capable of stopping us." He scanned the contents of the paper, scoffing.

His voice grinded and groaned like scratching steel, "Demons are no allies of ours, regardless of what Central says… They'd rather be parasites than create, so we shall destroy them."

The captain laughed to himself, his knees shaking. "Thas right, just like Sparda intended… There are no good demons."

Sanctus tossed the treaty into the flame behind him, smoke rising into the air as the contract burnt to cinders.

"Exactly, and once our savior arrives… There will be no need for them or their sniveling bureaucracy." Sanctus bit out.

The captain nodded, "And tha boy? How will Vergil react to em being taken? My men tell me he's a… Anomalous sort? Unstoppable." Sanctus chuckled and placed a hand on his shoulder, turning the man's gaze to the fire burning in front of them.

"He is attracted to the flame like a moth, a man who's capable of great feats, impossible feats… In this city predicted on non-aggression, now we have grounds to counterattack."

The captain quickly realized just what Sanctus meant. "And those SDT gypsies who work for him… They've damned themselves to our retribution."

"Huh, I ain't even know he had SDT allies… He works alone I though'."

"So did I, but as one does things, questions things… One man has the answer…" Sanctus glances back towards the fire, the last bits of the neutrality contract vaporizing to dust.

The captain smirked, "If one wants to find something or someone, they go through…"

"Andrei Royai." Sanctus finished with a smirk, the flame depicting the very man in question with a cruel smile on his face.


Please leave a review if you like, I'm getting closer to the end of the story, once i realize every chapter for Devilish Fortune, then I will begin on the final story (so far): Sin Trigger.