Hazbin Devils
Chapter 6
When he was not busy overseeing the daily operations of Lu Lu World, playing music, or singing in the opera, Lucifer liked to spend his time in his study reading and writing books. Most of his written works consisted of – in his opinion – trashy romance fiction written under the pseudonym "Sonny Jim". However, they were widely popular for some reason he could not fathom. There was no writing today but he was pouring through some reports he had gotten from Steerofsky about some unusual disturbances. They were eyewitness accounts of encounters with creatures that looked grotesque and incapable of higher intelligence, and only one photo existed of an ant-like creature with a head that had human faces.
Lucifer frowned. It was not a creature he had seen before and while the incidences seemed sporadic, they could quickly add up. There were minor incursions since after the most recent purge but things have ramped up ever since the two arrived. It could be a coincidence and Lucifer did not want to disrespect the memory of his friend by implying his sons of being the ones responsible. That was why he sent his aide to check things out and if possible, capture one of the creatures alive. If Vergil was correct, then some demons from the other side were indeed powerful enough to tear open dimensional portals. Were they so determined to kill the sons of Sparda or was there another reason for the incursions?
The door to the study opened. Lucifer turned to see who it was but it was neither his wife nor his servants. Standing by the doorway was an angel whose wings were so big and white that it covered his body like a bright and shining cloak. He was a handsome person but unlike most angels, he had no halo above his head. He did not need it; his presence was already telling enough with a powerful aura that radiated from him that felt like holy fire. The ruler of hell, however, felt nothing but a burning sense of disgust and annoyance.
"Tidings, brother," the angel greeted grimly.
"Michael," Lucifer responded back with an equally grim tone. "How did you get past my guards?"
"I didn't have to. They just let me in," Michael answered while purposefully showing the tip of his sword from underneath his wing.
Lucifer turned his whole chair around to face the archangel and crossed his arms and legs. "I thought you didn't do purges. What're you doing here?"
Michael's stare met with Lucifer's. His expression was neutral but there was fire in his eyes. It was not of anger but of disapproval. "I come with a warning and I'm sent here by God to tell you this: keep your realm in check."
"I'm assuming you meant the recent incursions?" Lucifer asked while he watched the archangel approach his side so that he could take a look at the reports. His slow and deliberate steps made it look like he was walking on thin ice and it did not help that his wings hid his feet, making him look like he floated. "It's not of any concern. Also, why is heaven still sending messengers? Catch up with the times and use a phone."
"We do use phones, Lucifer, but there is no direct line to hell except God," Michael replied with a wry smile. "But he has no time for wayward sons."
Lucifer growled and snorted. "Way to rub it in, Mike. It wouldn't have happened if father didn't create and elevate humans. Besides, we were created perfect. Why would he have created a race consisting of assholes and bastards?"
Michael shrugged while examining the report with the attached photo. "Who knows. It's our father's will and we abide by it," he replied dismissively. "Nasty-looking creature, isn't it?" Michael added as he tapped a finger on the photo.
"Yeah, no shit it is," Lucifer said while batting away his brother's hand. "But like I said, it's of little concern. This is my realm after all and I'm not about to let a few uglies ruin things."
"For your sake I would hope so. Otherwise, there will be intervention. Heaven is getting an inkling on what these demons are and where they're from. If it's becoming an apparent threat to the mortal world, there is no stopping the exorcists. If need be, they will bring…him in." Michael stared at Lucifer ominously.
"The Slayer? You wouldn't fucking dare," Lucifer whispered in both anger and slight fear.
"Drastic measures, brother. I do not wish for it to happen as well but the safety of the mortal realm must be protected. You remember the agreement, don't you?"
"Yeah, yeah, I remember. Stop being such a pain in the ass. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother."
"Then make sure that these incursions be dealt with accordingly. In regards to the sons of the dark knight." Lucifer turned his head quickly to stare at Michael but the latter was looking out a window. "You do what you need to do to maintain the status quo. Your first mistake made was to befriend Sparda."
"What'd you mean by that? Sparda didn't do anything wrong."
"But his sons might and I'm concerned about…emotional attachments. Keep an eye on things and we won't have to resort to an early purge," Michael said and opened the window.
He stepped onto the window sill and pushed himself off the edge. Michael's wings unfurled like a wingsuit and with a single flap, it propelled him upwards towards the celestial orb that was heaven. The archangel gleamed like a shining beacon ascending into the sky. Lucifer scowled and took a deep breath before letting it out with a sigh. After closing the window and returning to his chair, he looked at the reports for a few seconds. Soon after, he grabbed an apple from the fruit basket on his table and took a bite out of it.
"Fucking nonsense," he muttered.
Another quiet night at the hotel. Vaggie and Charlie had gone out somewhere but they did not specify where exactly. Alastor and Vergil were seated at the bar talking about something while Husk rolled his eyes every once in a while, no doubt responding to the topics they were talking about and teases coming from the radio demon. Niffty had gone to bed early that night after a long day of helping to clean up the hotel's upper levels. Dante had found himself playing a game of ball toss with Razzle and Dazzle but had to take it outside of the hotel once their game started getting a little extreme.
The harder Dante tossed the ball at the two bodyguards, the harder they threw back. None of them dropped the ball and at some point, the devil hunter even used his Devil Trigger to utilise the ability to fly to catch. For a duo of diminutive-looking goat demons, Razzle and Dazzle were surprisingly quick and powerful. Dante heard from Charlie that Lucifer gave her two dolls life, maybe that explained why they were so skilled. It did not matter to him; he was not going to lose to some dolls.
He had just tossed the ball at Dazzle when he heard the sound of a car coming up the hotel's driveway. At the same time, Dazzle had caught it and threw a curveball back at him. Unfortunately for the devil hunter, his attention was elsewhere for a split second and the curveball struck the side of his head. It hit hard enough to knock him out of Devil Trigger and sent him tumbling onto the ground. Fortunately for the devil hunter, he was Dante. The shot did not even cause so much as a headache and he just picked himself up.
By the time he got up, Dante saw a familiar spider demon coming towards him. "Hey Angel," he greeted casually.
"I was about to ask if you were okay, but that answers my question, sweetheart," Angel remarked with a grin.
Dante nodded but noticed that he had a blackeye and a bit of dried blood at the side of his mouth. The devil hunter tapped the side of his mouth with a finger. "There's a bit of blood here," he said. "You got into a fight or something?"
"Oh, it's nothing. It's part of the life after all." Angel used a thumb to rub away the dried blood. He leaned up to Dante and pressed a finger on his chest. "I didn't know you cared," he added slyly.
"Well, that's me, always caring and…stuff" Dante said. He pushed Angel away slightly. "You sure you're okay though?"
Angel shrugged. "I'll get by." He took out a cigarette carton and took a stick. A third hand reached for the lighter in his pocket while the other hand simultaneously put the carton back into another pocket. "If Charlie asks, no, I didn't get myself into a street war."
"Okay, so what were you doing then?"
"Some stuff for the boss. I mean, I work for a porn studio, Dante. They're shooting a movie," Angel answered while taking a drag. He puckered his lips and blew out a puff of smoke away from the devil hunter. "And before you ask, yes, it was a kinky one. I like a bit of masochism action in the mix," he added, a sensual expression forming on his face.
"If you say so," remarked Dante awkwardly.
Angel chuckled softly and moved a free hand to the devil hunter's crotch area. "I normally tell my fans to wait for an official release. But for you, I'm willing to give a demonstration free of charge."
"I'll pass," Dante said.
"One of these days, Dante, you'll give in. It's only a matter of time." With a wink, Angel took another drag.
"How was life for you like when you were human?" Dante asked.
Angel stopped the drag halfway and just opened his mouth to let the smoke out. "Kinda left field there, ace. It's such a long time ago that I can't remember and I think it's for the best."
Dante waved his hand to disperse the smoke that wafted into his face. "Not even a little?"
"Well, I'm in hell. I think you already have an idea of the kind of life I lived. Besides, it's not like it matters now anyway." Angel quickly finished his cigarette and threw the butt onto the ground before stepping on it. "I'd love to chitchat, but I've had a long day. See you tomorrow, ace," Angel purred.
With that, the spider demon made his way to the hotel while Razzle and Dazzle joined Dante's side. Dazzle had the ball in his hand and the devil hunter took it and absentmindedly began tossing it up and down. Reading character was never his forte but it was rather obvious that Angel was not telling him everything. He did not want to probe too deeply into the matter but another side of him got curious. Perhaps he could indulge the curiosity a little later.
"Still wanna play ball? The last shot didn't count," Dante said while eyeing the two and smiling at them.
"Indulge me if you will, Vergil, what do you wish to do with all that power you gained?" Alastor asked as he watched Vergil flipping through an old untitled book.
Without taking his eyes off of the book, he said, "You know the old saying 'might makes right'? It holds true even to this day. I have surpassed the power of Sparda and I will not lose to the likes of my brother."
"Nothing like a bit of sibling rivalry to liven things up," Alastor added in agreement. "But that still doesn't explain why you need all that power."
Vergil closed the book and looked at the smiling radio demon. "Then what is power to you then?"
Alastor's grin seemed to widened a bit and there was a menacing glow in his eyes. "Power, dear boy, is a tool for which you use to control people. It can be the rise of many an overlord but also leads to the downfall of the same crowd. For me, it's something to make use of and keep others in check."
"Is that what you're using to keep the hotel safe?"
"In a manner of speaking. I'm sure the other overlords could tell you more about it."
"Why're you helping the hotel then if you said you don't believe in the salvation of demons?"
With that, Alastor laughed and his eyes turned into what resembled dials on an old radio and his mouth was motionless. "As I've told Charlie before, my dear boy, I want to watch them struggle and hope, and watch them as they tumble down a hill of futility and despair. There is nothing more primal besides fear than hope, and hope is the first step on the road to disappointment. It's nothing short of…entertaining."
Husk snorted. "Well, aren't you a fucking comedian."
"There can be no comedy without tragedy, Husk, and I think hell's time on the stage of eternity is reaching a high point. We're long past the curtain-raiser."
"Dunno what the hell you're talking about but I don't like it."
"So, everything's an entertainment to you?" Vergil asked. "Is that the reason for you to be powerful?"
Before Alastor could answer, the sound of the doors opening cut their conversation short. The three of them turned to see Angel Dust walking towards the staircase that led upstairs. He stopped for a moment to look at them and he smiled. Vergil raised an eyebrow. There was no possible reason for Angel to be smiling at him or Alastor. Of course, it was not him that the spider demon was smiling at but at Husk. The winged demon did not return the smile but his expression did soften into one of concern.
After Angel left the main lobby, Vergil put the book down onto the bar counter. "It would be a waste to use all that power just to see hell as one giant circus. Some years ago, I told Dante that might controls everything - and without strength, you cannot protect anything; let alone yourself."
"So, what're you protecting then, halfie?" came the unexpected question from Husk.
Vergil stared at the book as if the answer was on the cover. After a few seconds, he said, "Things that matter most to me."
Husk rolled his eyes. "Nice answer," he remarked in what sounded almost like a half-hearted attempt at sarcasm.
"Quite commendable but ultimately, it's all hubris. It leads to the fall of one too many people," Alastor said. "But that's the fun of it at the end of the day."
The words hit him harder than it should. Even when he did not tell the rest of the hotel staff of his time spent under Mundus's control, the radio demon's words rang too true. It was a shameful period of his life that stemmed from him thinking that – in his weakened state – he could take on Mundus just because he thought he was the son of Sparda and he could take on the demon world. Sure, he and Dante had gotten stronger than when they were younger, but he would sooner take that history to the grave. It was one of the reasons why he wanted power, but it was not the main one.
What should I do with all that power then, he thought to himself. Their parents were dead and he was reunited with his only member of the family that he thought had abandoned him during that fateful night. It was not like Dante needed protecting; he was more than capable of protecting himself when the need arose. So, why get stronger then? Was it just sibling rivalry and wanting to just one-up Dante at every chance he got? Now that he had time to think, Vergil realised it was a question he did not have an answer for yet.
"Penny for your thoughts, Vergil?" Alastor asked and snapping him back to reality. "You've been awfully quiet."
"I'm going to bed," Vergil said nonchalantly and got up from his chair.
There was the sound of glass breaking as a ball shot through the lite of the left door. It sailed right at Vergil but he casually reached out his hand and caught it in a claw-like grip. Dante and Charlie's two bodyguards came running in with the latter two looking rather distraught. Vergil stared at the three while Alastor looked on in interest and Husk let go of a breath that he had unconsciously held when he saw the ball headed towards their general direction.
"I think that's enough for one night," Dante said.
"Yes, I think it is," said his brother. He tossed the ball back at him. "Get some rest, we got things to do tomorrow."
With that said, Vergil made his way upstairs as well. Dante shrugged and followed along while Charlie's two bodyguards were bust panicking at the broken glass. While he was walking down the corridor that led to their room, he paused in front of Angel's room door. Dante thought he heard sobbing coming from inside. His hand slowly reached for the doorknob and turned it. The room was dimly lit but it was enough for the devil hunter to notice Angel seated at the foot of the bed with his hands rubbing his eyes as he sobbed.
The sound of the door opening caused the spider demon to look towards the source with tears still streaming from the side of his eyes. Dante wanted to ask him if he was alright but Angel angrily got up and pushed him out of the room before slamming the door shut and locking it. It was quite a 180 change from being overly friendly a few minutes ago to a sobbing mess of a demon. Devils do cry, he thought wistfully. However, up to that point, he only thought his family was the only one capable of it. Even then, he never saw his father shed a tear before. This hell continued to baffle and confuse him, and the more he saw how the demons acted, the more he wondered if he was actually in hell at all. Again, they were too human.
Dante hated seeing people cry, it brought back painful memories. Even though he never did care much for Angel's advances, he did feel a strong sense of pity seeing him like that. Maybe he would open up later, but for now, he needed to get some rest.
The next morning started off rather uneventfully but Charlie did eventually ask about the golden statue. However, she did not seem too concerned about it as she assumed it was part of the junk left behind in the hotel that she had never noticed before. The princess did give the brothers something though.
"What is this exactly?" Vergil asked while holding up the smartphone Charlie just handed him.
Charlie's jaw dropped. "Wait, you haven't seen a smartphone before?"
"Can't say that I have," Vergil answered matter-of-factly. "Where're the buttons?"
Dante was trying hard to suppress a laugh and Vaggie couldn't help but snigger behind his back. The elder brother looked unamused, but that was partially through no fault of his own. After all, he did spend a lot of time being in unfavourable situations and hardly had any time to explore other things such as advancements in technology. Fortunately, with a quick tutorial from Charlie – and nonstop teasing from his younger brother – he was able to utilise at least the basic functions.
"In case I need you two for help, I can easily get in touch. They're on me but all I ask is your assistance," Charlie said while handing Dante his phone.
"I hope you understand that we won't be here for very long, Charlotte," Vergil said but Dante elbowed his chest.
"We won't know how long that takes, so we may as well offer our help in the meantime. Besides, I think you need to work on catching up with living a normal life," said Dante.
Vergil rubbed his sore rib while looking angrily at him. "This is hell, it's anything but normal."
"At least it's a start, I think."
"Boys, it's no biggie if you need to do what you need to do. I understand that you need to find your way home," Charlie said softly. "I'm not forcing you to help me, but I hope that you'll at least find it within yourself to help whenever possible."
Vergil and Dante glared at each other for a while until the eldest of the two broke his gaze and looked at the direction of the entrance and the divinity statue. He took a deep breath and sighed. "It's a long trip to Imp City, Dante."
"So, you're leaving just like that after how Charlie showed her hospitality to us?" Dante asked with a frown.
"The accommodation was appreciated but like I said, we don't belong here. The sooner we leave the better it'll be. We don't want the denizens here to get caught in our affairs. You agreed to this too, remember?"
"Well, I say we stay for a bit and at least repay our debts to the hotel before we leave," Dante countered as he crossed his arms. "A couple of days tops."
"Dante, you're only delaying things," said an annoyed Vergil. "The next thing you know, you'd be asking to stay for a few more days."
"Yeah, I probably would if they needed our help."
"And what help could we possibly offer, brother? Vagatha's already skilled enough to be both a protector of the hotel and its manager, Niffty is unusually good at housekeeping, the front counter has already been manned by Husk, and Alastor." He stopped to look at the radio demon and he just grinned at Vergil. "He does whatever he's supposed to do here. My point is, there's nothing we could possibly do here that would add any sort of value."
"That's not true," Charlie said while Vergil looked at her with a slight amount of surprise at the unexpected interjection. "The concept is still in its infancy. While I have people to help, it's still not enough. In fact." She tapped her chin twice and perked up. "I think I do need some help running errands."
Vergil blinked once. "What?"
"We need to restock on some kitchen supplies. Normally I'd ask Razzle and Dazzle to help out, but it seems like somebody broke the door lite," she said while glancing at the hole in the glass pane.
"That's it, just getting some groceries?" Dante asked in a not-so-subtle disappointed tone.
"Please, you'll be doing me a huge favour," Charlie said while cusping her hands together and fluttering her eyelids in a pleading manner. "I mean, it doesn't count as interfering in matters."
Dante nodded and pointed at the princess. "She's not wrong."
"Fine, I'll do it your way for once," Vergil conceded albeit reluctantly. "What'd you have in mind?"
"Well, there's this store called Hellmart…"
Valentino growled angrily and pulled out a handgun before unloading the entire magazine into the grotesque creature's head. Each successive shot caused the creature to struggle less and less until it stopped moving entirely. Once the pistol slider had locked back, the moth demon slowly released his foot from the creature's neck. It dissolved into ashes, leaving behind a pile of red orbs. Valentino knelt down and picked one up to examine it but it did not seem like it did anything no matter how much he tinkered with it.
Vox was nearby executing a creature that resembled a flaming bat. It had tried to put up a fight by attempting to burn him but the fire did little to harm the demon. He unholstered his revolver, slammed the bat onto the floor of the studio, and pumped three bullets into its head at point blank. Bits of fire-laden material splattered in random directions and just like the ugly ant-like thing, it also dissolved into ashes and left behind red orbs once it was dead. Some of the fire had ignited a part of his clothes but Vox just patted it out as if nothing had happened.
"Where're these pests coming from?" Valentino asked no one in particular.
"Don't look like any pest we've seen before," Vox added. "They weren't in the studio a few minutes ago."
"I know that, idiot. Need to get security to scrub this place out in case there're more of them hiding. I got another photoshoot coming up in 5 minutes and I don't want any bugs messing up the shoot," said the moth demon as he went towards the security office.
With quick and heavy paces, Valentino stormed towards the security office at the lobby with a lit cigar between his teeth. Along the way, he saw that his security team was busy taking care of these strange creatures. While they were easy to dispatch, there were a lot more of them than he thought. Some of his guards sustained some injuries but there were no fatalities as far as he was concerned. The security team at the lobby were busy hurrying up his prostitutes and models into a nearby panic room like shepherds herding sheep. Some were in tears but most of them looked confused and scared.
After walking down the flight of steps that connected the lobby to the first floor, Valentino took a left turn at the end of the hall. The door to the security room was there but it hung limply on a single hinge. With his frown deep, he tossed the unfinished cigar onto the floor as he stormed towards the room. If this was another attack by that good-for-nothing Cherri Bomb, Valentino swore he would tear her apart and put an end to that thorn in his side. That would stop Angel from getting any funny ideas as well, he thought.
In the room was not Cherri Bomb however. Instead, Valentino came face to face with what looked like a horned humanoid brandishing a sword that seemed like it was made of molten rock and obsidian. It did not have lips and his long and jagged fangs were exposed. One of its wings was missing and in its place was a bloody stub. The moth demon was not sure what to make of this person but an intruder still had to be treated as such. He was about to draw his pistol when the thing rushed at him and had the tip of his sword poking his stomach.
"Have you seen the sons of Sparda," it asked in a male voice.
"Dunno who the fuck you're talking about," Valentino answered in a defiant tone. "Get that thing away from me before someone gets hurt."
The thing complied but he only backed away and the sword was still pointed at Valentino's direction. "I'm Azazel and I have unfinished business with them."
Valentino stood up straight and dusted his coat. "So, you got a feud with someone. I fail to see how that's my concern. What is my concern is that you busted up my studio, 5 minutes before an important photoshoot!" he yelled angrily while pulling out his gun.
"Guns are so uncivilised," Azazel replied in a disappointed tone. He swung his sword at it but Valentino grabbed the blade with his bare hand. Blood dripped onto the floor from his wounded palm but the moth demon was unfazed. "It would've been easier if you told me where they were. I could even reward you."
"Are you patronizing me?" Valentino asked. He cackled and pulled the trigger twice. Azazel allowed the bullets to strike his chest but the only thing they did was to force him back slightly. "You seriously have no idea who you're talking to, do you?"
"Well, given that I just arrived here, I don't."
The balls on this guy, Valentino thought angrily. He let go of the sword and pushed Azazel backwards, causing the latter to lose balance temporarily. Follow-up shots were deflected by a shield that came out of nowhere and protected the intruder. Once Azazel found his balance, he did not retaliate. Instead, his free hand opened up an showed an assortment of coloured orbs. One of them was the red orb he had seen the creatures drop when killed. It was a quick peek and Azazel closed his hand over the orbs after a few seconds.
"You were behind this," Valentino concluded as he cracked his knuckles.
"A side effect of the Qliphoth's destruction. My quarrel is not with you, but if you help me find the sons of Sparda, I can show you powers that you couldn't imagine."
"I'm powerful enough as it is," Valentino remarked. "If you're gonna pay for the damages caused by your pets, then we'll talk."
Azazel shook his head and used his sword to cut thin air. Valentino's eyes widened as he saw the air open up like a tear in the fabric of time and space with energy streamers emitting from it. "Perhaps you'll change your mind later. I have preparations to make and the sons of Sparda will pay, even if the lands must be scoured."
Azazel stepped into the portal and immediately after that, it closed up and left behind some purple particles that quickly dissipated. Valentino was at a lost for words and he just stared at the spot where the intruder made the dimensional hole. He looked at the floor on noticed a green orb, the same one Azazel had been holding earlier. He picked it up out of curiosity and much to his surprise and interest, the stone was absorbed and the wound on his hand immediately healed.
Perhaps it would be best to keep this discovery from his partners a secret for the time being. But who are the 'sons of Sparda' he was talking about? Back in his mind, he wondered if that had any relations with those two white-haired humans he saw.
It had been a long day, but Dante and Vergil were happy to be back at the hotel. Both were also glad that their devil forms did not raise any sort of suspicion among the populace. With them being well-rested and fed, they could keep their forms for quite a long while. At least they know it would work. Aside from being able to buy the required groceries for the hotel, it seemed like Charlie also slipped in some extra cash for them to use as well. Naturally, Vergil pocketed some of the money in the hopes of being able to find public transportation to Imp City after learning from Dante that he lost their only mode of transportation. Dante on the other had spent the rest of the money on pizza, just pizza, nothing else but pizza.
It was another quiet evening but the news was far from quiet. The reports of grotesque creatures attacking random parts of Pentagram City had caused some concern, but when the images of the creatures popped up, Dante and Vergil looked at each other with grim expressions. Without a word, both brothers nodded at each other and left the lobby. Vaggie had called out to them but they did not answer her. Neither she nor Charlie decided to stop them.
"This is bad," Vergil said after closing and locking the room door. "First the statue, now the demons from our realm."
"But how're they appearing here?" Dante asked, his tone serious for once.
Vergil paced up and down slowly. "I've been thinking about it. During our fight with Azazel, he managed to use Yamato against us. It's how we ended up here. What if…what if he stole Yamato's power to open portals when he held it?"
"Is that even possible?" Dante raised an eyebrow. "Can they actually absorb powers from Devil Arms?"
"Not for most demons, no," Vergil said while shaking his head. He paused in front of the window and turned around. "But it may not be as far-fetched. If you can absorb the Force Edge and Rebellion to create a new weapon and unlock a greater power, who's to say some of the greater demons can't do that. Question now is why is Azazel sending in lesser demons here?"
"Hard to say. We won't know until we face him again. If he's here, he could be anywhere, especially if he can open portals."
"If he's not, we could still take the fight to him and stop the incursions."
"What if he is? If we find our way back, Azazel's little escapade could ruin this hell."
Vergil glared at Dante. "Are you still insisting we stay here?"
"Yes, I am. The fact these demons are here means our problems have come here. I can't in good conscience just leave them to clean our mess."
"Looks like we're at an impasse again," Vergil said. He pinched the bridge of his nose out of frustration. "I'll go to Imp City to get the book while you stay here and do what you do best then."
"Hey, I promised Nero I wouldn't let you out of my sight. I'm not about to let you do something stupid," insisted Dante. He crossed his arms and faced his brother. "I lost you once before, I'm not gonna lose you again."
"Then pick a choice."
Dante frowned hard. He had made plenty of hard decisions before, but this one was a headache. On one hand, he wanted to fight them here and with the divinity statue showing up, it was like a sign asking them to stay and fight. On the other hand, Vergil made a good point as well and they could potentially take the fight back to Azazel and stop him for good along with the incursions, if he was really behind it. If Vergil was not filled with pride, Dante would have had less issue letting him go his own path. Pride led to the downfall of many and it was pride that led Vergil's defeat in Mundus's hand.
He could not make up his mind as he walked in circles. Vergil looked on and waited for answer but none came. After a while, both just agreed to finalise the decision the next day. In the meantime, they also quickly agreed to get some rest for the next day. Perhaps if need be, they would ask Charlie for her opinion. The secret would be out sooner or later so they may as well let her know about it. Their hope was that at least the princess could help break their stalemate for good.
Well, with the holidays done and over, it's time to get back to writing. I finished this one while sick, so my mind's a bit fuzzy. Hopefully the plot or grammar isn't as fuzzy. If you were Dante or Vergil, would you stay and help fight the intruding demons or find a way back and cut the problem off by the head there? There's still no telling where Azazel might be.