A/N: Warning! This chapter may be upsetting/disturbing. Of course DMC is a violent game so I don't expect it will upset too many people, but just a heads up :)
Chapter 12
"You spoiled my fun," Theo spat, his voice echoing the annoyance of a spoiled child as he rounded on the demoness.
"You would have killed them before you disabled them," Trish replied smoothly tossing her golden locks over her shoulder, static dancing in the air about her. "My way is much more effective."
Theo frowned, but said no more, his face that of a child whom his mother had just admonished. "Was it really necessary to disturb the Phantom?" He asked idly glancing over to Vergil. The elder twin had not tried to move.
"I needed to test their strength," Trish replied. It was not entirely accurate, but it worked. She didn't like that Theo had crashed the party. He obviously didn't trust her judgment… but then did she? Dante had risked his life to save her back in the Phantom's chamber; she was finding it hard to reconcile her gratitude to him with what she had just done. Perhaps if Theo hadn't joined the party when he did she would have been unable to continue. It didn't bear thinking about; the price of betraying Mundus was too high – best for her that the other demon had intervened. At least she hoped she had saved Dante from some further cruelty at Theo's hands.
Theo grimaced seeing the demoness was lost in thought – as she always seemed to be – Mundus had made a mistake in making her out of some human ghost… too many emotions. Instead the demon turned to Vergil, rubbing his hands together in a mockery of glee.
"Well then," Theo returned to where Vergil remained unmoving. The demon smiled at the elder twin thoughtfully then ran a smooth finger across the corner of his chin swiping away a tear. "That was a good show from you."
Vergil jerked his head away from the cold dead touch and straightened up running a hand across his forehead and through his hair tugging the soft white strands back into place. He stared ahead defiantly not wanting to acknowledge the power the demon had over him. "I know your taste for dramatics."
Theo chuckled softly at the show of defiance, grinned wide. "Who knew the eldest son of Sparda would so willingly betray his own brother?"
Vergil's lips quirked downwards the faintest lines of a frown forming on his brow. "Dante is just the means to an end." He answered coldly, but although his face remained impassive something in his gut twisted.
"Of course," Theo agreed voice dripping with sarcasm as he clapped Vergil on the back roughly. "Ever defiant even when you've been doing my masters bidding. If you want to pretend this is your own free will go ahead."
Vergil flinched, made to say something, and then stopped. Theo was goading him, of course he was, Vergil had never liked the demon, but sacrifices had to be made. Things hadn't gone according to plan. He had been unable to resurrect Sparda's weapon at Temin-Ni-Gru, without Dante's half of demonic power he couldn't hope to defeat Mundus. That was and had always been Vergil's one true goal. Perhaps on Temin-Ni-Gru he had been proud, perhaps he had wanted to defeat Mundus just to prove he could, but now… well if it hadn't been personal before it was now. Vergil had never been so completely humiliated than he had been at Mundus' hands, but the mistake would cost the King of hell his throne. Dante, poor trusting Dante, was as always, collateral.
"Not that it matters," Theo continued turning away from Vergil without a care and striding back to Dante's prone form. Trish dared to glance at the elder twin, but his expression was unreadable. She supposed it had been a nasty shock for him… her creation had been kept a secret and yet he must have known, must have realised how she had come to be wearing his mother's face. Trish was sure she didn't like the thought any more than Vergil did. She was also sure that he would have done his best to kill her sooner rather than later.
In the meantime Theo had rolled Dante over onto his back with a booted foot and reached beneath the neckline of the demon slayer's red waistcoat. Vergil watched with detachment as Theo yanked the silver chain at Dante's neck, hard enough that the clasp unclipped, the glittering red jewel rested in Theo's palm. His twin's face was battered and bruised, his lip split, blood and dirt caked around the wound and his pale skin marred by angry raised welts. The demon hunting business was most certainly not a glamorous one – at least not without demonic healing powers. Dante had been foolish to think they would ever survive down here without them. But that was irrelevant now.
Theo regarded the jewel reverently letting the glittering red stone catch the light then turned it dexterously in his hand brushing the pad of his thumb over the name engraved there. So foolish for a human woman to be entrusted with something so powerful. "I wonder," he called to Vergil over his shoulder, "if your mother realized when she gave you these gifts that you would end up destroying each other for them."
Vergil didn't respond. He didn't plan on letting the demon rattle him. But then Theo did something he hadn't expected and tossed the jewel at the elder twin. Vergil caught it reflexively, staring at his own fractured reflection in the deep red surface.
"I fail to see how this is of any use to me," Vergil said bitterly turning from the amulet to glare at the demon. "The deal was that I had my powers returned to me."
"And you will have them," Theo replied his voice filled with enthusiasm. "Until then you may hang onto it – think of it as a keepsake."
Vergil grimaced, but said nothing as he weighed the jewel thoughtfully in his hand and then slid it into his pocket.
In the meantime Theo had hauled Dante up, balancing him easily over one of his shoulders. The demon turned to Trish and nodded at Vergil with an incline of his head. "Bring him." And then with a crack the demon was gone leaving the eldest son of Sparda and the demoness alone in the huge bloody chamber.
"Vergil," Trish moved forwards from where she had stood for the whole encounter, a hand outstretched in a beseeching gesture of concern. "Vergil I'm sorry I-"
"Enough," Vergil said callously, his tone firm. He moved to look at her slowly, eyes distant. She felt as though it was the first time he had really looked at her. Now that he understood they were both Mundus' servants they were at least connected in some way. "I understand now. I-I remember you."
He didn't elaborate, but she understood. She had been created to cause pain, to torment Sparda's sons…
"Your brother saved my life in the Phantom's chamber," Trish said trying to appeal to some part of him that was hidden, guarded behind his steely blue gaze and austere demeanor. "I don't want to be like this anymore – I want to help you."
Vergil laughed, a short sharp bark of a laugh, which cut her to the core. "So foolish. For a demon you really have no understanding of how this all works do you?" He glanced away to where Yamato lay at the foot of the pillar where Theo had held him… he still felt the demon's hands around his throat. "We're in Hell – you can't rely on anyone else to help you, human or demon, or both. We will all betray you in the end."
Trish faltered; she bit her lip. She had once been so certain of her purpose. It had been simple, but why had Dante saved her life?
"I can help you; I can free Dante – you can leave," she was surprised at the emotion in her voice. Surprised that she cared. "I don't want to serve Mundus any more than you do."
Vergil nodded slowly and then his lips quirked into a wry grin. As soon as he had stepped into Dis he had felt Mundus' prescience, fighting it had ruined him and so with a final sigh he accepted defeat. Theo had worn him down, his pride was frayed, he had seen the expression on Dante's face. Pity. Why fight something that could make him stronger? "I do not serve him, but he will know of your betrayal."
As Vergil spoke three glowing orbs blossomed at his side each crackling with demonic energy. From somewhere in the darkness a voice rumbled, disembodied and quaking with power.
"You have failed me Trish," the orbs crackled, glowing brighter with every word. Both of them knew it could only be Mundus. Trish's eyes were wide with fear and something akin to hurt. "You know the rules."
Finally the demoness turned disbelieving eyes to Vergil, static sparking on her fingertips. He had been deceiving them all along, not just Dante, but her as well. Trish didn't care to distinguish whether the torment she had seen him go through in Nightmare's glade had been genuine (in fact she was certain it was), it became clear now his intention had always been to betray them to the King of Hell. She wanted to kill him, but he was Mundus chosen one and all of a sudden she understood, she had been stupid to ever trust him.
Knowing that she had been played, that there was nowhere to hide the demoness straightened up, determined, and nodded grimly. "Yes master."
The stairway was narrow and dark, the walls close. Light glimmered faintly from spelled jewels implanted in the cool surface of the wall. The whole experience made her dizzy as she climbed twisting again and again to face herself moving upwards on the narrow uneven steps. It was reminiscent of some ancient castle, haunted, uneasy and she felt Jester's presence somewhere behind her even though she could no longer see the clown, or hear his footsteps – if she had ever heard them.
She paused, placed a hand against the cool stone wall to steady herself and glanced over her shoulder. Nothing. Lady signed, ran a hand through her hair. It was damp in the dank tower and bedraggled from days of exhaustion. She felt it to her absolute core; tired beyond measure, her legs aching with each step. But she had to keep going; to find Dante and help him… somehow.
Just as Lady thought she could not climb any further the passage opened into a corridor. It was made of a similar dark stone, the air heavy with moisture. The light was a little brighter, however, torches apparently burning with real fire were spaced sparingly up and down the walls between heavy looking doors.
Lady stepped cautiously out into the corridor, her eyes sweeping up and down for any sign of demons. It felt strange; the corridor perfectly resembled the human world – some horrible dark castle perhaps, but unmistakably human. Why would demons choose so often to mimic humanity? Considering their hatred of humans it seemed rather absurd. Then again Lady could only be thankful for it. That dark space she had fallen into had been incredibly inhospitable to her human senses.
"And what about my…"
Lady had turned accusatorily to ask the demon where he intended to produce her weapons from, but the corridor was empty and all the more bizarrely the doorway from which she had entered was gone. Instead only more dark brick blended into the corridor as though she had appeared from thin air.
"Great," she huffed, annoyed and somewhat disturbed – had it all been in her mind? Perhaps the demon world didn't resemble the human one after all; perhaps she was merely going mad.
As she turned back, however, she caught sign of something which hadn't been there before. An arrow, painted in a peculiar red liquid, which she guessed was blood, but didn't care to find out. Above it a doodle of a Jester was painted, grinning at her mockingly. The arrow pointed away from the direction she had come, down the hallway and she realised with some resentment that she had no choice but to follow it. The demon had promised her her weapons and this seemed to be his way of giving them to her.
"Demons," Lady muttered irritably as she stalked along the corridor, trying to keep her footsteps light although it was difficult considering her annoyance. She needed to kill something. But first she would need her weapons.
Thoughts of death and murder were torn from her mind almost as soon as they had manifested there. From where the corridor turned at the opposite end and her view was obstructed she suddenly, unmistakably, heard the sound of footsteps steadily growing louder. Panic flared in her mind and her eyes widened. It took Lady only a moment of horrified, stupid, silence to collect herself before she tested the handle of the closest door – slightly behind, to her right. It gave way at her touch and she eased it open slowly, knowing that whilst there was a very certain danger before her if she stayed in the corridor another could be lurking behind the doorway. The room (more like a cupboard) however was empty and she quickly slipped inside easing the door shut behind her as the footsteps finally rounded into the corridor.
Holding her breath Lady kept herself still as possible hands pressed against the solid wood of the door ears straining to hear when the footsteps had passed. They had stopped. There was the sound of someone falling and a groan that made the breath catch in Lady's throat. It was an unexpectedly human sound. She knew of only one 'human' who could make it this far into Hell alive (present company excluded of course). Her mind raced and without a second thought she had eased the door back slightly, allowing the barest chink of light to shine through… just enough to see…
A little way down the corridor, back to her, Theo stood examining a doorway across the hall. Lady bit her lip and held her breath. The last thing she wanted was for the demon to find her again. But he appeared distracted, and so was Lady, because at his feet Dante's prone form was sprawled across the hard stone. He was undoubtedly unconscious; from beneath the snow-drift of hair Lady could see the cuts and bruises flowering across his pale skin. Of course Dante could make anything look beautiful and yet something in her chest wrenched painfully at the thought of his suffering. She hadn't been there to help…
Lady gritted her teeth, glanced back to Theo who was now running his fingers across the solid wood of the iron-shod door before him. She shivered, this place was unmistakably dungeon like – it was clear that something entirely unpleasant waited for Dante beyond that door. What happened? She couldn't leave without him. They would kill him or worse that much was certain. Sparda's betrayal of Mundus was infamous; it was a story Lady had been told as a child, every night at bedtime, she imagined every demon in Hell knew it, wanted revenge. The door was spelled; Theo was working on the lock. Once he went beyond it who knew if he would return? She might lose Dante forever if she didn't do something now.
Frozen Lady understood that she had minimal time to make a decision; to run out there and try to do something, to save her friend. Or to stay quiet and hide and pray to god she could find Dante again and save him. That was when she spied Ebony and Ivory still strapped to Dante's belt, Rebellion leant against the wall next to the doorway. She might not be able to use the broadsword, but the guns… maybe. There was no time for second—guessing herself.
Slowly, carefully, Lady reached down and slid open the clasp of the buckles wrapped around her thigh. Ordinarily it would have secured a weapon there, but Theo had taken those from her before she had awoken in Hell. For whatever reason he had ignored her ammo and belts. Perhaps he didn't quite understand how resourceful she was. Testing the weight of the leather straps in her hand she let the buckles dangle, careful not to make any noise – she wished that they were longer, but it would have to do. No time to try and undo the more complicated straps which kept her ammo in place.
Lady closed her bi-coloured eyes for a second, trying to calm her breathing. She needed to be completely composed, but there was suddenly so much riding on this one stupid attempt. If she could get Dante's guns… if she could kill Theo… Too many ifs, but they were all she had. She separated the straps, one in each hand, looped the leather quickly around her palm once to allow for more control. She hoped the thick metal clasps were enough to hurt the demon.
Gritting her teeth Lady took a step backwards then swung the door open. The sound alerted the demon who turned sharply to face her. Just as he did so the shorter of the two leather straps slashed across his face. The demon howled in confusion more than pain, but it was all Lady had needed. She had sacrificed one of her weapons in an attempt to grab Dante's – thank god Theo had dumped the demon slayer's body between the two of them, his weapons still hanging from the holsters at his back. Dante's weight might have prevented her from grabbing Ebony, but Ivory was reachable. Lady dived forwards, wrestling the weapon from the holster with just enough time to jump back before Theo understood what was happening.
Ivory was heavy, impossibly larger than any of Lady's guns (that is excluding the bazooka) and she wondered if her bones might shatter from the recoil of firing the customized semi-automatic pistol. Then panic flowed through her – perhaps the weapon wouldn't even work, perhaps it was enchanted somehow to work only for Dante. The moment was fleeting however, she didn't intend on giving Theo any time to comprehend her attack. Raising the gun level with the demon's head she pulled the trigger. The shock of the bullet leaving the chamber juddered up her arm. Powerful, imbued with demonic energy, the bullet hit Theo square in the forehead.
The demon appeared stunned, but it didn't stop Lady from unloading bullet after bullet into the demon's body. He stepped backwards under the onslaught body bending as though he might fall… Lady's fingers ached, but she continued to squeeze the trigger. Finally Theo went down, she didn't expect he would stay that way for long, it didn't matter.
Jamming Ivory into the back of her ammo belt she moved hurriedly towards the demon slayer grabbing him roughly under the armpits in an attempt to drag him away from where the demon had fallen. Dante was heavy. Her small frame strained under the weight of his much taller, bulkier one.
"I swear to god Dante when we get out of here… no more pizza…" Lady ground out as she tugged backwards hard, knowing she couldn't exactly drag Dante bodily out of Hell with her and yet uncertain of what else to do. She needed to get them away from Theo, to hide… Theo was an elite form of demon, a powerful one that could match both Dante and Vergil in a fight (though perhaps not the pair together). Lady hated to admit it, but without her weapons there was no way she could beat him, and even with them it would not be a battle she wanted to begin without preparation.
She glanced back to Theo's prone form, she could hear the sickening sound of the bullets extracting themselves from his flesh, pouring back onto the ground with a soft chinking sound of metal on stone. It was disturbing… soon he would be back on his feet.
Realising the futility of her actions Lady stopped and shook the demon slayer roughly. "Wake up!" Dante's head merely lolled to the side. He was out cold, completely oblivious of their plight. Lady hated him for it. "Wake up you son-of-a-bitch!"
"Is that any way to talk about the beloved Eva?"
Theo's voice; Lady's head snapped up. The demon still lay prone on the floor, but his eyes were open, the bullet wounds to his face healed.
"You know you could never compare to her my dear Mary," Theo smirked at the shocked expression on Lady's face even as she reached quickly to draw Ivory, supporting the demon slayer against her bent knee with one arm. "She must have been an angel to tame the heart of the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda… and who are you to think that you could do the same for one of his sons?" The demon chuckled, black blood spilled from the corner of his mouth as he raised himself from the ground to lean back on his elbows.
"Shut up," Lady hissed, she lowered Dante gently to the ground, standing up and taking a step backwards, both hands locked around Ivory's grip, sights trained on the demon. In reality the last thing she wanted Theo to do was stop talking. It was buying her time; even if he was only doing the same thing for himself. Waiting for his wounds to heal so he could take her down quickly.
"But it's true isn't it?" Theo's yellow eyes glimmered wickedly. It was all a game to him. "He didn't even give you a proper name… and yet you cling to it, you wait around for him to finally notice you… You, Mary, the woman who couldn't even stop her own father, who put a bullet in his brain when he was already dead, a little girl with blood on her hands playing games she can't even understand."
The trigger clicked, a bullet slammed into the demon's brain. This time he didn't even flinch.
"Did I touch a nerve?"
Lady squeezed the trigger, but it was too late. In the second it took her to do so the demon was already on his feet, the air shimmering as he moved impossibly fast. He wasn't playing games with her anymore. Lady barely had the time to dodge, jumping to kick off the wall as the demon launched himself at her. She put the full force of her weight into a blow, her remaining belt wrapped around her clenched fist. Lady struck the demon in the back and he stumbled, only because she had managed to catch him off guard.
As Theo wheeled around with a blow of his own she ducked, side-stepped, pressed Ivory into the demon's side and fired. How long could she continue to dodge him? Her hand was stinging from the force of the blow, from where the leather strap had cut into her flesh. The demon cried out, staggered and then grabbed her firmly by the wrist, wrenching the gun away from his chest and forcing her aim into the ceiling. Lady didn't give the demon an inch, her free hand still grasped around the leather strap she swung it upwards letting the weight of the buckle unwind to slash across Theo's face.
His yellow eyes glimmered with rage as Lady continued to pull the trigger and bullets ricocheted off the ceiling. His free hand made to grab at the swinging strap, but she dodged and then twisted bodily, using his grip on her arm for support as she jumped and pushed off the opposite wall. Her powerful legs propelled them both across the corridor, falling hard into the opposite wall. Theo took the force of the blow and Lady used his moment of surprise to wrench her arm free. She jumped backwards, intending to escape, but the demon grabbed her by the ankle and she went down hard slamming into the ground.
Her lip split as she hit the solid stone floor and her mind reeled for a second, jarred by the pain. She had just enough time to think, to roll onto her back and raise Ivory, but Theo had recovered and a well-aimed kick sent Ivory flying from her grasp. Panic flared through her. Theo was, once again, between her and Dante and she was, once again, without a weapon. It had all been for naught. But she couldn't just let him win…
Lady's stomach muscles protested violently as she jack-hammered to her feet intending to somehow distract the demon long enough to arm herself again. But he was done playing games. He had disappeared. Confusion evolved far too slowly into comprehension. Lady had only turned half way around when the demon grabbed her by the back of the head, sharp nails tangled in her hair as he slammed her skull into the wall and everything went black.
Consciousness came back to Dante in flashes. By the time he did regain enough of his senses to put together some coherent idea of where he was he wished he hadn't. The chamber was small considering the limitless possibilities of space in Hell it seemed strange that he would be confined to somewhere resembling a castle dungeon. Demons, it seemed, really drew their inspiration from humans in some areas – or perhaps it was the other way around. The walls were made of uneven stonework. Only the glittering flames of demonic fire for light, dancing off the glistening stone, the iron-doorframe, the chains which bound his hands and feet securely to each respective point of a human-sized wooden X.
Dante tested the bindings at each point weakly, but the harsh metal was already biting into his flesh. Rivulets of blood ran down his arms across his bare chest. He had been stripped of everything but his red trousers; he spied his remaining garments thrown haphazardly in one corner of the chamber next to a wrought iron table where his weapons were lain. He couldn't see his amulet. The chains at his ankles were equally tight, barely allowing for blood-flow and his knees were already numb with the weight of supporting his body at such an odd angle. Not that he could feel his hands either. It took him a few moments longer to realize that other parts of him hurt because they hadn't healed. His lips were dry and his throat burned from thirst. He could feel the bruises that had blossomed from his temple downwards on the left side of his face. His ribcage was also patterned with bruises, burns and scars from Phantom's flames and the constant trauma his human body had been put through.
Great. If the demon slayer had been in possession of more energy he might have spared some for concern about his wellbeing. Instead his mind turned to his twin and Lady… were they suffering the same fate? The idea of Lady being tortured set him on edge, made something in his gut fill with rage. He had to get out. With a yell and a final tug he pulled at all of the bindings at once, the cross rattled slightly, but nothing more. Panting, defeated, he leaned his head backwards to stare at the ceiling. Dante had experienced more pain than any human man could stand in their lifetime, but he had never experienced such helplessness. His pride was wounded beyond measure and suddenly he was afraid. He always won, he could always protect the ones he loved and the last time he had been unable to do so was when he was eight years old.
Dante was quick to suppress those memories, force them down; there was no room for sentimentality right now. Rage, he found some somewhere coiled in his gut, towards Theo, towards Trish who had betrayed his trust, whose life he had saved – and Mundus. The King of Hell would pay for what he had done to Vergil, to their mother and father… This anger was something he could use, something he would need to keep going. But there was no way out and so his ire boiled over into frustration and his hands balled into fists, strained uselessly until fresh drops of blood coated his wrists.
"Come and finish this you son of a bitch!" Dante yelled at the air, his voice bounced helplessly off the damp chamber walls. It made him feel better at least, even if he could hear no noise beyond the chamber. Not even the demonic torches, blazing with pale orange and blue light made any noise. They were enchanted, he wondered idly if they burned to touch, wondered if he would find out…
A harsh crack filled the room, reverberated off the chamber walls. Dante knew already what to associate that noise with and so it was no surprise to him that Theo now stood, sneering, before him.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you to use a door?" Dante mocked gesturing to the heavy looking iron door on the opposite side of the room.
"Human inventions," Theo responded idly, "God knows why there's even one there, without it you'd have no chance of escape." He looked Dante up and down then snorted derisively. "Not that you have a chance anyway."
Dante's lips quirked downwards into a grimace; some small part of him suspected that the demon might actually be right. He felt exposed and helpless chained to the cross with his weapons beyond reach. He had never been restrained before, nothing could contain him – the feeling was novel and not one he enjoyed. He forced his body to stand tall and resisted the urge to lean into the bindings raising his chin defiantly. His legs were so numb he could barely tell if he had successfully managed to stand.
"Where's Vergil?" Dante asked, changing the subject. "What have you done to him?"
"Your brother is alive, and… safe," Theo responded eyes glittering with malice. For once he didn't look bored. "Pity I can't say the same for your wellbeing."
Dante swallowed. He knew what was in store for him. The nature of the room and his current predicament made it obvious. He wasn't afraid, not of pain, but he was afraid of his weak human body giving out on him before he could save the ones he loved.
"At first I questioned my master when he told me what should be done to you," Theo drawled, turning to the wrought iron table where Dante's weapons lay and striding over to it. He laid a hand contemplatively on Rebellion's blade before glancing back at the demon slayer. "After all you are human now… it won't take much…" Theo raised his hand, slid open a draw set into the table-top and carefully selected a sharp, wicked looking blade. It was thin and delicate, with a needle-like point that caught the demonic torch light as Theo turned it deftly between his finger tips.
Dante stared transfixed for a moment before regaining his composure. "Your master – Mundus – if he really is the King of Hell why is he so afraid of me?" Dante looked up at the ceiling as though he thought Mundus were listening and he might actually goad him into the room. "Is he such a coward that he would hide from a Son of Sparda?"
Theo slammed the draw shut and span back around an evil smile painted on his pale face. "My, my, they did tell me you were full of yourself." He crossed the room in a few sharp strides and slammed the blade into Dante's thigh. The demon slayer cried out, more from surprise than pain. It was only a flesh wound, Theo had made sure of that. He yanked the blade free harshly, watching with satisfaction as blood slid from the wound, then slowly raised the sharp edge to his tongue and licked the knife clean. Dante grimaced in disgust.
A serpentine tongue flicked from behind the demon's teeth to lap up a bead of blood that had escaped. "But you see, Dante, Son of Sparda, things aren't always about you."
"Well you certainly went to a lot of trouble to get me here," Dante replied trying to ignore the pain as he felt the viscid liquid run down his inner thigh. "Stealing my powers, Trish… if Mundus truly had any balls he'd have given me an invitation, not hide down here like a coward letting little shits like you do his dirty work."
Theo nodded absently and smiled. "I like you Dante you know, really, you've got passion inside you. Not often one sees it – I will enjoy tearing it out of you piece by piece."
"Do you ever shut up?" Dante growled.
"You know," Theo wagged the blade in Dante's direction ignoring his comments. "It is such a shame you did have your powers taken from you because I have always wondered something." Theo moved, stood until he was a hair's breadth from the demon slayer's body, head craned to look at Dante's cuffed hand. He let the blade dance in circular motions just above the demon slayer's palm. Instinctively Dante leaned backwards into the wooden beams wanting to be as far away from the demon and his stench as physically possible.
"You see a demon's healing, it varies," Theo glanced up into Dante's face as he spoke, yellow eyes flickering in the torchlight, the slayer only grimaced. "One demon you cut his tail off it'll grow back, some – they'll grow back twice! Other's their skin is so tough forget about even trying… But half-demons… I have always wondered if you lost a body part would it grow back? Or would you have to sort of tie it together until it healed?"
"Go fuck yourself," Dante ground out not liking where this was going. The glimmer in Theo's eyes had turned from mirth to madness.
The demon took a step backwards pointed the blade slowly at Dante's limbs, moving from fingers to arms to feet. "It's a shame I never got to test my theory on your brother whilst Mundus had an actual half-demon. I really do wonder what would be the most painful for you to lose?"
"No one told me you were into kinky shit," Dante grinned at the demon from beneath a snow-drift of hair. If the demon thought he could rattle a son of Sparda that easily he was mistaken.
Theo rolled his eyes, laughed softly to himself. "I see; I've been doing this all wrong." He went back to the table, set the blade down softly next to Rebellion. "You don't care about your own life, but… I wonder how much your little Lady can stand?"
Dante's eyes widened, his hands balled instinctively into fists. "She has nothing to do with this!"
"But you seemed so calm and collected," Theo replied. He leaned back against the table-top.
Before Dante could think of some clever retort the heavy iron door swung open. He breathed a silent 'no' as he followed Theo's gaze. Two Hell Prides shambled obediently through the doorway each with a strong grip on the forearm of a dark-haired woman. Horror surged through Dante; his mind was racing, revulsion twisting in his gut.
"Let me go!" Lady yelled angrily, booted feet resisting each step as the Hells dragged her forwards into the dim light of the room. "I swear to God I'll kill you!"
Her blazing eyes were fixed on the demon before her, reclining idly against a wrought iron table top and behind him… Dante's sword…
"Lady…"
The voice that spoke her name was filled with despair, relief that she was alive, but ultimately fear. Her eyes were drawn to the center of the room where the demon slayer was restrained against a wooden cross his body bruised and shining with blood. At least he was awake.
"Dante!"
"Yes, yes, we all know each other's names, this is all very touching," Theo drawled, reaching out a hand to grab Lady from the Hell's custody and waiting until the demons had left the room, the door closing of its own accord behind them. He pulled the girl roughly in front of him an arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders and his other hand raised to hold the needle-like blade across the pale skin of her throat. He had learned not to give Lady an inch.
"Let her go," Dante growled rage rising in his gut as he strained at the heavy iron chains which bound him to the wooden frame. He felt so helpless as Lady looked across at him. She was taking everything in slowly, understanding that he couldn't help her. She had never looked at him that way before. She was afraid.
The demon leaned forwards to whisper in Lady's ear all the while staring into Dante's pale blue eyes with his cat-like yellow ones. "Why don't you tell Dante about all the fun we've had together Mary? I thought we were becoming quite fond of each other."
"I will kill you," Dante snarled, straining, staring right back into the demon's face.
"Not if I do first," Lady spoke softly trying to ignore the corpse like face inches from hers, the reek of blood on the demon's breath. She felt the cool blade pressed against her throat, just enough to warn her that escape was impossible. The demon slayer looked up from Theo's face and caught her bi-coloured eyes. She saw the anger swelling inside him, knew Theo was only using her to hurt Dante. She hated herself for it.
The demon laughed languorously, the sound harsh in Lady's ear. His free hand moved slowly to slide beneath the collar of Lady's white shirt, fingers outstretched. His eyes never once left Dante's face.
Lady tensed instinctively panic flaring through her. She felt the demon's cold fingers just below her collarbone, understood with some horror what he intended to do. Inadvertent tears of rage stung the edges of her eyes and she blinked them back rapidly hoping that Dante hadn't noticed. She struggled as much as she dared, raising her shoulder instinctively to try and push the demon's hand away. Theo merely tightened his grip, pressing the blade further into her pale flesh until blood trailed down the column of her throat.
"Stop!" Dante was seething; he tore at the restraints with all his might, only serving to reopen the wounds at his wrists. "She doesn't deserve this! Hurt me!"
The demon's grin was impossibly wide. "Doesn't this hurt you Dante?" He asked mockingly. "You are so helpless to save the ones you love…"
"Please…" Dante felt pathetic saying the word, letting it fall from his lips felt like a betrayal, but he didn't know what else to do. He let his body hang against the restraints his chest heaving from the strain. "Please just don't hurt her…"
Theo stopped, considered and then in one quick movement drew the blade away from Lady's throat, shoving the woman harshly to the ground.
"Alright, let's play a new game," the demon smirked and kicked Lady forcefully in the side as she tried to stand. Lady cried out from the force of the blow as her back slammed into the hard stone floor, curling instinctively to protect herself from another attack.
"Stop!" Dante shouted, as the door opened once again. The Hells had returned, it appeared, at their master's thought. They grabbed Lady roughly, hauling her to her feet. The woman groaned in discomfort trying to tear herself away from their grasp.
"I will kill him if you cause too much trouble, is that what you want?" Theo admonished Lady as he stood before Dante considering the demon slayer callously. Dante's breathing was ragged, he was leaning heavily on the restraints his eyes shining with rage and something akin to despair. Theo grabbed him roughly by the hair jerking Dante's head back so that he could stare him in the eye. "You know I really wanted to kill her, so many times, but then I thought of this moment and it all seemed worth it… to see the look on the Son of Sparda's face when I destroyed him."
"Let her go," Dante repeated, it felt like all he could say. It was the only coherent thought in his mind, that Lady should be safe that she needed to be back in the human world where she belonged. He hadn't even wanted to bring her with him…
Theo loosed his grip on the demon slayer's hair, cocked his head as though considering the proposition. "Maybe I will… But first-" Theo bit his lip, raising the blade to the demon slayer's chest and slowly carved downwards. He allowed the sharp edge to bite harshly into the flesh, enough to cause pain and draw blood, but not to seriously wound. "-she will watch you suffer."
With each new stroke Dante felt his flesh tear around the knife, his body tried to jerk away from the pain, but had nowhere to go. Instead he felt himself shiver inadvertently against the cross and shut his eyes, throwing his head backwards and gritting his teeth hard. Anything to block out the pain as Theo purposefully, slowly, carved patterns into his flesh. He did not plan on giving the demon the satisfaction of hearing him cry out. Under the continuing punishment he felt his adrenalin ebbing as blood began to flow freely from the wound to trace the finely sculpted muscles of his abdomen and pool in his navel. His breathing was becoming less and less even around his clenched teeth as he fought down the need to get away from the pain. He was held immobile, exposed.
"Stop!" Lady shouted her voice cracking as her eyes began to fill with tears. Theo's blow had winded her, possibly even cracked a rib, and the Hells held her fast. Still it didn't stop her from thrashing against their hold throwing all her weight into breaking free even when their sharp nails bit into the pale skin of her arms. Theo ignored her attempts at escape however continuing on his work with determination. Lady could only watch in horror as she slowly began to comprehend his actions. Letters were forming, carved crudely into Dante's flesh as the demon slayer's body tensed, his chest heaving. Lady could tell it hurt, the blade was sharp and the cuts deep and ragged, if Theo continued too long Dante would be in danger of losing too much blood.
Her pleas fell on deaf ears. It seemed to take forever, but it was in fact only a short time before the word was clearly formed. Although the sight of the demon slayer's mutilated flesh brought tears to her eyes she hoped in some way that his pain would now cease. Still it made her sick to the stomach to read the word, in the human tongue – probably for her benefit – carved into Dante's chest. BETRAYER.
Theo turned back to Lady sharply, grinning the blade raised in his hand like an artist would hold a paintbrush. "What do you think of my handiwork?"
"You're sick," Lady spat as Dante's head lolled forwards again his face hidden behind a snowdrift of hair.
"Hmph," Theo turned back to Dante dissatisfied with Lady's answer. He slid the blade into his belt, then leaned forwards, gripped the demon slayer by the chin between thin, white fingers. His nails bit into the bruised, pale skin of Dante's cheeks. "I will make sure that you never regain your powers, and then when you finally die your corpse will be kept as a reminder to any who dare to cross the King of Hell."
From beneath his white bangs Dante's blue eyes gleamed, he smirked wryly then spat into the demon's face.
Theo jumped backwards in disgust wiping the spittle from his cheek.
"R-eally you are so far… up Mundus' ass it's pathetic," Dante said between breaths wishing that he could put more force into his voice. "Why don't you… find yourself a new hobby?"
Rage flashed across the demon's features and he struggled to maintain composure. Lady thought for a moment that he might try to kill Dante then and there, but she realised a second later that she should have known better. The demon turned to a sconceon the wall to his left retrieving one of the flaming demonic torches that lit the room. This one shimmered bright orange like fire. Lady felt a new wave of horror wash over her.
"You don't get it do you?" Theo hissed holding the flame up to Dante's face so that he could feel the heat. Dante resisted as long as he could and then turned his head away feeling sweat bead on his brow. The demon's yellow eyes glittered unnaturally in the light. "This is what I live for."
Lady was sure that she cried out, but it was drowned in Dante's own cry as the demon pressed the burning torch into the carved flesh of the demon-slayer's chest. The smell of his own burning skin filled Dante's nostrils, his vision swam with smoke and his eyes watered from the pain. He knew that he was moments from passing out as he tried to bite back another cry. And failed. The sound of his own voice being torn from his throat was humiliating as Theo ground the searing heat into his flesh. Somewhere in the back of his mind something registered that the demon was laughing and that further away Lady was begging him to stop. He could feel his human body giving out on him; the pain somehow more acute than it had been any time before, and with it came an unbearable weakness. He had lost too much blood. Dante's nerves were frayed, his vision dimming until he was consumed only with fire and pain. Darkness rushed up to meet him and he couldn't quite resist its welcoming embrace.
Lady watched Dante go limp, a cry dying on his lips and felt tears streaming down her face. She fought with every fiber of her being to escape, but could only watch helplessly as Theo finally realised the game was over. He stepped back to extinguish the torch and Lady felt her knees buckle as she saw the state of the demon slayer's once perfect skin. In places it was burnt away to reveal flesh underneath, the hideous word carved into Dante's skin was charred and pronounced, caked with burned blood. With a dry heave she vomited bile onto the ground at her feet, shaking with rage and fear. Dante was unstoppable, powerful beyond measure and now he was barely alive and they were in the depths of Hell. If she hadn't understood before, she did now. He would die here. She couldn't save him. She was going to watch him die a slow, agonizing death and Theo was going to enjoy every minute of humiliating the son of the man who betrayed his master.
"Poor sweet Mary, you really didn't understand did you?" Theo spoke softly to her smiling at his handiwork as he let his fingertips brush across the half-devil's abused skin. "This is only the beginning."
A/N: Is anyone else having trouble with the doc manager in Safari? It has been a major pain in the ass the past few days trying to upload this (also I had some edits in the doc manager which I lost which makes me sad!) I hope this chapter wasn't too awful. Poor Dante. On the plus side I updated in 2 months which is probably one of the fastest times I have done recently. And if you have seen GoT yes I did just rewatch s3. Oops. This kinda got really long and ended up as a filler - did you see the twist coming? Also as you can see I am kind of pairing Lady with Dante atm - take it as an apology for anyone who read my Tocophobia fic way back when. Doesn't mean its set in stone or not gonna change or even that there is necessarily a pairing beyond a platonic relationship at all. ANYWAY I'm rambling. I like to hear what other people want to happen because if you want it and it's a good idea I will try to incorporate it :)
I am currently in the middle of revising for my final exams of my degree so I will not be able to write anything until at least 3rd June and then I will probably be dying, but hopefully I will get you another update soon! Thank you for all the reviews they are really what keeps me going writing this fic and I love hearing how everyone feels/is interpreting what is going on etc. etc. Part of the enjoyment of writing is being able to release it into the world and see what other people feel/how it makes them feel. I'm rambling again.
Thank you so much for the support it means the world to me!
-LadyLuce
