Eva's Wish

Chapter 8

Dante dropped off the wall into the inner courtyard. The open square was lightly defended and Dante soon fought his way to the steps of the keep's tower. Lightly running up the steps, he pushed open the door and stepped inside. The tower was seven stories tall. Thick slabs of gray stone were used to construct the tower. The inside stones were polished to a mirror like shine.

A large staircase lay across a hall from the entrance door. Ramps led up to the right and left from the top of the staircase. Dante groaned. "Is there like one architect in hell and all he knows how to make is Temen-ni-gru over and over?" he muttered. "And seriously, would it kill someone to stick an elevator in one of these places? Yeah, I'm part demon and all but even I get a quad burn with all these damned stairs." Suddenly the air shimmered around him in four places as portals opened with demons stepping through. Dante grinned. "Eh, at least I won't be bored," he said, launching himself at a Hell Caina to his right.

Dante quickly dispatched the demons and moved up the stairs. As he ascended each level, he kept running into groups of lower level demons. He'd lost count of how many Empusas, Hell Cainas and Scudo Angelos he'd destroyed. Reaching the top level, he stood and looked around. There were two doors on this level. One was to his right and one to the left, which was located down a short hallway. It had double doors and was flanked by statutes of grotesque looking demons. "Hmmm, which door?" Dante mused. "Think I'll go with double doors to start."

He stepped up to the hallway and paused. At each level before, portals had materialized. He waited a moment and nothing happened. He shrugged and walked down the hallway. Tugging the door open, he stepped inside.

Stepping into the room, he threw his arm up to shield his eyes. The room was bathed in a bright, silvery light. Dante felt his demon blood recoil. The sensation was a bit sickening. He looked around; the room was large with heavily ornate arches holding up a domed roof. The light was coming from a crystal floating in the air at the end of the room. Dante could see a table or altar of some kind under the crystal. It looked like a small form might be on the table. The light was making it hard to tell. Dante approached the table, with the light seeming to gain in intensity as he walked forward. He was sorely tempted to pull Ebony and Ivory and shoot the crystal down, but something nagged at the back of his mind and he left it alone.

Reaching the table, it was hard to see with the glare coming from the light. He could see small feet bound to heavy iron rings at the end of the table with leather lashings. The left ankle was badly bruised with angry purple and black marks and it was puffy. Scanning up he saw the small figure was wearing a dirty and torn nightgown. The child's arms were stretched out away from her body and tied with similar lashings to her feet. Reaching the child's face, he could see her eyes were closed. Looking at her hair, he chuckled out loud. The child had silver hair. 'Vergil you old,' he didn't finish the thought as the child's eyes blinked open for a moment. Mismatched eyes looked in his direction for a moment before closing again due to the bright light.

Dante felt like his blood was replaced with ice. The memory of five years before of him and Lady so intimately connected flashed before him. The memory of the faint demon aura he'd felt around her the day she said she was taking that job that would have her gone for several months. Enough time to be gone and have…he paused in his thoughts. His daughter, she'd had his daughter and she didn't tell him. It had to be his-his hair and her eyes. His mind raced and he stood stock still.

The little girl couldn't see who it was that had made the noise next to her. "Who-who's there?" she asked. When there was no answer, she became very frightened. She started to struggle against her bonds.

Dante snapped out of his thoughts when he realized the child was struggling against her bonds. He put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay," he said softly. "My name is Dante. I came here with friends of mine to rescue you."

The little girl ceased her struggle. "You're here to rescue me?" she asked in a small voice.

"Yes," said Dante. "I want you to hold still and I'm going to cut those bonds, okay?" The little girl nodded and Dante summoned his demon sword. He had to place a hand against the table as the strain in pulling the sword from the ether made him feel sick.

The little girl noticed him struggling. "Does the light make you feel yucky too?" she asked.

"Yes, it does," Dante said. "What is it?"

"I-I don't know," she said. "They put it here after I tried to run away."

Dante nodded and set about to carefully cut the leather lashings with his sword. Reaching down, he helped the little girl sit up on the table. She shielded her eyes and tried to look up at him, but the glare was still too much. Dante crouched down and examined her face. She had a small chin, a small upturned nose and full rosy cheeks. Her silver hair was long and pulled back in a half ponytail. She had bangs that fell to each side of her face. Dante looked again at her left ankle and frowned. It didn't look good. "You know, my friends were in such a hurry to get here and get to you, they forgot to tell me your name," he said.

The little girl smiled at him. "I'm Lilith," she said. "Lilith Eva-Ann."

Dante felt a shock run through his spine. "Lilith Eva-Ann," he said slowly. "That is a very pretty name," he said. "My mother's name was Eva." 'And Lady's mother was Kalina Ann,' he thought. 'Oh Lady, why didn't you tell me.' But if he was honest with himself he knew why. He'd pushed her away harshly enough that she didn't feel she could tell him.

Lilith beamed at the revelation of Dante's mother's name. "Really?" she asked.

He smiled and nodded. "Yep, really," he said. "Hey Lilith, can I take a closer look at your left ankle?" She nodded. Dante reached out and carefully held her left foot. He gently moved his fingers over the bruised area, lightly prodding.

Lilith's lip quivered until he reached a really bad spot. "Ow, ow," she cried.

Dante stopped and looked up at her. "I'm sorry pumpkin," he said, "I don't want to hurt you. I think your ankle is broken. How did that happen?" he asked.

Lilith rubbed the tears from her eyes. "The demon who took me from the orphanage hurt it when I kicked him and tried to run away," she said.

Dante gave her a smile and wiped a tear from her cheek. "You tried to kick the big demon who took you?" Lilith nodded. "That was very brave of you," he said. Internally he was amazed at how strong she was to try to get away like that. He sighed. "Lilith, with a broken ankle, it won't be possible for you to walk on it," Dante said. "If I'm going to get you out of here I'm going to have to carry you, okay?"

Lilith nodded. Dante scooted over closer to the table. "Wrap your arms around my neck," he instructed. She did so and he scooped her up and settled her against his left hip, wrapping an arm around her and holding her securely against him. He stood. "You good pumpkin?" he asked. She giggled and nodded. He felt his heart swell at the sound. Something about holding her felt right, like a missing puzzle piece that had found its place.

"You keep calling me pumpkin," Lilith said.

Dante smiled. "Well, you're cute like a baby pumpkin, just seemed right to me to call you pumpkin. I can stop if you'd like me to," he offered.

Lilith shook her head no. "I like baby pumpkins," she said, smiling.

"Me too," said Dante. "Let's go." He started for the door. As he walked it dawned on him, he was holding his daughter. He never planned to have children. He didn't think it was fair that they suffer the same fate he had-to be hunted simply for the accident of their birth. But she was here now and she'd already been a target. Dante held her tight and made a vow then and there, she wouldn't have his childhood. She wouldn't grow up without her family-all of her family and he would keep her safe. He needed to figure things out with Lady. Lilith needed them-both of them and if he was being honest, he needed them. He had something to fight for. Something he never expected and never planned on but something he would never let go of. He looked at Lilith and smiled. Yeah, he wasn't letting go of this. All that was left was to convince her mother that they belonged together-all of them.

Reaching the door to the room, he slowly eased it open. Peeking out, he saw the landing looked clear. He stepped out and looked around. "My friends should be here soon," he said. He felt a small hand in his hair. He looked at Lilith. Her eyes were wide.

"Your hair is like mine," she said softly.

Dante smiled at her. "Yep, it is," he said. Suddenly Lilith gasped and stiffened in his arms. Dante followed her gaze. A very large demon was coming up the steps to his right. Dante held his right hand out, materializing his demon sword. He moved to put Lilith down in the doorway when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Two Baphomet demons and a Behemoth were approaching from the ramp on the left. Dante realized he couldn't put Lilith down. As soon as he did, she'd be a sitting duck for the demons.

The large demon reached the landing and Dante caught a whiff of his scent. The overwhelming stench of rotting fruit reached Dante's nostrils. It was cloying and sickeningly sweet. "Is this the demon who took you?" Dante asked. Lilith nodded.

Dante took a step forward, examining his foe. The demon was 8 feet tall. He had four arms, two legs and walked similarly to a gorilla with one set of arms holding his torso up. The demon's body was corded with thick muscles, the size of tree trunks. His face was grotesque with thick teeth that extended above his jaw.

Dante saw the Baphomet demons move into a flanking position. He was pinned in. He considered his options. He didn't have a lot of great ones-both exits were covered by the demons and he couldn't risk putting Lilith down. 'Verge, now would be a great time to make an entrance,' he thought.

"Lilith, looks like my friends are running a little late. You and me are going to have to buy some time until they can get here, okay?" Dante said. Lilith nodded. "I need to ask you to trust me. I promise you I am not going to let anything happen to you. Will you trust me?" Dante asked.

Lilith nodded. "Yes," she said.

Dante smiled. "In a moment I am going to ask you to close your eyes and hold on tight. You may feel my skin change under your arms and if you were to open your eyes, I may look like a monster too-but Lilith, I swear to you, I will not let any harm come to you. Do you trust me?" Dante asked. Lilith met his eyes and nodded. "Good girl," he said. "Close your eyes and hold on tight," he instructed. He felt her small arms tighten around his neck.

Dante strode out to the middle of the floor, facing the large demon. "Gilgoth I take it," Dante said. The demon grinned or as much of a grin as it could muster with the large jutting teeth. Dante shook his head. "Man you have got to do something about that stench. Not gonna be a hit with the ladies. Speaking of ladies, looks like you got a thing for taking small ones. I take offense at that. You don't ever take a lady against her will," Dante said, tapping his sword against the floor. "Let's make sure you never do that again, shall we?" he said, releasing his hold on his demon blood and fully triggering. He pulled one of his wings around, covering Lilith. 'Verge, I hope you're close' he thought as he launched himself at Gilgoth, his arm tight around Lilith.