Author's Note: I want to just take a quick minute and say thank you to my reviewers, followers and those who favorited this story. After a 14-year hiatus from writing, your responses-both positive and suggestive have meant a lot to me. I hope you continue to enjoy this story!
Eva's Wish
Chapter 9
Dante closed the distance quickly to Gilgoth and lunged at his side, nicking Gilgoth's hide. Dante jumped, rotating his body, to avoid the large arm that swung at him. He just missed being struck as his jump didn't quite reach the same height with the added weight of Lilith. 'Damnit, too close,' he thought. Movement from the corner of his eye caused him to quickly move again as balls of crackling icy energy hurled at him from the Baphomet demons. The energy hit the wall exploding in showers of icicles. 'Vergil, showing up now would be nice,' he growled in his thoughts.
Down in the bowels of the keep, Vergil straightened, flicking Yamato and removing the Hell Caina's blood that collected there. His eyes shot up to the ceiling above. Lady noticed the movement. "Is everything ok?" she asked.
Vergil looked at her. "I believe Dante has engaged with the enemy," he said simply. "We should hurry."
Nero furrowed his brow. "How do you know? I can't hear anything," he said.
Vergil sighed. "When we were children, we had a connection if you will; I could sometimes hear Dante without words. I just heard him," he said.
Lady bit her bottom lip. "Don't twins sometimes have like a telepathic connection?" she asked.
Vergil shrugged. "Perhaps," he said.
"Is he ok?" Lady asked.
"Seems like he would appreciate some assistance," Vergil said.
"That's out of character," said Nero.
Lady's eyes widened. "Lilith," she said.
Vergil nodded. "I suspect he may be looking for assistance as he cannot fight as he usually would."
"Let's hurry," Lady said. They rushed toward the stairs ahead.
Above at the top of the tower, Dante accelerated and jumped again to avoid a wild swing from Gilgoth. In his arms, Lilith held tight. Dante gripped his demon sword tight as he came down with a downward thrust to Gilgoth's neck. Dark demon blood erupted from the wound and Dante quickly backed up, avoiding the spray. Lilith retightened her grip and Dante held her securely against his hip. The sound of stomping feet was the only warning Dante had as he leaped up, avoiding the charge of the Behemoth. Slamming his sword down as he fell, he cracked the armor of the beast, with it falling to the floor. Dante could feel his body burning through his demonic energy. He wouldn't be able to stay triggered for a whole lot longer. With Gilgoth badly hurt, he turned his attention to the large demon again. He needed to go for the killing blow and he needed to do it now. He sprung forward and leapt, turning over in the air to avoid another wild swing of Gilgoth's arm. He saw the opening as Gilgoth's arm reached the apex of its arc; he angled his sword and drove down, piercing the soft skin at the base of Gilgoth's arm. Ramming the sword in deep, he felt it when his sword pierced Gilgoth's demon heart. Gilgoth gave a shrill scream as his body exploded in a flash of sand and red, crystalized demon energy bounced across the floor. Dante pivoted upon landing and stabbed the Behemoth in the center of its head, with it also exploding in a flurry of sand and energy.
Dante stood and looked to the two Baphomet demons. He ran and jabbed his sword quickly, before they could mount an offense. They also exploded. He stood, breathing deeply. His energy close to expended. Too late he caught sight of the scythe wielding Hell Caina. He realized he couldn't get his sword around in time to engage the demon. Nor could he grab Ebony or Ivory fast enough with Lilith in his arms. He turned his body, shielding Lilith. He felt the bite of the scythe against his right shoulder blade as a loud boom echoed off the walls and blue sparks exploded overhead. Lilith screamed.
Dante glanced over his shoulder and confirmed the demon was gone. He planted his left foot and dropped on his right knee. Setting Lilith on his left thigh, he frantically looked her over for a wound. He felt a small hand on his right cheek. "You do look like a monster," Lilith said, "but I'm not scared." Dante released his hold on his demon blood as he returned to his human visage. Lilith smiled. "I think I like this face better," she said.
"Are you okay, were you hurt?" Dante asked, his tone expressing his worry.
"I'm okay," Lilith said. "The loud noise scared me."
Dante crushed her against his chest in a hug. "Thank goodness," he said.
Lady came rushing up and slid down on her knees next to them. "Dante, is she okay?" she asked, panic across her face.
Dante met Lady's eyes and saw the terror there. He gave her a warm smile, trying to reassure her. "She's okay," he said softly. "Kalina Ann scared her is all."
Lady's eyes filled with tears and she reached out, coming just short of touching Lilith's back. Dante reached out and gently covered her hand, placing it on Lilith's back. Meeting Lady's eyes, he gave her a soft look. Lilith turned around and met Lady's gaze. Lilith's eyes widened. "Lilith, this is Lady," Dante said. "She's my friend I was telling you about, who came down here to find you."
"Your eyes are like mine," Lilith said, wonder in her voice.
Lady smiled. "Yes, they are," she said.
"Hey old man, you want that thing out of your back?" Nero said.
Dante glanced over his shoulder. The scythe was still embedded in his back. "Yep, might be nice," he said. "Lady will you take Lilith? Her ankle is hurt and she can't put weight on it." Lady nodded and reached out and set Lilith on her hip. She turned away so Lilith wouldn't see as Nero removed the scythe from Dante's back.
"Better?" Nero asked Dante.
Dante nodded. "Yeah, I'll admit, I'm getting tired of getting poked with sharp objects all the time," he said.
Vergil snorted. "I believe you wouldn't know what to do in a battle if you weren't working from a disadvantage from a stab wound," he said.
Dante frowned. Lady stepped back to the group. "We should get Lilith out of here," she said.
Dante nodded. "Couldn't agree more. What do you say pumpkin, you ready to blow this popsicle stand?" he asked.
Lilith looked around and frowned. "I don't see any popsicles," she said.
Nero laughed and Lady shook her head. "We should go," Vergil said.
Dante nodded. Lilith looked at Dante and he smiled at her. "Lady, how about I take her? I can use the sword one handed, which will allow you to use Kalina Ann if we run into more trouble," he said.
Lady nodded. She didn't want to let go of Lilith, but Dante made sense. The most important thing right now was getting Lilith out of there safely and that would take all of them. She would be limited in what she could do holding Lilith and Dante had already shown he could still fight and protect Lilith with one hand. She stepped up to Dante and he reached out and took the small girl. As he did, he leaned over and whispered in Lady's ear, "Once we get out of here, I think you and I have got a lot we need to talk about." Lady stiffened but when she met his eyes, all she saw was a warm look. She nodded. Inside, she tried to process what she was seeing. She'd expected anger or maybe indifference, but not warmth.
"This way," Vergil said, starting down the stairs to their right.
Dante adjusted Lilith on his hip. "What do you say pumpkin, you ready to go?" he asked. She smiled and nodded. "Then let's get you out of here," he said, following Vergil.
Lady watched Dante start after Vergil and felt like she was rooted to the spot. A gentle squeeze of her shoulder broke her out of it. Nero looked at her with a soft smile. "I think everything is going to work out alright," he said, giving her shoulder another squeeze.
Lady shook her head. "What makes you so sure?" she asked.
"Because look," he said, motioning toward Dante. Dante was saying something to Lilith and the little girl was laughing. "Lady, he's not angry," Nero said. "I think the two of you have a lot to say to one another but I'm betting that he might just surprise you."
Lady shrugged. "I'm not sure I'm ready for surprises," she said.
Nero gave her a look. "For Lilith's sake, maybe just consider it. C'mon we shouldn't fall too far behind," he said, gently pushing her toward Dante and Vergil. Lady nodded, her feet falling in step while her head spun with all the confusing emotions running through it. Dante's reaction had thrown her. She wasn't expecting this. She expected anger, indignation or even coldness. Instead it felt like acceptance, warmth, love maybe? She didn't know what to feel. She wasn't sure exactly what it was he was feeling. Her head was a mess of confusing feelings and worries. What would their future look like? She had promised Nero that Lilith would come home but seeing how Dante reacted to the girl, whose home would she go home to? She followed Dante and Vergil, her head still a mess of emotions and concerns.
The group slowly descended the tower, engaging with small groups of demons on the way down. Remembering Lilith's reaction to Kalina Ann at the top of the tower, Dante had quickly whispered to the girl to put her head on his shoulder and cover her other ear with her hand. She'd done so and it seemed like the gunfire scared her less. Dante had been cautious in the skirmishes, taking special care to keep Lilith as far back from the danger as possible. Lady had stepped to Dante's left flank and covered Dante's side, keeping the demons a safe distance from them with her guns. They exchanged a look, acknowledging their shared mission to keep Lilith safe.
Reaching the base of the tower, Vergil slowly pushed open the door to the courtyard and scanned the area before stepping out. He held the door open while scanning the area for any demonic auras. Dante stepped out, his eyes scanning the top of the keep's walls for any signs of danger. Lady came out and quickly moved to Dante's side, continuing to flank Lilith and keeping the small child between them. Behind them, Nero covered their backs, also scanning for any signs of danger. He spoke first. "So how do we get back?" he asked. "Can use Yamato to open a portal back to the original gate we came through?"
Dante shared a look with Vergil. "We could do that, but Yamato can't cross the barrier between the realms. So we could leave, but Vergil wouldn't be able to," he said, his voice uncharacteristically soft.
Nero's brow furrowed. He didn't like the idea of one of them being left behind. "Is there a way to bring Yamato across the barrier?" he asked.
Vergil quirked an eyebrow. "I would've expected you all to be happy of the thought of me remaining here," he said.
Dante shook his head. "You may be a douchebag, but you're still my brother and you would be down here without someone to keep an eye on you. Not okay with me," he said.
"Dante, language," Lady hissed.
"What?" Dante said.
Lilith cocked her head to the side. "What's a douchebag?" she asked.
Lady pinched the bridge of her nose and then looked at Dante, with a large smile. "Yes Dante, what's a douchebag?" she said, with a sickeningly sweet tone.
Dante found himself with four sets of eyes staring at him expectantly. He thought about it a moment and inwardly groaned. He looked at Lilith and smiled. "So Lilith, you see, when you're older, I'll explain that to you. In the meantime, just know that Vergil is a douchebag and it's not a good thing. Got it?" he said. Lilith nodded.
Lady rolled her eyes. "Lilith, it's not a nice thing to call someone a douchebag. Dante is being very rude. Please don't call someone by that, okay sweetie?" she said.
"Hey," Dante started.
"Enough," Vergil said. "This quibbling over Dante's lack of manners gets us nowhere. Nero has asked an important question. It is accurate that as of now, Yamato seals the Qlipoth from the human realm and as such, cannot cross the barrier. However, I have done some research and there is a way to maintain the seal without the use of the Yamato, and allow the sword and I to cross over," he said.
Dante looked at Vergil. "You found something when you disappeared on me," he said, smiling.
Vergil nodded. "I found a way to maintain the seal that does not require Yamato," he said. "However, it will not be easy. It may be best to send Lilith back across the barrier before I try to come back."
"What do you need to maintain the Qlipoth seal?" Nero asked.
"There is a binding ritual that can be used to bind a demon of sufficient strength to the seal. However, it requires a very strong demon to power it," Vergil said.
Understanding dawned on Lady's face. "So you would require a demon like Xerxys to power the seal?" she asked. Vergil nodded.
"Any ideas on how we might capture him?" Nero asked.
At that moment, hell unleashed itself on the courtyard with multiple portals opening. Dante and Vergil spun at the sense of the multiple demon auras. Dante's arm reflexively tightened around Lilith. "Hold on pumpkin," he cautioned. He felt her small arms tighten around his neck. Vergil moved toward Dante's left, staying in front but putting the small girl at his back. Dante nodded toward Vergil. Suddenly arrows of light materialized and starting rocketing toward them. Vergil summoned his ethereal swords and spun them around their group. He thought the barrier he'd created was tight but Nero's yell from behind him alerted him, that there had been an unaccounted for arrow.
"Lady," Nero yelled, diving to her side. She was holding her right shoulder, with blood darkening her shirt below her hand.
Dante spun around and moved to Lady's right side. "Nero, take Lilith," he said, handing the small girl off to his nephew. "Lady, let me see," he said, gently moving her hand away from the wound. His brow furrowed. The arrow hadn't dematerialized upon contact and was still lodged in her shoulder. Her skin smoked around the entry point.
"Ungh," she ground out, while trying to breathe through the pain.
Dante looked at her, his brow furrowed. "Lady, I'm going to have to break the arrow to get it out," he said.
"Just do it," she said, moving her head back at the pain.
Dante grabbed the arrowhead behind her shoulder and the shaft and bent them down until they snapped. Lady brought her head forward and bit Dante's shoulder to muffle her scream of pain. Dante pulled the pieces free from her shoulder and triggered. "I'm sorry," he said, looking at her. Calling forth flame, he pushed his index finger into her wound, cauterizing it. Lady's scream took on a higher pitch and Dante feared she might pass out. Dante removed his finger and released the hold on his demon blood, pulling Lady close for a moment in a hug, before reaching down and searching through the pockets of her skirt. Finding the gauze he was looking for, he wrapped the wound. A sheen of sweat coated her face. Dante cupped her face. "Stay with me," he said, staring into her eyes. She nodded.
Nero had moved off to the side after Dante handed him Lilith. He released his hold on his demon blood and half-triggered. His ethereal wings burst forth and he wrapped them around the small girl in his arms. He'd turned away so she couldn't see what Dante was doing. He spoke to her in low tones and tried to distract her from Lady's cries. He noticed Vergil's summoned swords move and float around them, providing a barrier to protect Lilith. He exchanged a look with Vergil and nodded his acknowledgement.
The rain of energy arrows let up as quickly as they'd started. An eerie silence descended over the courtyard. Nero felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up on end. Something with a massive demonic aura was approaching.
"Dante," Vergil warned.
"I feel it Verge," Dante said. "Hold tight, we are all getting out of here," he said, dropping his hand from Lady's cheek. "Nero, protect them," he said, standing and moving to Vergil's side.
Nero moved back to Lady's side. "I'm on it Dante," he said. Extending an ethereal wing in front of Lady, providing some cover.
Dante and Vergil walked down the steps and descended into the courtyard side by side. Darkness swirled near the base of the keep wall ahead of them. The darkness parted and a man stepped through and into the courtyard. He had long black hair, pulled back in a ponytail. His eyes were pure black, set against pale skin with light pink lips, set in a straight line. Several lesser demons followed behind him into the courtyard, flanking behind him.
A breeze picked up and blew Dante's red leather coat and Vergil's black coat behind them. Vergil smirked. "Xerxys," he snorted. Dante remained quiet, his grip tightening on his devil sword.
Xerxys inclined his chin, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Vergil, I am surprised to find you at Dante's side. To see the sons of Sparda united," he paused, "is most unexpected."
Dante narrowed his eyes, but remained quiet. Vergil could feel the rage rolling off Dante.
Xerxys turned his dead eyes to Dante and gave a cold smile. "What Dante, no witty quip for me? How unlike you," he drawled.
"You hardly seem worth wasting the breath on," Dante said coldly.
Xerxys raised his hand to his chest in mock indigence. "Why Dante, you wound me," he said. "And to think how easily you fell into my plans. So very easy," he said, drawing out his words. "I didn't expect the totem to work, to be honest. I had contingency plans in place, but Dante, oh how you surprised me," he said slyly. "The way you slaked your lust with the human woman…with such abandon," he said, with a smug look.
Dante's knuckles were white with the tight grip he kept on his sword. Anger rolled off of him, palpable in its fury. "Totem, hunh," he said, his voice low. "Should've figured. So that's why I lost control that night," he said, shaking his head. "I should have known something was wrong. I know her vow, I know she wouldn't lower herself to be with me. I'm part devil, not someone she could ever love. For one night, I was given something I had no right to have," he said.
Xerxys smiled, a cold smile that never reached his eyes. "How dare you," Dante hissed. "How dare you turn one of the most badass women I've have ever known into little more than a vessel for your sick and twisted plans." Dante glared at Xerxys. "You will pay for that," he said, his words punctuated with anger.
Lady sat propped up in the doorway as Dante spoke to Xerxys, fighting the pain that threatened to engulf her. But through the pain, she listened to their exchange. Choosing to concentrate on Dante's words rather than the pain, she felt her heart constrict at Dante's words. 'He thinks he's not good enough to be loved because he's part demon," she thought. "He thinks I would reject him." She felt tears prickle at the edges of her eyes. She remembered all the times she'd repeated her vow to kill all demons. 'But that would mean Dante, Trish and Nero," her voice inside said. "Now Lilith would fall into that category too. You gave birth to a daughter whose part demon. Would you kill her too?" her voice inside asked. Lady's eyes flicked to Lilith. She sat quietly on Nero's hip, her head against his shoulder, watching what was happening. Nero was gently rubbing her back, trying to comfort her while his ethereal wing was wrapped around her protectively.
Lady looked back to Dante. She'd spent so much of her life with him. At this point she'd been with him longer than her family. He was her best friend, her anchor in this crazy world. Being around him had been safe, comfortable. He accepted who she was, didn't try to change her. He tried to help her in her plans, keep her alive and fighting another day. That night five years ago had changed something for her, it had hinted at something so much more. After all if she were honest with herself, why had she brought Lilith into the world? It was because she was a manifestation of a dream she held so deep, she couldn't even admit it was there. A slight hope that the best friend who meant so much to her could be so much more.
Lady's thoughts were interrupted by Xerxys' laughter. "I'll pay? Oh Dante, you forget yourself," he hissed. "This is my realm. I rule here. I have the power. You are and your worthless brother are mere half-breeds. I am a full demon. I am power incarnate and I will take my prize. Get the girl," he yelled.
The lesser demons surrounding him leapt forward. Vergil shot Xerxys an icy glare. "Foolishness," he said, nocking Yamato from its scabbard.
"We agree," Dante said, steadying his demon sword.
The group of Nobodys, Furies and Hell Cainas came within striking distance and the brothers jumped forward, moving in unison. Wide sweeping arcs of their swords cut down the demons in front of them. More portals opened and Nero tightened his grip on Red Queen, starting to rev up the sword's engine. A thought occurred to him. "Lady, can I put Lilith down with you for a moment?" he asked, maintaining watch over the battle in front of him.
"Of course," she said. Nero positioned Lilith next to Lady, with the little girl resting against the door to keep the weight off her injured ankle. Nero shrugged out of his coat. Tying the arms together, he slipped the coat over one shoulder, making a makeshift sling. Checking the knot again, he nodded. Reaching down, he picked up Lilith and slid the sling under her legs. Lady did her best to help position the girl. Lilith was supported against Nero's side and now he had use of both arms. Lady nodded. "This is smart Nero," she said, using Kalina Ann to help steady herself.
"Got a feeling we're going to be in the thick of things soon," he said. "Xerxys seems to be throwing at lot at Dante and Vergil. No way we get ignored." Lady nodded.
Below them, Dante and Vergil were blurs in the courtyard. Their differing styles were evident but working well in tandem with the multiple enemies. The lower level demons started trying to flank Dante and Vergil and move around to Nero and Lady's position. Lady and Nero opened fire with their guns, maintaining a safe perimeter around them.
Dante chanced a look back at them and felt a sense of relief seeing their guns blazing and the perimeter holding around them. He turned back to the Proto Angelo he was engaged with and saw the demon leaping toward him. He sidestepped and drew Ebony. Firing suppressive fire, he pulled his demon sword from the ether again and dashed forward, knocking the Angelo's sword aside and landing a diagonal cut across its chest. Vergil was a blur alongside him, as waves of cuts emanated from Yamato, slicing through the Nobodys and Hell Antenoras surrounding them.
Xerxys' expression changed from smirking to his lips forming a straight line as the battle raged on. As Dante and Vergil cut down his demon forces and Nero and Lady maintained a perimeter around his prize, Xerxys felt a pang of an unfamiliar feeling-anger.
"Enough," Xerxys yelled. His demon forces halted at his call.
Vergil re-sheathed Yamato. "Do you yield?" he asked.
Xerxys' eyes narrowed. "Yield? To the likes of you?" he seethed. "I think not. It would seem to accomplish my goals I must take matters into my own hands," he hissed.
Dante's eyes narrowed. "Bring it on asshole," he said.
Xerxys form shuddered. A wave of concussive force blew out in a concentric circle from him. Nero moved one of his ethereal arms in front of him and Lilith to block the blow. His other wing snapped out to shield Lady. Dante and Vergil stood their ground with the wave flapping their jackets back.
Xerxys had dropped the last of his human visage and stood in his true form. He was ten feet tall with thick purple skin, veined with blue. He had a single red eye. His arms were long with sharp claws at the end. He gave a blood curdling scream and his eye began to glow. Suddenly a strong laser beam fired from the eye. Sweeping from left to right, everything caught in its beam vaporized, including Xerxys' own forces.
"Shit," Dante yelled, rolling to avoid the beam. Vergil launched himself in the air to avoid the beam. Nero's eyes widened and he turned, grabbing Lady's hand, he kicked in the tower door and rushed in, pulling Lady with him. Rushing down the stairs he rounded them just as the beam hit the outer wall. The stones exploded. Nero pushed Lady against the side of the stairs and sandwiched Lilith between them as waves of dust and debris fell around them. Lilith screamed and Lady held her tightly.
Dante saw Nero pull Lady into the tower as the beam hit and the rock wall of the tower exploded. The front of the tower started to crumble. Dante felt his heart clench in panic. Stones fell but somehow the tower stood. "Nero, Lady," Dante yelled. There was no response.
"I still sense Nero and Lilith's auras," Vergil said. "Nero will protect them. Focus Dante," he said.
Dante looked at Vergil. "This asshole dies here and now," he growled.
Vergil gave a cold smile. "I have a fate worse than death for him," he said. "He dares to raise a hand against our family."
Dante's lip pulled up at the side. "Well Verge, shall we show him how this family fights?" he asked.
"I believe we shall," Vergil said, triggering.
Dante glared at Xerxys and released his hold on his demon blood, triggering. He and Vergil launched into the air.
Inside the tower, Lady brushed the dust from Lilith's face. "Are you okay?" she asked. Lilith nodded, tears streaking down her cheeks, leaving trails in the dust. "Thank god," Lady breathed. "Nero are you alright?" she asked.
Nero coughed. "Yeah, I think so. That was close, way too close," he said.
"Nero, stay here and keep Lilith safe," Lady said. "If things go south, you get her out of here."
Nero opened his mouth to protest but met Lady's eyes and stopped. "You've got it," he said, holding tight to Lilith.
"I'll be right back," Lady said, hefting Kalina Ann awkwardly with her shoulder injury. She picked her way up the stairs carefully, watching overhead for falling debris. Reaching the shattered doorway, she took up position on the left side. Peering around the edge, she surveyed the courtyard. Dante and Vergil were triggered and were airborne, spinning out of the laser's reach and launching summoned swords of red and blue at Xerxys. Lady could see several cuts blossoming on Xerxys' body from the twins' onslaught.
Dante and Vergil came to rest on opposite sides of Xerxys. Lady took a deep breath and ignoring the pain screaming in her right shoulder, she spun out from cover and aiming Kalina Ann, she squeezed the trigger. A missile launched toward Xerxys' eye. Dante and Vergil felt the missile launch and both started toward Xerxys at the same time.
The missile hit the intended target in Xerxys' eye, knocking his head back. Dante's sword hit Xerxys in the left side of his chest. Yamato entered the right side of Xerxys' chest. He gave a scream that shuddered the keep and its walls. Xerxys reverted to his human form and dropped to a knee. Dante and Vergil dropped with him, their swords still in place. Releasing their holds on their triggers, Dante and Vergil locked eyes. Dante smiled. "Still got it, Verge," he said.
Vergil gave a snort. "Never lost it," he said.
"So what do we do with shitbag here?" Dante asked.
Vergil gave a cold smile. "As I said before, I have a fate worse than death for him. A power source is needed for the seal. He will provide it," he said.
"How…how could you mere half-breeds defeat me?" Xerxys said, coughing up some blood. Vergil gave him a look of disgust.
Dante crouched down. "Always the same with you guys-more power. Power doesn't mean crap if you don't have the soul to wield it. You and your ilk are seriously lacking in that department." Dante chuckled. "Sounds like Vergil had plans to give you an eternity to think about it." Dante stood and rubbed his shoulder, it came away bloody. "Shit, another coat to replace," he said.
Vergil quirked an eyebrow. "I believe that would be a point to me," he said.
Dante looked at him with wide eyes. "What the…how do you figure that?" he said.
Vergil turned slightly showing Dante his back. "No cuts," he said.
Dante shook his head. "Fine, you get this round, but next battle, you're going down," he said.
Lady approached the pair. "Everyone okay?" she asked.
"Dante has received a wound," Vergil said.
Lady looked at Dante with concern. Dante smiled tiredly. "I'm alright, just a scratch," he said.
Lady nodded. "What do we do with him?" she asked, indicating Xerxys.
Vergil smiled coldly. "He will be taken to the Qlipoth root and I will perform a binding ritual. His power will maintain the seal between this realm and the human realm. Once the ritual is complete, Yamato will be able to cross the barrier," he explained.
"You can come back with us," Lady said. Vergil nodded.
"You ready to rejoin the living?" Dante asked.
Vergil gave a wry look. "I have been with the living, just of the demon realm," he said.
Dante looked at Vergil. "The human realm is a little different story," he said. Vergil was quiet.
Lady smiled at Vergil. "You won't be alone," she said. "You've got family."
Dante grinned. "She's not wrong, Verge. Hell I don't expect it will be too much longer before Nero pops out a little one of his own. Grandpa Vergil, got kind of a ring to it," he said.
Nero sputtered. They hadn't heard him approach. Vergil's eyebrows raised. "Dante you jerk," Nero said. "Kyrie isn't pregnant. I mean someday maybe, but certainly not now."
Lady laughed at Nero's expression. Vergil was visibly uncomfortable and then his expression changed. He looked at Dante and smiled. "And someday Dante, you shall join the ranks of grandparent as well," he said. Dante's grin dropped. Lady shook her head. "Boys, enough. We need to get that seal powered up," she said.
Dante nodded. He smiled at Lilith. "Pumpkin you ready to get out of here?" he asked. She nodded and reached for him. He reached out and took her from Nero, settling her again on his hip. Nero switched places with him and kept hold on the demon sword.
Nero grinned. "Shall we get this guy in his prison?" he asked.
"Let us," Vergil said. Keeping the swords in place, they directed Xerxys to his feet. Vergil pulled Yamato and Xerxys grunted in response. Slicing a portal, Nero shoved Xerxys followed. Dante put his arm around Lady, cautious of her wound and stepped through. After Dante and Lady came through, Vergil closed the portal.
"Home sweet home," Dante quipped.
Lady's stomach was flip-flopping. Lilith frowned. "Are you okay?" she asked.
Lady gave her a weak smile. "I'll be fine," she said. "Portals don't make me feel good."
"Oh," Lilith said,
Dante rubbed Lady's back. "Try and take some deep breaths," he said. "Verge, you got everything you need for this?" he asked.
"Yes," Vergil replied.
"Then let's get his over with," Dante said. "Apparently it's been over a year since I had pizza and there's a pie out there with my name on it.
Vergil nodded and pulled Xerxys over to the Qlipoth root. He reached in his coat and removed several vials and bags of powders. Dante and Lady stepped back and watched. Lady looked around them. "You said home sweet home when we came through the portal. Is this where you've been for the last year?" she asked
Dante gave a wry smile. "Yep. At first it wasn't too bad, lots of sparring with Vergil. Then we'd get interrupted by demons," he chuckled, "it was quite a bash for a bit. Then the demons started avoiding us, then Vergil up and disappeared. I had a lot of time to think," he said, his voice trailing off.
Lilith looked at him with concerned eyes. "You lived here?" she asked. "What did you eat? I don't see a bed, where did you sleep?" she asked in quick succession.
Dante gave her a soft look. "Well, pumpkin, things are a little different for someone like me down here. You don't really get hungry and I slept right over there," Dante said, pointing to the husk of what passed for a tree.
Lilith looked in the direction that Dante had pointed. She frowned and tightened her grip around Dante's neck. Dante was caught off guard by her action and moved a hand to her back. Lady caught the movement and she put her hand on Lilith's back as well. "Are you okay sweetie?" Lady asked.
Lilith looked back to her with tears threatening. "This place is worse than the orphanage. I didn't think there was anyplace worse, but this is," she said, as the tears rolled down her cheeks.
Dante reached up a hand and wiped the tears away, his heart struck at Lilith's actions. "Pumpkin, don't cry," he said softly. "It's okay. I'm not staying here anymore. We're all going home, all of us."
Before Lilith could say anything, a bright, blue light erupted and Xerxys gave a loud scream. Dante turned away and brought a hand up to Lilith's head, covering her ear and pushing her other ear into his shoulder. The light dissipated and as Dante's eyes adjusted, he turned back to see a crystalline structure with Xerxys trapped inside. Vergil and Nero approached with Nero returning Dante's demon sword to him. Vergil looked back at the structure with a cold smile. "Got him all sealed up, Verge?" Dante asked.
Vergil released the icy smile and nodded at Dante. "Yes, the barrier on the Qlipoth is now powered by Xerxys rather than Yamato," he said.
Dante grinned. "Shall we?" he asked.
Vergil nodded. "This way," he said, leading them away.
"Do we have to go through more portals?" Lady asked, unable to keep the trepidation from her voice.
"We need to seal the original portal you came through," Dante said. "Verge can't use Yamato to go someplace he's never been unless he's zeroed in on a demonic aura. So we'll need to jump through some portals."
"Only two," Vergil said, slashing Yamato through the air.
Lady groaned.