Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. Life's been a bit awkward the last few weeks. But don't worry. The next chapters will be back on time starting next week!

Enjoy!

Chapter Four

Vergil couldn't believe what he was seeing. Though somewhere deep within, he was certain that this was a dream. It had to be. He hadn't seen this broken cathedral in almost 20 years… not since the previous Phoenixes had threatened to kill Ashira themselves.

This was her dream.

But she wasn't here.

Vergil was alone.

With a quiet grunt, he forced himself upright. But when he tried to get to his feet, the air itself fought back, forcing him down with an impossible, invisible weight. Eventually, he was able to sit up against a nearby wall, but his lungs screamed with every breath. The pain of thousands of needles racked across every inch of his skin when he tried to move again. Frustrated, Vergil slumped against the wall, and the weight around him dissipated.

It's true, then.

The voice that echoed around him was not one he recognized, nor did he know if it was the same one from Ashira's dreams. He never could have known that. Not without entering her visions himself; something he hadn't been able to do. But it was safe to assume from her descriptions - as sounds were the only things they couldn't mentally communicate with each other - that this voice had to be the same. A young boy's voice mixed with that of an older woman.

I thought she was the convergence… but it's both of you.

Vergil tried to speak but wasn't surprised when he couldn't. Ashira hadn't been able to either.

Then you might be able to fix my brother's mistakes.

Vergil's eyes widened as a younger Ashira appeared before him. Her skin was ashen. Her eyes were devoid of all life and her hair was singed. Every step she took was clearly painful, and Vergil strained to reach for her when she stumbled. The world pushed back, and all he could do was watch when she crumbled to her knees in front of the statue of her ancestors - the one his Ashira had once broken.

"Please," She whispered. "I'm doing everything I can."

"It isn't enough," The Phoenix voice said. "It will never be enough."

"Find the sword," The unfamiliar voice whispered. "It's your only chance."

Feathers of all colors appeared from nothingness. "Shira!" Vergil's voice was so, impossibly small. So quiet and nonexistent. And even though he knew this wasn't real, he couldn't stop the agony that ripped through him when the feathers shot forward, killing his beloved in a heartbeat.

"Vergil!"

Vergil jerked awake, lashing out in a blind panic. A hand caught his wrist, but his other fist hit a jaw that quite literally shattered on impact. His assailant swore loudly and jerked on Vergil's wrist with such force that he felt the bones crack. After a brief moment and an angry grunt, the voice spoke again. "Dammit, Verge!" There was a second groan, followed by the various noises of broken bones pulling themselves back together.

Vergil blinked as his thoughts stilled. Dante. His brother was glaring at him, hand still clamped on his wrist. Neither flinched as their injuries healed. "Good thing you don't have Yamato or you would've taken my head off," Dante muttered as he let go.

Yamato.

I don't have…

Vergil took a long, deep breath, calming the instant - and, frankly idiotic - panic. He was long past the days when Yamato was all he had. And even if Dante weren't here, Vergil would be more than fine without it. Still, his stomach tied into uncomfortable knots as his fingers twitched, wishing to grab something that wasn't there.

"I gave it to Ashira," Vergil said. "And she…"

He froze.

"Verge?"

His mind was silent. Painfully so.

"She's not here," He said. "She's not in this world."

"To be fair," Dante said. "I don't even know what world we're in. So I need you to take a deep breath, calm the hell down, and look around."

Vergil hadn't thought he was panicking, nor would he admit how his heart slowed when he did as Dante asked. His vision sharpened, falling on a ruined mess of bookshelves, torn pages, broken hardcovers, and glass scattered in all directions. But despite the chaos that went on for quite a while - at least a dozen bookshelves on both sides, if he had to guess - many still stood in the background. Yet they were all turned in seemingly nonsensical ways, like an entrance to some kind of maze. And as Vergil's eyes drifted to the dark, black marble ceiling, he had a sinking feeling that he knew exactly where they were. A quick blink to the railing on the far side confirmed it, as he found himself looking down on Pythagoras' entrance hall. But the furniture was destroyed, the fireplace had been ripped from the wall, and the mosaic of the night sky, including whatever magic allowed it to change, was shattered as if it were no more than worthless glass.

"Pythy's," Dante breathed as he stepped up beside him. "What the hell happened?"

Vergil twitched as he strained for any other sign of life. But the library was eerily silent, and the front door was barricaded by all manner of heavy objects. They'd be easy for Dante to cut through, but Vergil had a strange feeling that leaving wasn't an option. "Look around," Vergil said. "Find any clues that you can."

"Don't tell me we're splitting up."

Vergil froze mid-step, brows furrowed in confusion. "Why wouldn't we?"

"You know how this place is," Dante said. "Traps all over the place. Magic meant to confuse patrons until they're hopelessly lost? Pythy may tolerate you, Verge, but he's not here. And I doubt whatever he did to this place will just vanish with him." He waved his hands in the air as if that proved some kind of point.

"So you'd rather get lost together," Vergil said, his voice more deadpanned than he'd intended.

"We don't know what's out there."

"We can handle anything that…"

An eerie clang in the distance caught his attention. Vergil's gaze jerked behind them as the noise got louder, like a strange clock ticking down the closer it got to them. Dante frowned, eyes scanning in the same direction. But with bookshelves as tall as the ceiling, they didn't have a hope of seeing anything without rushing straight to it.

"Looks like we have a guest," Dante said with a lazy grin. "We should go say hi."

Vergil didn't know why his heart clenched in his chest at that thought. He didn't know what possessed him to yank his over-eager brother behind a massive statue that had been turned into a battered hunk of marble. But something within him was screaming that they couldn't, under any circumstances, be seen by… whatever that thing was. And after years of being one of the strongest people in every room, regardless of what world he was in, Vergil knew he would be a fool to ignore such blatant paranoia.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Dante said.

Vergil scowled. "Not the time." Not after everything Ashira's seen.

Dante rolled his eyes as he peeked over the marble. The clanging was much louder now, and Vergil was certain they were footsteps of something. Two-legged, he assumed given the cadence. Fairly large, given the resounding thud that began to follow each metallic ring. It could be some kind of armor but…

"Hey Verge," Dante said, pointing to the wall. "What's that?"

It took Vergil far too long to shift his thoughts from the impending monster he was apparently uninterested in seeing and whatever Dante was rambling about. But how he hadn't noticed the massive, twelve pointed star etched into the only part of the wall that wasn't lined with the destroyed remnants of the library was anyone's guess. After a quick glance toward the noise - it still hadn't turned the corner yet, so they were safe for now - Vergil slipped over to the painting. "Don't worry," Dante whispered. "I'll keep watch."

Vergil ignored him, eyes scanning the star. The symbol was white, a sharp contrast to the black, demonic wood behind it. At most of the points were slightly curled marks in different colors, all raised and glistening like gems. Three marks were missing; one on the right, one on the left, and the one at the very top. There were no duplicate colors, but their positions were completely random. Blue, Purple, Pink, Orange… Vergil's frown deepened. He could feel something behind that symbol; a thrum of demonic energy that was just strong enough to tug at him. When his fingers brushed the center, a small circle of stone pressed into the wall. Nothing happened. "We need the missing pieces," He muttered as he took a step back.

Dante yanked him to the ground before he realized it. "I think we've got a bigger problem," He hissed, eyes wide as he pressed the back of his head to the marble. Vergil hadn't realized how close the noise had gotten, but he had to swallow another wave of dread as it drifted closer. If Dante was worried…

When the noise stopped, Vergil carefully peered over the top of their makeshift hiding spot. But his heart stopped the second he laid eyes on the blood-splattered, black suit of armor that stared back. It's demonic, red eyes glowed in the darkness, illuminating a very familiar pair of horns.

Only then did he realize why his instincts had been so frantic; they'd known what was here all along. Except this particular suit was much bigger than it should have been, with gold and red adornments that Vergil was certain he'd never worn. And when two swords appeared in its hand - Rebellion and Yamato - it was Dante who yanked Vergil over the railing as Nelo Angelo surged toward them both.

Ashira had argued with Vergil a fair amount of times over the years, but she had never been as angry with him as she was right at this moment. Whether this was the actual him, a future him, or whatever him that she would be going home to, she wasn't certain. But this version of him was certainly testing her patience.

The two had been fighting for a while now, though Ashira couldn't be certain how long. It felt like forever, but the sun hadn't moved a centimeter since she'd showed up. The ever-growing frustration on his features was a decent indicator, especially when he stopped trying to hide it. But it didn't feel like much of a fight, no matter how hard Vergil tried. There were just too many years between them. His body wasn't accustomed to the Qliphoth's power running through it, and he probably didn't have a clue what his new devil form looked like. She assumed that was the only reason he hadn't tried using it yet, considering she'd parried every strike, knocked him back four times, and likely had a perpetual look of boredom on her face.

It didn't help that Griffon had resigned himself to mocking them both from a spot that neither her feathers or his summoned swords could reliably hit.

"Boss is pretty pathetic, ain't he?" The bird cackled. "Big, strong, Qliphoth eating demon man can't even fight a woman!" Both a summoned sword and a feather shot at him. But, considering neither were looking nor really cared, he hopped away with ease and snapped his wings out with pride. "And neither of you can hit me."

Ashira was only slightly disappointed when Vergil blinked away from her instead of diving at the familiar. Griffon wouldn't die - maybe that's why he wasn't bothering - but she wasn't opposed to a chicken skewer now and again. "Listen to me," She said, but she wasn't surprised when he clicked Yamato from the sheathe, and sighed as she hopped out of the way of a swirl of spectral swords. Judgment cut, Dante had called them. Vergil had never denied it. It had been terrifying to her once, as the flurry was far too fast for the human eye. But now, after seeing it hundreds of times, she knew every pattern in the book.

"Enough," Vergil snapped.

"You're the one still fighting," She said.

"You mock me?"

You're making it too easy. "Not intentionally."

She felt the energy of his trigger just before he transformed, and charged at her before she had a chance to think about it.

The Phoenix shrieked in her mind. "This pretendender will not defeat us."

A mili-second before they collided, Ashira's own demon surged within her. The power alone knocked him back, and he transformed the moment he hit the ground. She pushed up on her talons, and stretched her wings as wide as they could go. He stared at her, visibly bewildered for the first time that fight. "Enough." He flinched as dozens of feathers blinked into existence around her. "If I must defeat you to stop this foolishness, then I will not hesitate."

V appeared in front of his other self before she threw a single feather. While his smile was lackadaisical, his eyes flickered in silent warning. "I'd advise against killing him, Shira."

"I have no intention of killing him," She hissed.

"He's not linked to you."

"The feathers are golden, V." She countered. "And I know how his healing works."

"You've seen stranger deaths than this."

She jerked back, horrified as her demon form vanished in a heartbeat. The feathers dropped from the sky, shattering against the ground before their energy rushed back into her. Why hadn't she thought of that? The other Vergils had died to things he never should have. What was to say this one wouldn't too? And to her? The terrifying irony behind that… that she may have lost him in a display only meant to boost her own ego...

Anger swept through her as her gaze snapped to Vergil. For the first time since he appeared, it wasn't at him, but she couldn't control the fury in her voice. "Are you done wasting our time? Because I've got a lot bigger things to worry about than your pride at the moment."

V snorted. "Yes, Shira. Clearly that's the problem."

"Not helping."

Vergil took a single, deep breath before he forced himself back to his feet and clicked Yamato back into its sheath. Good. She thought. At least he was finally stopping to think. At least, she hoped that's what he was doing.

"Why is he here?" He said, his eyes flickering to V. "How is he here?"

Ashira blinked. "You're asking that now?" She said, "That should've been one of the first things you said!" He glared at her. She wasn't amused. And here I thought Dante was the impulsive one.

"Explain."

She paused, searching for the right words. She quickly decided there wouldn't be any that would satisfy him. "He's my familiar in an unexplainable, roundabout way," She said as she sheathed Yamato. "Along with the other three. You…" She trailed off. "They were gifts."

"The giver must not care that much about you."

"The opposite, actually." She said, "But it doesn't matter. They're with me, and we're stuck here, and none of us know why."

"Stuck here," He echoed back, head tilting just slightly. "How so?"

She frowned. How much should she tell him? If this was the past, then her being her had already messed with the future. Though considering she was still here, and none of her memories or powers had changed, she assumed that wasn't the case. But time travel was the only real option she could think of. At least, the only one that made any kind of sense (which, admittedly, wasn't saying much).

V cleared his throat. "Who or whatever sent us here must have done so for a reason. This me might be our only chance."

Ashira sighed. "Right as usual."

"One of my many talents."

"You're also more insufferable than usual."

"More so than him?"

"Enough," Vergil said. "Either explain what's going on or leave. My brother will be here soon."

Ashira glanced at V. "He's not wrong," He said, "Honestly, I'm more surprised he isn't already here."

"What do you…?"

V whirled on his other self, and the end of his cane hit the ground with a shockingly resounding thud. "This is how this is going to go," He said. Vergil's eyes widened, but V continued before he could say anything. "Dante is on his way. Your familiars are going to try and stop them, though as you've likely guessed, they are more than aware they have no chance." Vergil's eyes flickered to Griffon for the briefest of moments, before looking back to V. "Dante will arrive and you will fight. But we both know what outcome you're hoping for."

For a long moment, nobody said a word. Even Griffon was somber, landing back on Ashira's arm with a sad look in his eyes she hadn't seen before. Vergil's eyes closed as he took a slow and quiet breath. "And?"

"In our world, you fight," V continued. "You almost get your wish. One strike between you both… and both of you had the same plan."

Vergil's eyes snapped open. "He…"

"It's your son that saved you," V said. "Your son who reminds you what you have left in this world."

Understanding dawned on his face. "Nero…"

"But you knew that already."

The tree rumbled. Griffon shrieked as he tumbled off Ashira's arm, but vanished before he hit the ground. Ashira stumbled and V was by her side in an instant to keep her from plunging right off the side. "We can't stay," She said.

"We're meant to jump."

"Are you certain?"

"Unless this is an elaborate death trap," V said. "And there are much easier ways to go about that." Another shudder nearly knocked them both off their feet. Vergil's eyes drifted to hers and her heart leapt into her throat. This was still him… another him, yes. But after all the ones she'd watched die - all the versions she couldn't save - this was a chance she didn't want to waste.

She didn't think her heart could bear another loss.

"Come with us," She said. "The future's already changed. Dante isn't coming. Your familiars haven't died. There has to be a reason you were brought up here with me." His expression gave nothing away, but Ashira saw the way his grip tightened on Yamato. "You're not meant to die up here," She said. "Don't give up now. You have too much to live for."

He scoffed. "As what? A husk of my former self bound to you?"

"This isn't you," She said gesturing to V. "He's a piece that you gave to me to save my life."

The shock on Vergil's face vanished the second the tree shuddered again. "We have to go," V said before vanishing back into her mind. Ashira glanced behind her. She had never been afraid of heights, but the drop into nothingness was uncomfortably familiar. The last time she'd done it, she'd been stranded alone for almost two decades.

Am I down there now?

"What's your plan?"

She glanced back at him, and whispers of her dreams echoed in her head. "I'm going down there," She said. "I need to find the Angel of the Night. It has to be why I'm here. There's no other explanation." That wasn't true. There were a million different reasons why she could be here, and most of them weren't good. But she had to try. Her dreams - her nightmares - had to mean something. And even if it was all a lie… she had nothing else.

The tree shook again. "Your choice," She said. Then she jumped, shifting into her demon form before diving straight off the edge. Massive cracks rose through the roots of the tree. Large pieces began to crumble in all directions. For a moment, Ashira expected to see another death. Another Vergil plunging into nothingness that she couldn't save. But then she felt his demon form burst above her, and swooped into the Underworld before the opening snapped shut, trapping them both.

Hold on, Saina. She thought, hoping that somewhere, somehow, her own Vergil was alright. I'll see you soon.

The smell of smoke jerked Nero awake faster than he was ready for. The world spun as he tried to stand up, and he swore as he stumbled backward. A groan startled him, but a hand caught his before he had a chance to do anything about it. "Dad," Angelica's voice was muddled, but his mind cleared in an instant. His daughter looked exhausted, and she had tied her hair back into a very messy ponytail at some point in the last… however long. Kaiden was sitting beside them both, eyes wide as he stared past them.

"Are you okay?" Nero said, glancing between the two. Then he saw it; the raging inferno engulfing a house he didn't recognize. Growls of demons echoed in the distance, but he didn't sense any nearby. Any that had been caught in the fire were long gone. But something tugged at Nero's mind. This wasn't a memory… but...

When Nero's gaze fell on the young, white haired boy sprinting into the forest, his instincts kicked in. "Wait!" He yanked Kaiden to his feet with his wings and the three chased after the boy. Angelica was the fastest, as she practically leapt into the forest with her demonic energy and disappeared from Nero's sight. A terrified yelp mixed with a mixture of "I'm trying to help!" and "Stop it!" echoed through the trees. Nero caught up and dispatched the nameless demons within seconds.

"Grandfather," Kaiden breathed.

Nero didn't want to believe it, but the sword in the boy's hand was undeniable. Yamato.

"Get away from me!" Child Vergil shouted as he yanked himself out of Angelica's grasp. She stumbled, hitting the ground as he took off again, even faster than before.

"Dammit!" She hissed rolling to her feet. "Dad…"

"We have to follow him," Kaiden said, but his voice was all wrong. His words seemed… empty in a way Nero couldn't describe. Tired? Maybe. But his body wasn't swaying and his eyes were as sharp as ever. It was almost as if he was talking from a distance. A voice removed from its body.

"Kai…"

"We have to go!"

When Kaiden took off, Nero had no choice but to follow.