Note: Here's the newest chapter. Just to warn you, I might not be updating for a couple of days. It depends on how tired I am after an activity I'm going to be helping with. But I'll try to get the chapters up as fast as I have been.
Santuary of Darkness: You'll get to find out who she was talking to in this chapter. So you'll be able to find out if you're still able to predict what's about to happen in the story.
magusanubis: It's okay that you missed reviewing chapter 24. I know how it is with having a broken computer. So, I truly understand. And you will find out who Banith's boss is, probably in the next chapter depending on whether I can come up with something else to happen before they try to get Trish back.
BloodyDemonEmpress: Just because I'm curious, which do you think makes a better match? Dante and Rona? Or Virgil and Rona? (I must really be curious if I'm asking about this again).
Okay, as I said earlier, I might not update for the next couple of days (helping with a children's camp). But I will do my best to put up the updates as fast as usual. And, as before, you can e-mail questions or comments or put them in your reviews. Enjoy.
Rona stood in the center of the Sunken Opera House, searching for what might have brought her there. The sounds of a door closing startling her, making her react the only way she knew how. Her fists raised, she spun around to see Virgil standing in front of the door with his eyes focused on her. He calmly stepped towards her, no threat in his steps or eyes.
"What are you doing here?" Rona asked, trying not to sound angry or afraid.
"This is your dream." He answered. "I'm only here because you wanted me to be here." Coming close enough that he could touch her, he whispered, "She must like you. She never would have allowed a human woman to enter her domain."
"Who are you talking about?" Rona looked into his eyes, searching for the answer she knew she was supposed to already posses.
"The sorceress." Virgil answered, running the back of his hand along her cheeks. "She must see a chance in you."
Her eyes grew with the realization of whom Virgil was talking about. "Nevan?" Rona asked to make sure she was right. She nearly fainted when she saw Virgil nodding, telling her that her guess was correct. How could Nevan even know about her? Did Dante still have the guitar? Did she still have some consciousness?
"The demon soul never disappears." Virgil explained, knowing Rona was trying to figure out why Nevan would be trying to contact her through a dream. "She can hear and see everything that happens near by. She knows that Dante has kept you close and that you are now human and want to be a demon again."
Rona glared into Virgil's eyes. She believed he had no right to know what she wanted; even to guess when he had hardly been around. "What would you know of it?" She growled.
"I know you better than you know yourself, my love." He answered calmly, now gently running his fingers across her neck. "Just as I know the words you long to say to me."
Using all her strength to resist telling him, she stepped back out of his reach. "And what might that be?"
"They are the words your heart screams to me, but your lips form for my brother. It is what you once told me without saying it directly to me." He closed the space between them, leaning down and holding her face before his, he added, "It is the phrase you have used for Dante ever since you have come here. But with one word's difference gives a new meaning."
His eyes seemed to hypnotize her, forcing her to speak when she wanted to resist. "I love you, Virgil." She whispered only to feel Virgil's lips against her own while his hands drew her closer. "I forgive you." She whispered in his ear.
Suddenly, Virgil disappeared, leaving her alone in the opera house with nothing but the sound of bats to keep her company. She soon realized the bats were coming closer, gathering on the stage as they had done when Dante had been in the room. She watched as the bats formed Nevan, the temptress from hell.
"This has got to be the strangest dream I have ever had." Rona muttered after Nevan was fully formed and walked towards her.
"It is now more than just a dream, little girl." She spoke. "This is what is left of me since my master, Dante, defeated me." She chuckled. "And I always thought his father was a demon who could never be tempted."
Nevan lightly touched Rona's hair, seeming to search for the reason why this human had gained Dante's interest when she could not. "I see why he loves you so." She said as she came to her conclusion. "You have a soul that burns with a light no demon can have. Even when you were one of the damned, your fire never burned out. So this is why I could not bring him to destruction."
"Talking to yourself?" Rona asked; trying to make her get to what she had brought her there for.
"You have been near him longer than was right." Nevan commented. "I can help you if you do one thing for me."
Rona smirked, a smirk that was close to being like Dante's. "Am I going to hear your request first? Or do I have to wait until I'm dead?"
"It is a request that you will have to wait for. It cannot be given until later, when you have accepted my help." Nevan turned away from Rona, walking back towards the stage. "I could bring you closer to the man you most desire."
"And which one might that be?" Rona asked, not expecting an answer.
"The onewho could either save you, or let death take you. His heart beats for you. His soul cries for you. And all the while, you look to his brother."
"That can qualify for either of them." Rona returned.
"But you know which it is I am speaking of." Nevan watched as the knowledge slowly sunk into Rona's mind. She knew that Rona hadn't expected to decide. Not when she believed she was going to die. But whether she died or not, was up to a certain half demon. "Will you call on me when the time comes?"
Rona looked to the floor. If she agreed, what would Nevan ask for? But if she didn't, would her refusal be worth her death? Would she be keeping a demon from gaining control? But what choice did she have? She couldn't fight on her own, not without a demon to aid her. Would Nevan keep her alive long enough to get Trish back? "What happens if I agree?" She asked, hoping Nevan would give her an answer.
"The you are bound to give me what I ask for when I give you my request." Nevan answered simply.
"And that is?" Rona was beginning to lose her patience.
Nevan glided to her, a dark light flashing in her eyes. She whispered to Rona what she would ask for if she lived. She pulled away, tilting her head like a bird to see if Rona had chosen to accept or refuse.
Rona closed her eyes, not sure if she wanted to answer. But she was going to. "I… accept." She answered before opening her eyes.
"Good girl." Nevan smiled. "When you wake up, ask for him to find me. I will aid you in your fight against Banith. As for his master, that is up to you." She prepared to dissipate into the many bats until she added, "And don't forget your promise." Her body fell into hundreds of bats, each circling Rona before they left to the dark cracks they used for hiding places.
Rona's legs seemed to become rubber, collapsing beneath her as she realized what she had agreed to. She began to pray that she wouldn't survive her encounter with Banith. She prayed he would kill her before she could try to stop him, before Nevan would prevent his attack. But would she do that? Would she do whatever it took to make sure Rona kept her end of the bargain? Would she keep her alive so her request could be fulfilled?
"What have I done?" Rona asked the walls; the red velvet curtains, the darkness behind each. "Please forgive me." She silently pled to the dark future. "Please, forgive me for what I have done." She looked to the ceiling, hoping to see a light that could save her but found only stone. She pounded her fists on the stone floor and cried, "Dante!"
Rona sat up; crying Dante's name, before she realized the dream was over. But the deal was still valid. She couldn't go back on it. The only escape would be death.
"What's wrong?" Dante asked as he came running in. He held onto Rona's shoulders, lightly pushing her back onto the bed.
Rona soon realized he had asked her a question and answered, "Nothing… It was just a nightmare."
Dante gave her an inquisitive look. "This nightmare isn't like the last one you had, is it?"
Rona smiled. "No. It was nothing like that." I didn't sell my soul with that dream. She thought. Thinking of Nevan's instructions, she asked, "Do you still have the guitar you got in the Temen-Ni-Gru?"
Dante was growing even more curious about what was going on in Rona's mind. "Yeah. Why?"
"Can I see it?" She quickly asked.
"It doesn't let anyone else touch it. And it will probably kill a human. Are you sure you want to see it?"
Rona nodded. Of course she wanted to see it. It was a part of what she had been told in her dream. She had to in order to keep her promise to Nevan.
Dante left the room. All was silent until Rona heard crashing and the sound of Dante's voice as he cussed at a few unruly objects that decided to fall on him while he searched.
He soon returned with the guitar, the electric strings nonexistent until Rona reached out and touched it. The guitar not only flared into life but also began to play itself. It was a song that was sad but beautiful, a song that seemed to tell Rona's sadness and Nevan's hope. It was music that Rona couldn't stand to hear but had begun to hum with, adding her voice to Nevan's and creating a song that both brought joy to Dante's heart and yet an uncontrollable sadness. The sound of it increased as Rona took the instrument from Dante and held it close like she would do with a child.
"I will keep my promise to you." Rona whispered to the guitar, ignoring Dante's questioning looks. "Will you teach me to use this?" She asked as she looked sadly into Dante's eyes.
Dante, being unsure of what to say, nodded and left the room. He wondered why the guitar hadn't shocked her, or worse, killed her. It had thrown Trish across the room when she tried to move it, and that was just to find the shotgun Dante had kept in storage. What was so special about Rona that the guitar was responding to? And what did she mean by keeping her promise? He hoped he would have the answers to these questions, but doubted he would.
Rona sat with the guitar on her lap, strumming the electric strings and singing a song that represented her doom. She could hear Nevan's voice deep in the music of the guitar, beautiful, luring. It was a voice that almost made her think that Nevan's request was a simple one. It almost made her believe that Nevan saving her life would be worth what she had asked for in return. But was her life worth that severe a price? Was anything worth so much?
Trish awoke chained to a wall, the memory of Mundus using her as bait suddenly flooding her mind. Was this a nightmare? Or was it a repeat of the past? Would Dante soon be there to save her as he had done before? Did he even know where she was?
"You're finally awake. Sorry I had to knock you out like that, I couldn't have the son of Sparda killing me before I could finish my work." Banith said as he entered the room. "I'm sure you can understand."
"I can understand that you have been hunting down a target that is helpless." Trish answered.
"You truly believed that she was my target from the start?" Banith laughed evilly before going on. "No. She was to be saved for someone else to take care of. My first target was Dante. I was only using the girl to get closer to him. At least until my master changed his mind." Banith watched Trish as she realized she had been protecting the wrong person. "Now, it is both. Though since they have grown closer together it will be harder. But that is where you come in, my dear sweet Trish." He lightly touched her chin, knowing she would pull away. "You are going to be the bait that catches the prize."