The Devil of Zero
Disclaimer: Neither The Familiar of Zero nor Devil May Cry belong to me.
The 'Adventure'
– The Devil –
Tristainian Forest
Noon
About a week's travel southwest of Tristain's capital of Tristania (and, by proxy, the Tristainian Academy of Magic), there was a beautiful idyllic forest that those from Earth would compare to the classical fairy-tale woods of Grimm fables. The sunlight breaking through the mildly dense canopy, the wild flowers sprouting amongst the tree roots and grass, the occasional open meadow filled with the vitality of nature. The sounds were those of cheerfully chirping birds, and rustling leaves in the wind…
…well, except for this one section of the forest, where the air rang with the terrified shrieks and porcine death-cries of orcs, the humanoid creatures fleeing before an onslaught of fire and ice, closely followed by a flashing, shiny metallic death in the form of seven distinctly feminine bronze golems led by a warrior clad in blue. Behind this, the maimed and eviscerated corpses of dozens more orcs were scattered amongst the similarly devastated forest floor, those that didn't die immediately from the elemental onslaught slain by the blade. To the uninformed, the sight would be horrifying, as the orcs were clearly sentient creatures, wearing crude fur and tanned leather clothing and wielding tools of stone and metal weapons scavenged from humanity. The uninformed would be quickly informed by those more experienced in the affairs of Halkeginia that these orcs were crude, barbaric and bloodthirsty creatures that routinely raided smaller human settlements and ambushed caravans for food – in particular, the flesh of human children, especially infants.
That was merely one of the reasons that Vergil, working in concert with Kirche, Tabitha and Guiche, was laying waste to what had once been a tribe of one to two hundred orcs lairing inside the long-abandoned temple about fifty meters behind them. The other reason was that the orcs had had the distinct misfortune to attempt to raid their campsite while Vergil was on guard – with Siesta, whose hometown of Tarbes had experienced its own share of orc raids and subsequent losses.
Needless to say, said raiding party had been horribly dismembered, until the survivors had fled and led the part-devil warrior and his apprentice to their camp in the temple, which had in fact been the objective of the impromptu adventuring party. And now, the collection of student mages and their accompanying warriors were rather intent on scourging the immediate area of the brutal humanoids for the foreseeable future.
One orc, far ahead of the pack, wheezed and panted with effort. The saying was as true for an orc as it was for a human: It didn't need to outrun the pursuit, it just needed to outrun its friends. Then a chain attached to a heavy weight slung around its ankles like a bolo, tripping the orc up and sending it crashing snout-first into the dirt.
"Get over here!" A demonically feminine voice howled, and the rather unfortunate orc was dragged off by the chain through the crowd of its fellows, tripping most of them up before it was hoisted feet-first into the air, hanging upside-down before the maliciously grinning faced of Siesta.
Below her, Vergil sighed as he felt the flaring of power that preceded the explosion of blood and gore raining down upon the fallen orcs before him and Guiche's Valkyries.
"Hey, it's a good spell." Abaddon defended himself. "Quick to cast, devastating to anything with blood, and perfectly designed to work in conjunction with her Devil Arm."
"Certainly." Vergil muttered in reply. "I do not deny it efficacy, I merely question whether it is appropriate to use in situation such as this." Glancing about the carnage, Vergil snorted to see that, of the three mage-students accompanying him, only Tabitha remained stoic. Kirche and Guiche faces were a pale green color from the bloody rain that Siesta created, even though they were doing even more damage to the orcish horde before them. Vergil frowned as he turned back, off-handedly slicing an orc in half when it tried to about-face and dart past him and the Valkyries.
Absent-mindedly swiping Derflinger out to clean the sentient blade of blood, Vergil recalled the circumstances of his presence here.
Tristain Royal Academy of Magic
Ten Days Ago
"Vergil!" The by-now familiar cry preceded the voluptuous form of Kirche leaping for the half-devil. It was close, she almost managed to brush his coat-tails as he maneuvered around her. Thankfully for her dignity, she maintained her balance enough to prevent falling over onto her shapely rump.
"Miss Zerbst." Vergil nodded in greeting. "Do you know where Louise is?"
"Isn't she with you?" Kirche queried, arcing an eyebrow. "Oh, but forget Valliere! Vergil, I've found a way we can be together! Forever!"
"I'm sorry Miss Zerbst, but as I said many times before, I'm pledged to be Louise's servant until she dies." Vergil stated starkly, turning away and moving for the student dormitories. The trip was short, and didn't leave him much time to wonder why Louise wasn't in her usual classes. Shortly enough, he was opening the door to Louise's room, and as it cracked open, he saw her huddling under the covers of her bed, the blankets shading her face from view under the light from the window. And when he saw her eyes, wide in fear like that of some prey animal met with a predator, her hand flicked out with her wand, and while under combat situations Vergil would have reacted instantly to a potentially deadly weapon, he was caught off-guard.
So, before he could Trick out of the line of fire, he was thrown back by the typical explosion that resulted from Louise attempting a spell, the door shattering in front of him taking the brunt of it. Even with that, Vergil felt the distinct pangs that indicated several of his ribs cracking, and splinters of the door dug into his exposed face, one in particular scraping by his eye, missing by millimeters. As she flicked her wand again at him, Vergil Tricked, teleporting out of the hall and into her room just as the stone wall of the hallway exploded, dust and small chips and chunks of stone scattering around the blast.
"Louise…" Vergil intoned, "What in the name of Lucifer are you doing!"
"S-stay away!" The pink-haired girl shrieked, huddling further under her sheets. Frowning, Vergil took a step forward.
Only his recent state of alert saved him from being detonated, a quick Trick to the side letting him dodge the potentially devastating explosion. Taking a moment to think while Louise recovered from the rather rapid use of her willpower, Vergil could easily discern what might be provoking this reaction from her.
"You saw another part of my past, didn't you?" He asked. A shiver and a jerk from the young mage he had pledged to serve and protect was all the confirmation he needed. "Very well then. I shall remove myself from your presence until you have come to terms with what you've seen and come to me for an explanation." A shocked look from Louise was all he allowed himself time to see before he Tricked away, this time outside her window, and again down to the courtyard.
This is going to be difficult. He thought. On the one hand, he could take Louise' hostility as a sign that his oath was fulfilled and leave, never returning, going out into the wider world of Halkeginia to find a way back home. On the other, it really wouldn't feel right…damn Dante…
"Dear! What happened."
Kirche again.
"Nothing much Kirche." Vergil answered. "Merely a small matter between Louise and I."
"Oh my!" Kirche, with much concern in her voice, cried. "How horrible! Louise, cast you, her most loyal and trusted companion, away! Oh, let me comfort you!" And with that, Kirche leaped at him, again, and again, Vergil side-stepped her. The tan-skinned Germanian pouted a little, before brightening up. "But now, you can listen to me! Vergil, dearest, if you can become a noble, we can marry!"
Vergil felt his brow twitch upward.
"How?"
"Ah, unlike her in Tristain, my homeland of Germania allows anyone to purchase land and a title for the correct amount of money, mage or not!"
Now that was a detail Vergil had missed in his studies of Halkeginia's culture. Then again, he supposed Siesta wouldn't have known about it, having been a Tristainian commoner, and judging by the general attitude of the other student mages this wouldn't exactly be a fact that would be welcomed. Still, if he could gain a property and noble title, then it would make some of his long-term goals much more attainable.
There was, however, the rather large obstacle of money. Vergil had never quite been a man of wealth – obtaining a high position in the circles of Devils was simple enough to do by killing the one currently occupying the position you sought, and those of the Inferno dealt in souls, not gold – and he doubted he could get the necessary amount by slaughtering and looting bandits and whatnot.
Although he could become a mercenary.
Kirche was now watching Vergil closely. It was apparent he was interested, by the mere fact that he didn't brush her off immediately.
"Vergil dear, I have a way you can get the money you need." She said, withdrawing a parcel of parchment from out of her robe. When she showed them to him, Vergil could see what looked like maps with scribbles and markings in Halkeginia's runic language.
They looked…dodgy, to say the least.
"Using these treasure maps –"
"Treasure maps? Those?" Guiche, who Vergil had seen walking around morosely for some reason, scoffed, trudging up to them. His face was tear-streaked, and a faint smell of wine hung about him.
""I got them from various places like magic shops, stalls, general stores…" Kirche explained, rather perturbed at Guiche just dropping in out of nowhere to cast doubt on her plan.
"It's definitely something dodgy. I know of a few people who just sell ordinary maps, calling them treasure maps. There are even nobles who become bankrupt because of these hoaxes."
"That attitude won't do!" Said Kirche, with her hands clenched into tight fists.
"Most of them might be scrap, but there might be a real one hidden inside there."
Guiche and Vergil shared a glance.
"Vergil, let's go. Let's go find treasure and abandon Louise… and then you'll propose to me, ok?"
Temple Ruins, Tristainian Forest
Night
From that point on, it had been a simple matter for Kirche to 'convince' Vergil to go on this fairly ridiculous trip, and she got Guiche hooked into it by saying he could use his share of treasure to buy presents for Montgomery – the blond water-aligned mage with the drill-like hair-style that had been one of the participants in the fiasco preceding Guiche's disastrous duel with Vergil, and apparently had him 'in the doghouse' as the vernacular went. She had gotten Tabitha to accompany them as well. And Vergil, seeing this as an opportunity to train Siesta, had brought the once-maid-now-cambion along as well, after contacting the head cook and telling him about Siesta's situation – watered down for the mundane, of course.
She and Kirche had butted heads almost instantly over their respective infatuations with Vergil, which had sparked a bit of a rivalry that saw Kirche continuously trying to seduce him, and Siesta taking far too much glee in learning Sorcery from Abaddon – in particular, she was starting to practice this one spell that turned all of a target's blood into Hellfire.
Using Sylphid as a mount, they'd made fairly good progress following the maps, and with their combined combative powers, easily routed and/or destroyed any opposing forces such as the recently-slaughtered orc horde.
Despite that, their success rate was, as now, nil.
Crowded around a bonfire (made out of the carcass of an orc and some piled timber, disturbingly) the troupe of treasure hunters went over their rather meager findings.
"So the so called treasure was that?" Guiche said bitterly, gesturing at a color faded accessory and a few dirty copper coins. There had been a wooden chest underneath the temple's alter, but it was full of junk that they didn't even consider taking back home. "This is made of brass. These cheap necklaces and ear rings, these aren't that 'Brisingamen' right?"
Kirche didn't reply. She just filed her nails with a bored look. Tabitha was reading a book as usual. Vergil simply leaned against one of the temple's walls, studiously staring at the sky.
"Hey Kirche, that's the seventh one already! We followed those maps with such effort and yet all we get are a few copper coins! The treasures aren't even close to what the notes of the maps say! Those maps are all hoaxes!"
"Shut up. I said it before; there might be a real map within that bundle."
"It's too mean! Monsters and beasts dwell in ruins and caves after all! Only getting this in return for defeating monsters is far from enough!" Guiche held the artificial rose in his mouth and lay down on a spread out blanket.
"Well yeah. If you could get treasure by just simply killing monsters, then no one would be poor."
A gloomy atmosphere drifted amongst them. But Siesta's cheerful voice drove it away.
"Everyone, dinner's ready!" The cambion carried along a pot full of stew, which smelled wonderfully and made their mouths water. Of course, Kirche and Guiche kept their eyes on Siesta cautiously. Vergil was fairly sure that they wouldn't be bossing her around one way or the other, after seeing the carnage she and her kusarigama wrought – not to mention the stigma of her being a commoner with some form of magic they were unfamiliar with. Ignoring (More likely, secretly exulting in) their wary gazes, Siesta divided up the stew among them, handing out bowls that they all accepted.
After a few cautious bites, the student-mages brightened.
"This is good! Wow, it's really good. What kind of meat did you use?" Guiche asked while stuffing his mouth full. Siesta smiled
"Orc's meat."
They froze. Well, except Vergil, who couldn't help a small smirk at the others' reaction.
"Just kidding!" Siesta giggled. "It's just some rabbit I caught." Kirche and Guiche visibly relaxed, while Tabitha silently resumed eating. As the students ate, Siesta and Vergil withdrew, entering the temple halls they had recently looted. Once they were deep enough, Vergil summoned Abaddon, the Spear of Destruction materializing in its usual brief blaze of Hellfire. Handing the Devil Arm to Siesta, Vergil stood back and observed as she listened to the once-Devil, nodding every now and then and mouthing words. He watched for a minute, before exiting the temple again and leaving to patrol around the forest, in case there was anything that might have the guts to target the mages.
– The Cambion –
"Now Siesta," Abaddon spoke, "You've come a long way in the short amount of time you've been learning from me – even if it is rather meager compared to my prowess. Since you're a cambion, you don't produce nearly as much Infernal Energy as a full-blooded Devil, so you won't be able to use my higher-tier spells without help from Vergil or his Frost minions, but this spell should be perfectly within your range." Images began to flash through Siesta's mind, of Abaddon in his original form, an armored, giant black-winged angel, gripping a humanoid figure in one of its hands, a figure clad in silvery armor with white wings on its back, a golden halo above its head. A phrase slithered through Siesta's mind, presumably the spell's incantation, and the angel twisted, writhed, and screamed a scream so horrid that Siesta felt part of her recoil, even as another part rejoiced. The angel's armor cracked, each fissure in the once-perfect surface glowing red as ranks of other angels appeared into the vision, before Abaddon threw his captive into them. When it landed among them, it exploded, Hellfire erupting outwards and consuming the other angels.
"Ah, Soul Explosion. It was one of my favorites during the war." Abaddon commented wistfully. "Grab someone, purge their soul with a bit of Infernal Energy, and they turn into one big bomb. The effectiveness varies between how much energy you put into the spell and the power of the target's own soul – every once in a while I hit upon an angel powerful enough that he outdid the mortals' nukes when I blew it up. Heh. Good times. Anyway, there ought to be an orc or two hiding somewhere in this rubble, so go catch one and start practicing!"
With a brief nod, Siesta darted off into the winding halls, searching for a target. It didn't take too long though – the temple was quite extensive, with some underground chambers that had apparently been used for funeral rituals or something of the like, and she soon managed to get her hands around the throat of a particularly unlucky orc that either lagged too far behind the main group and hoped to stay hidden, or had snuck back in after the massacre at some point.
At any rate, she now had a practice dummy, in almost every sense of the word. She dragged the orc behind her, the piggish beast trying to squeal through the vise-grip she had on its throat as they exited the temple on the side opposite to the others. As soon as she was far away enough, she pulled the orc up before her, and started speaking.
"Now remember," Abaddon warned, still clutched in her free hand, "This is greater and more powerful than any of the other spells I've had you try, so be careful." The Infernal Tongue hissed from her lips, and the orc struggled more. She finished speaking, and the orc cried out and writhed as its veins bulged, glowing red, before splitting open in some parts, clouds of reddened steam rising from the rents.
She tossed the orc off towards a small stone building covered in vines.
It blew up.
Spectacularly. With bloody red flames going everywhere, along with shattered, melting stone bits and plants.
– The Watchers –
High above the land, flying with all the grace and poise that one would expect of those of their nature, the beings sent to watch for the half-devil were alerted by a sudden flare of infernal energy – and only a few minutes flight away. Instantly, the entire group banked on their ragged wings, universal consensus achieved within seconds.
They had their target.
They would retrieve it for their Lord.
Such was His Will.
– The Devil –
Vergil paused in his patrol.
Something felt…off. And whenever something felt off to Vergil, that generally meant that something was going to prove…troublesome.
And he was proven right, with the flap of feathered wings and flashes of white, as seven beings dropped from the sky to land around him. Each and every one of them was some strange melding of bird and human, with taloned avian feet, red-masked beaked heads, and dressed in robes of white. Six of them were about the size of a tall man, while the leader loomed high over Vergil, even with its hunched stature. Aside from the white robes, they all bore chains and manacles wrapped around their limbs, and wielded staffs topped with a circular, bladed head-piece.
Oh, and they had halos atop their heads.
"I don't believe it…" Zima whispered, awe and fear mixing in her telepathic voice.
"Don't believe what? What are these things?" Derflinger queried, sporting a nervous tone itself.
"These are angels! Affinities of the Third Sphere, led by an Applaud Archangel! But…they're Laguna! They're not supposed to be outside of Paradiso except for the direst of emergencies!"
"Huh. Angels? They look a little ragged for angels if you ask me." And indeed, the Affinities and their leading Applaud were dirty and ragged, with molting feathers and robes smudged with filth. Their golden weapons were tarnished, and the chains and manacles that bound them seemed to be extremely uncomfortable. As he contemplated their appearance, the Applaud spoke, a deep voice speaking in some strange language that no mortal tongue could utter.
"Eh…gesundheit?" Derflinger spoke up from its sheath.
"Hold up…it's a bit old…and I'm probably a bit out of practice with Celestial…but I think it's asking you to go with it."
The Applaud stepped forward, its hand clenching around the staff-like weapon it wielded. Vergil calmly stared at it, matching gazes with a being that was probably a few dozen times older than him. And then there was a light, ringing tone from behind. The half-devil stepped to the side, one of the Affinities' bladed staffs embedding itself into the forest floor with a heavy thud.
In a flash, Vergil drew Derflinger even as Zima's icy gauntlets and greaves formed around his limbs. A hawkish screech ripped through the air as the angels attacked, staffs glinting in the moonlight as they swung for him. A Trick brought Vergil out of the crossfire and behind one of the Affinities, Derflinger slicing through its ankles. As their comrade fell, the other angels looked shocked, which told Vergil a few things. First among them, these angels had not previously known of him, or else they would know just how much he used his teleporting technique.
Three of the surviving Affinities disappeared into flashes of light, leaving their halos that drifted over to surround him. The Applaud led those remaining to attack him, staffs swinging for a hit. Vergil deflected a strike, the weapon ringing in protest before he jabbed the pointed fingers of Zima's gauntlet into one's eyes. As he did so, the halos flashed, photons gathering and coalescing into the form of the Affinities standing erect with the staffs before them, until they crouched into a battle-ready stance. Now, Vergil was surrounded, as the angels collectively raised their staffs, the rounded heads ringing in anticipation of their strike.
"Fools." Vergil muttered. Ethereal copies of Force Edge flashed into existence, circling around Vergil just as the angels struck. The ringing staffs clanged off of the sorcerous constructs, leaving their heavenly wielders wide open for Vergil to send the Summoned Sword slicing into their torsos. By now, the angels were looking less like purity personified and more like mutated, skinless walking corpses. Vergil had to admit though, they were certainly tougher than Hell Prides.
Still, it was about time to finish this.
Derflinger lashed out, beheading an Affinity as Vergil punched another one, icy spikes lancing out from the gauntlet's knuckles to pierce straight through the angel and slowly freeze its blood. Turning about, Vergil kicked another in the stomach, sending it flying back until it broke its spine impacting on a tree. Now there was just the Applaud and two Affinities. Stepping back as the angels stalked towards him, Vergil held Derflinger in his off-hand as he channeled energy into the weapon.
"Oh Founder, not again…" The blade moaned. The angels charged.
Vergil drew Derflinger out in a flash. The universe split in dimensional rents that tore apart the charging angels. Various parts fell to the ground as Vergil sheathed Derflinger, stepping forward to study the bodies.
"Ooh! The halos! Get the halos!" Vergil frowned as Zima chattered excitedly, kneeling amongst the carnage to pick out a metal ring that the angels' halos had turned into upon their death.
"Vergil!" Siesta's voice cried from behind, the cambion returning from practice and seeing the carnage his battle wrought. "What happened!"
"Hmm? Oh, nothing much." Derflinger answered sarcastically. "Just, you know, slaughtering the MESSENGERS OF GOD!" The sentient weapon screeched. "What the hell Vergil! Look, I know that you're some kind of badass, half-demon swordsman and that probably means Heaven's not too fond of you but why'd you have to go and drag me into it!"
"Shut up." Vergil ordered sharply, the blade's crossguard/mouth/thing clanking shut. Vergil looked closer at the halo in his hands, and he gestured for Siesta to give him Abaddon. "Abaddon, are halos supposed to be like this?" Vergil asked, meaning the general splotched and corrupted looking parts of the metal ring that were scattered across what would otherwise be a pure gold ring.
"Not at all, they're supposed to be representations of an angels soul and power…for them to be like this would mean that these Angels…"
– The Watcher –
Albion
Miles away, the cloaked figure that accompanied Cromwell turned towards the east, sensing the death of its servants.
"Very well." It intoned. "Something more challenging will be required." Behind it, a group of Applaud-like angels in red armor stood, a larger figure looming behind them, resting its large axe across its shoulders.
– The Author –
Alright, and here it is, the seventeenth chapter.
Review Replies:
Lucifer's Remnants: Eh, it wasn't that hard. The dialog for Alucard just seemed like it was something Dante would say if he got that pissed off, really.
pyromania101: Alright, alright.
No to both, actually. This guy is supposed to be a member of the Order of the Sword trying to get his hands on Dante and his extensive arsenal of Devil Arms.
Jin Dante Kazama: Vegeta. Vegeeeeettta.
What?
I'm Haunting You.
NNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!
deus-rasengan2: Thanks.
Nivek Beldo: This is true.
That would, wouldn't it?
I'm having a bit of trouble keeping them all going, especially since I'm also trying to plan out a new Seed fic…but don't worry, I'll keep this one going. I still haven't gotten to the EPIC parts yet.
Yeah. I'll admit, it's not looking too appealing at the moment.
HolyKnight5: Yep.
Well, I guess it wasn't soon…and three days late…
Lunatic Pandora1: I dunno, it would fit I guess…Myoznitnirn's the Mind of God right? The one that can use magical artifacts? That kind of fits with Dante…I think…I may be wrong…
Sovereign Beta: I love double takes.
Blame Blade: Yep.
bakapervert: You're Welcome.
Arkisar: Thank you. Yeah, a lot of the DMC fics I read are more dark and broody than funny or actiony…DMC2 vs. the rest of the series, I guess.
psykotic addiction: I guess it is…
Hypothetical Spiritual Entity: She sort of already has a cannon in Kalina Ann…even if it is a rocket launcher, you still maintain the BIG GUN.
Hehehehehehe…
TJG: That's my general style, sort of Michael Bay-ish.
Well, they kind of had a mission, and a crown prince to protect, and thus GTFO as soon as possible, what with the army of screaming peasants led by pissed-off battle-mages bearing down on them. He (the prince) might have gotten hurt or killed, and that just wouldn't do.
Till' next time
Knightmare Gundam of Ni