A/N: Let her rip!
-DMC-
Dante swung his sword at Devil Ray, who used his forearm blades to block the strike. Aquaman and Mera swam up and to opposite directions to lead the king and queen Trench away from Dante and the demon.
Devil Ray swung his arm sword at Dante who leaped back, the blade slicing through the water in his place. Dante rushed back in, he and Devil Ray trading swings of their swords at speeds that left a storm of motion formed bubbles all around them.
Aquaman dodged the fast swipes of claws from the king trench. He swam up and around it, getting onto the monster's back and ramming his Trident into it. The trench roared, and thrashed around wildly to shake Aquaman. It grabbed the king by his leg, but Aquaman slammed his hook into the monster's grip to make it release him.
Mera sliced at the queen trench with whips and lance's made of water, the queen of the seas taking the monster at a distance. The queen trench had much tougher skin than the fodder and was thus harder to do meaningful damage to. Mera formed orbs of dense water that were like cannon balls. She shot at them at the queen trench, hammering the monster and keeping it back.
Devil Ray snarled ragefully from a cut to his chest, courtesy of Dante's Rebellion.
"Really Manta? This is what you sold your humanity for?" Dante asked Devil Ray, holding his sword at the abomination, "I'd ask for a refund."
"The Abyssal Dark's power gave me everything I ever wanted!" Devil Ray's red eyes glow bright, "The strength to destroy Aquaman and flatten this damned city. I've come too far to have this stripped from me by a demon!"
"Pot meet kettle." Dante scoffed, "I don't know what you looked like before, but I ain't convinced this is an improvement."
Devil Ray's roar shook the seven seas as powerful heat rays shot from his eyes. The rays were so powerful that they boiled the water around them. Aquaman and Mera could feel the heat of the beams from the opposite ends of the massive room, something that worried the rulers.
Dante leaned to avoid the beams, the powerful lasers ripping through the castle walls and blasting out from the ocean surface to clear the Earth's atmosphere. The clouds above were dissipated from the heat of the beams.
The oversized manta ray turned his head around to redirect his beams. Dante flipped back to avoid the hellishly hot rays slicing through more of the castle to try and turn the man into cinders. Dante landed atop one of the massive statues of Poseidon. He simply stomped his foot down on the statue to topple it, sending it down onto the raging demon down below.
Devil Ray's assault was interrupted by the multi-ton statue coming down on his head.
"Oh did that hit you? My bad." Dante said as he hung in the water over the demon, "I've always had a thing for knocking over expensive things."
"You," Devil Ray growled, aggressively tossing aside the blocks of stone and blowing away the floating cloud of dust, "I'm gonna rip you apart, I'm going to-"
"Bla bla bla I'll rip you apart." Dante said, "Bla bla bla I'll eat you. Bla bla bla I'll kill you and all your friends. Do you demons all read from the same handbook?"
Devil Ray's black teeth bare in a snarl before he stomped his foot into the ground, opening up a crevice that spew out dozens of monstrous electric eels; the creatures having a dozen yellow eyes a piece, knife-like teeth, and black bio-electricity peeling off their bodies.
The eels swarmed Dante in a relentless horde, Devil Ray among the wave of monsters. Dante formed a doppelganger, both he and his copy engaging the horde.
Outside of the castle; Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Manhunter were in for the fight of their lives.
Danger was at every angle, with one major slip up meaning the heroes would be overwhelmed and devoured.
Green Lantern formed dual assault rifles in his hands, firing off rounds nonstop, "Has it been 10 minutes yet?" The space cop had to be conservative with the weapons he formed, lest he wind up completely out of power.
"Four minutes." Wonder Woman said. The Amazonian princess was practically a blur of high speed movement that fought off the storm of trench. The warrior goddess cried out as she received a claw swipe from one of the Trench to her lower back. Blood in the water seemed to trigger a frenzy in the nearby creatures.
Manhunter morphed his body into a green hulking physique, his strength able to wipe out scores of the cannibalistic monsters with one punch. He punched the creature that hurt Diana into paste. The martian passed a glance to the castle, "They need to hurry!"
Dante and his doppelganger cut through the horde of eels before Dante launched himself at Devil Ray. With a downward swing of Rebellion he cut off the demon's left arm.
Dante was going to follow up with a shot from Ebony, only for Devil Ray's arm to sprout a black lobster claw of an arm from the stump.
Devil Ray's claw snapped at Dante's throat, meaning to behead the half-devil. Dante leaned and shot a demonically charged round from Ebony that burst like a firework against Devil Ray's stomach, knocking the devil away a dozen yards.
A gaping hole was burned into the abomination's black flesh. The devil roared in fury, shaking the castle and sending wreckage from the destroyed upper levels tumbling down.
Mera dodged the wreckage, at the same time escaping the jaws of the queen. She used the water at the trench queens feet to form restraints that pierced its feet, then its legs, then wound its way up through the creature's upper body to lock its arms. A massive piece of rubble fell onto the creature and crushed it.
Aquaman slammed his Trident into the Trenches' knee and impaled it. He jammed his hook into the creature's jaw and used his strength to pull and break the bone.
The king of Atlantis pulled his trident and swung it like a bat into the disfigured creature's head, dazing it, before impaling it under the jaw and through the head.
Mera raced to Arthur's side, "Are you okay, love?"
"Yeah." Aquaman said, pulling his trident from the dead monster. He looked his wife over to make sure she was fine. The two looked to the battle between Dante and the demon of Atlantis.
Switching on Quicksilver, Dante rushed in, leaning back to dodge a swipe of Devil Ray's claw. At the same time he swung Rebellion to cleave off Devil Ray's right leg. Time sped up as Dante turned to look at his enemy. His eyebrow raised curiously as the demon's leg then sprouted an octopus tentacle, the limb forming from a shadowy mass.
"I see how you operate." Dante said, "I cut something off and you just grow it right back. Means I gotta break you down so thoroughly you can't make like a starfish." his mind was racing. He glanced at his sword, pouring his demonic energy into the blade and turning it red. He tossed it up in the water, and vanished, appearing behind Devil Ray.
Dante got the monster in a full nelson, something he actually struggled to do around the monster's fins. Devil Ray thrashed around hopelessly.
Rebellion floated point side down, before the blade shot in and stabbed through Devil Ray and Dante's chests. Dante knew this wasn't enough to kill the demon, but smirked as he allowed the power inherent within the sword to overcharge with the demonic energy already fueling his own body.
Devil Ray's red eyes went from furious to shocked, "What are you doing?! Stop!"
The sword glow from red to white, and Aquaman took this as a sign to grab his wife and shield her. Mera took it a step further by forming a dense orb of water around them both.
"Wait!" Devil Ray shouted. Black Manta and the Abyssal Dark within him panicked as the reality of this fight quickly set in.
They were going to die.
Green Lantern glanced at his ring, the space cop now at the last fringes of his ring's power. A herd of trench swam for him, quickly closing the distance. Hal's eyes closed as two green swords formed in his hands. He shot in for the monsters that swam for him, intending to meet them head on.
An explosion of demonic energy erupted from the Rebellion, catching Devil Ray and Dante in the dead center of the blast. Devil Ray roared out, both Black Manta and the Abyssal Dark being disintegrated down to the last cell by the violent explosion.
The bright red detonation rocked the waters. The heroes outside of the castle as well as the trench stopped and looked to the light that shine from inside the castle. Devil Ray's presence and influence was gone.
Wonder Woman panted heavily, the edge of her sword pressed against the throat of a massive monster that also froze in its tracks. Martian Manhunter's massive hand held the head of another trench, his opposite forearm pushing back two more. He and Wonder Woman were still surrounded by an army of hundreds of them.
Green Lantern looked back and forth between the trench and his comrades, his sword just inches from the storm of monsters he set on, "Did he do it?"
Aquaman and Mera looked to each other, and then to the light that dimmed down. Dante hung in the water, sword in his chest, but Devil Ray nowhere to be seen.
The king of Atlantis immediately slammed his trident into the ground, "Creatures of the Trench," his voice reverbed for miles, demanding dominion, "return to where you came! AT ONCE!" He roared.
The trench immediately fled the area, abandoning Atlantis and returning to their home at the lowest levels of the sea.
Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, and Martian Manhunter looked at each other, the heroes making sure they were all in one piece.
They then swam into the castle.
Mera and Aquaman took a moment to let the situation sink in, watching as Dante float down to the castle floor. His sword was sticking out of his chest.
"It's over," Mera breathed, "It's finally done." Both monsters that plagued Atlantis were exterminated.
Aquaman grinned, a chuckle escaping his throat. The chuckle turned to hearty laughter that echoed all throughout the castle.
The League entered the throne room, having followed Aquaman's joyous laughing.
"Whooo!" Aquaman shouted, throwing his fists into the air. His eyes closed and he smiled up at the heavens. His son and the lives of thousands of Atlanteans was vindicated. Mera touched her heart at her husband's reaction. She didn't express her feelings the same way, but she was ecstatic and relieved all the same. She looked from her husband, to Dante, to the League that just arrived.
"Is… is he gonna be okay?" Mera asked Wonder Woman, eyeing the sword still jetting through
Dante's chest.
"He'll be fine." Wonder Woman said casually. Dante's feet touched down on the floor. He pulled the sword out from his chest with an effortless tug.
"Ten minutes." Dante said with a smirk.
"Ten minutes and eight seconds." Martian Manhunter corrected, the green man's arms folded.
"Dammit I'm rusty." Dante shook his head.
"Hey," Green Lantern called out, pointing up above, "The hell is that?"
Everyone looked up above, noticing an orb of light still hanging up in the air. Dante smiled at it, and held his hand up. The light float down to his palm.
To the awe of the others, the orb of light took on a shape, becoming a long black trident. The trident had three small prongs at the end as well as a tentacled monster's head at the top. The three main prongs, long and sharp, sprouted out of the monster head. The middle prong was longer than the others and jagged. The shaft had scales etched into it, and the weapon in its entirety seemed to bleed darkness.
Dante grinned as he got a feel for the weapon,
DEVIL ARM: ~CTHULHU~
Dante whooped and hollered as he swung the trident around, twirling and slashing and stabbing at invisible enemies. He thrust his palm forward; for the staff to begin spinning from his hand like blades from a helicopter. A whirlwind of water shot from the spinning trident. Dante expertly caught the staff, jumped up, and slammed the bottom of the trident into the floor, cracking the ground and forming the outline of a massive tentacled sea monster around him.
Aquaman nodded, approving the display, "Kick ass."
"A bit much." Mera voiced aloud.
Green Lantern shook his head, "Still a damn showoff."
Manhunter watched with curiosity as Dante dispersed the trident. "Hm."
"Can't wait to try this one out in the field." Dante said, enjoying the feel of his new toy.
Wonder Woman watched the man, fascinated by the display, 'He can create new weapons from the demons he slays?'
That's new.
"I suppose the plan is to rebuild now." Martian Manhunter asked Mera.
"Yes." Mera said, "We'll need to give the rest of the kingdom the good news."
"But first," Aquaman started, "I need a drink." he nodded to Dante, "You in? I feel like I owe you one."
Dante grinned, "Since you're paying. Unlike you folk, I'm not too… liquid."
"Funny." Mera said with a blank stare. She looked to the rest of the League, "We'll get the rest of you patched up in Venturia."
-DMC-
Aquaman slammed his mug down, "And there I was, caught between two worlds; my human half, and my Atlantean half." he shook his head, "My mom, and all the drama surrounding her, left me with a whole heap of mess to straighten out even to this day." he chugged down another mouthful of beer, "Don't even get me started on my brother. Man actually believed our mom abandoned him. Thought she was playing some favorite son bullshit and left him behind for me." he snorted, "He's been taking his anger out on me for that ever since." he chugged down the rest of his beer, giving a loud belch, "So what's your story?"
Dante sat frozen at the bar counter, beer mug in hand and eyes wide in horror, 'No way… no goddamn way…' his eye twitched, "I think I need something a little stronger." He and Aquaman had three rounds between them.
Arthur shrugged, "Help yourself man." The two were in a bar in rural Scandinavia.
Dante ordered a glass of whiskey. The bartender brought the brown liquid in a small glass. The son of Sparda gave the glass a small swirl, "My story? I'm a demon… and I kill other demons to make my living. Some months back I took on a job, bit off a bit more than I could chew," Dante drank the strong, fiery liquid, "and next thing I know I wind up in a new world… yours."
"That's a hell of a journey, guy." Arthur said, not expecting that revelation, "You making the moves to get yourself back home? I'm sure you got a lady there waiting."
Dante thought back on the Lady. He chuckled, "There's a Lady, but is she waiting? Doubt it. We're close. We've had our moments. We might've played around with the idea of there being an us back in the day but that ship has long sailed… I didn't grow up quickly enough for her."
Aquaman laughed heartily, "That hits home." he guzzled more beer, "But there's someone out there for everyone brother, you'll find her. Or hell, take it from someone who got lucky… give your lady back home time she might come around."
The devil gave a half shrug, "Some things aren't meant to be…" he held up his glass, "But here's to finding our way back where we belong, my salty friend."
The two tapped glasses.
A group of men approached the two from behind, the lead tapping Aquaman's shoulder.
"Oi, I've seen you lads on TV!"
"Yeah so?" Aquaman said, turning to face the brutish looking men.
Another one spoke up, European accent heavy, "That's the fish man and the rocker bloke. I've seen the both of them causing a ruckus with the Justice League. Fish man here saved a group of men on an oil rig. Whitey-locks here stopped the Russian wanker from setting off those missiles in the states."
"Mimicking my friend here, so?" Dante said.
The men stepped up close, one reaching into the pocket of his jacket. Neither of the super powered men were intimidated.
The man pulled out a notepad, "Autograph?"
Another of the men pulled out a digital camera, "Pictures?"
Dante and Aquaman looked to each other, smirked, and shrugged, an act that got all men present in high spirits.
The lead snapped for the bartender's attention, "Hey bartender, lets get some more drinks going! On me!"
-DMC-
Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Manhunter, and Mera walked through the European town, the three main members of the League following behind the queen.
"You're sure they're here?" Wonder Woman asked.
"I know Arthur." Mera said, "He's in a mood to celebrate so I'm sure he brought Dante to his favorite surface den."
They walked into the bar, their immediate sight being most of the patrons drunk and unconscious, glass mugs and bottles on every table and scattered along the floor.
Dante and Arthur were on the floor, side by side. The two men succumbed to the effects of too much alcohol.
Green Lantern shook his head, "Unbelievable."
They approached the semi-conscious men. Their heads seemed to be nodding to an unheard rhythm.
"Ocean man…" Aquaman mumbled with his eyes closed.
"Take me by the hand… lead me to the land." Dante mumbled, eyes closed and voice heavily slurred.
"That you understand." Aquaman finished, "Ocean man… something something real trip." he began snoring.
"Ocean man…" Dante forced himself to say, "Bla bla something whatever." and he was unconscious as well.
Mera held her head, "Oh Arthur."
Green Lantern looked to Wonder Woman, "Who's carrying Dante?"
The Amazonian princess looked to Martian Manhunter. J'onn frowned, before moving to grab Dante while Mera grabbed Arthur.
-DMC-
Lex Luthor walked the halls of the Belle Reve containment facility, two guards following behind him. He passed by several containment rooms. One room he passed held a heavily tattooed hispanic man. The man snapped his finger and a small flame appeared at the tip of it. Another room Luthor passed held Killer Frost, the meta human having turned her room into a freezer with icicles hanging from the ceiling. The third room he passed contained a massive, hulking shark man.
He stepped up to a metal door down in the lower levels. The bald billionaire nodded to the guards, who nodded back and unlocked the door. They stood outside as Lex walked in.
The billionaire was greeted to the sight of Parasite, the metahuman monster chained and restrained in the room.
"Parasite," Luthor said, presence bleeding confidence but wisely keeping his distance from the monster, "I understand you've gotten the information I was after."
The monster's white eyes glare at Luthor, his breathing ragged, "Yeah." Parasite growled, "What about it? I'm right back in here after doing your job."
Luthor tilted his head, "One, your fault. Two… has that ever been an issue? You be patient and I'll make your time here very comfortable. But I can only do that if I know you'll follow your end of a business transaction."
Parasite glared at the billionaire, "The guy's name is Dante… and he's a demon."
-DMC-
As the days passed, things went back to routine.
The attacked coastal cities were cleaned and in the process of being rebuilt; news reports told that casualties were at a minimum due to the Leagues efforts; and as a result the League members put their focus back on their personal commitments.
One day Dante helped Green Arrow and Black Canary bust a biker gang running guns and drugs. On that same day he helped Red Tornado and Supergirl rescue a burning village in South America.
Another day, Dante assisted Vixen and Vigilante with taking down a warlord in Africa.
Today, Dante assisted Shazam with an incident involving Arson Fiend.
"Dante!" Captain Marvel caught the half-devil leaving the Watchtower cafeteria, "nice assist in Philly!" he gave him a thumbs up.
"What's the point of being fireproof if I can't take down a few hotheads?" Dante said with a half-effort salute, "Hope the game's fun."
As Shazam passed he turned back, eyes wide open, "Oh, uh, I'm sure those kids are having a great time with it." he said with a forced smile.
(Philadelphia - Earlier that day…)
Two boys stood outside of a video game store, looking at the poster of a newly released game through the shop window. The rating was labeled 'MATURE 17+'
One of the boys had crutches to support his bad legs. He turned to his foster brother, "Come on, Billy, they won't even let Shazam buy it?"
Billy gave his brother an annoyed glance, "I tried, but Shazam doesn't have an ID."
"That's so stupid!" Freddy said, the handicapped kid leaning against the store window, "You get an adult body, why can't stores ever just use their discretion?"
"It's cool dude, I'll just get someone else to buy it for us." Billy said confidently as he glanced at the people walking by. He smiled when he saw Dante coming up the street.
Billy nudged his foster brother, "This guy."
Fred looked at Dante and frowned, seeming uncertain, "I dunno about that guy Bill."
"Will you just trust me?" Billy sighed, "I have a good feeling about this guy." Billy stepped in front of Dante, "Hey D-uh, mister." Billy started awkwardly. Dante stopped and looked at the 12 year old, "My brother and I are gonna die next week so it's really important that we play that game." he jabbed a thumb to the poster, "Can you buy it for us? We have the cash for it." he held up a wad of $60.
Dante studied the poster of the game. It showed three psychotic looking thugs wielding assault rifles; blood and gore splattering them, the background, and the font of the game's title.
"What wholesome entertainment for children." Dante said, taking the money and heading into the shop, "Pro tip, if you're gonna buy adult games, movies, drinks, try to bribe the next adult you hire. Otherwise they're liable to just take your money or call the cops."
The two boys high fived each other, "Sweet!"
"It was a nice thing you did… for those kids." Shazam finished nervously, other heroes and watchtower staff passing him giving him odd glances.
Dante glanced back at Shazam, "It was nothing." he gave the hero a knowing look, "I was a kid once too."
Shazam was shook by the look the devil hunter gave him. Dante chuckled as he continued on.
-DMC-
(Later that evening)
The devil was asleep in his bed, face buried in his pillow. A figure masked in shadow materialized in his darkened room. The figure walked up and stood next to his bed.
"Dante." It said.
When it received no response it stepped up close, leaning over him, "Dan-"
The devil hunter immediately had Ebony pointed in the figure's face before he even had eyes on it.
"Wow," Zatanna said as she smiled at the gun, "that's how you greet friends?"
Dante sat up in the bed, smiling back at her as he lowered the gun, "Am I in heaven?"
"A for effort." Zatanna said.
Dante got a good look at her. The magician's skin was translucent, a hint that he was speaking to an apparition or astral projection of some kind, "Guess you're too occupied to see me in person."
"Yeah, sorry, got a big show in Vegas tonight. One you should see!" Zatanna said as she put a hand on her hips.
Dante folded his arms behind his head as he smirked at the woman, "Must be a hell of a show if you needed to tell me like this."
"It will be," Zatanna said confidently, "And I also got an update on your little… predicament."
"Do you now?" Dante leaned forward, "What is it?"
"I'll tell you when you get there." Zatanna said.
"You can't just tell me now?" Dante asked, his head leaning to the side.
Zatanna smirked at him, "If I did that you wouldn't have a reason to come." she playfully blew a kiss at him before her projection vanished.
Dante huffed, leaning back to the pillow, "I still would've shown up."
-DMC-
(Las Vegas)
Dante stepped into the Grand Garden Arena located inside the MGM Casino in Vegas.
There was a crowd of hundreds gathering in the auditorium seats. Dante himself was caught up at the usher stand.
"Excuse me, sir, do you have a tick-?" the teenage usher began to ask him. Dante immediately switched on Quicksilver and side-stepped the obnoxious teenager. He left the teen behind to look around, frantically trying to find the man that vanished from his sight.
Dante walked with the crowd before breaking off to a ramp that led to the backstage. He could hear the angry feminine voice of Zatanna going off a distance away. He followed it to see the woman yelling at a group of men that were dressed in punk gear. Context clues; being the outfits and the instruments in hand, told Dante that they were a rock band.
"We're sorry miss," one of the band members said, the young man holding a set of drumsticks in his hands, "He was so busted up we thought-"
"Well why didn't you guys think to just bring him with you anyways?!" Zatanna shouted, her tone of voice spelling she was about three seconds from turning the men in front of her into cockroaches.
"You're frightening when you're mad," the sorceress turned to the new voice, "if you yelled at me like that I wouldn't show up either." Dante said.
"Dante!" Zatanna gasped happily before running up and hugging the devil hunter. Dante hugged her back.
"Technical difficulties?" Dante asked.
"Yep." Zatanna deadpanned, leading the devil hunter to the band members, "These-very tardy-boys were supposed to put on a show with yours truly providing the effects." Zatanna said. Dante glanced at the boys. They looked familiar, "A live music video if you will."
"And what happened?" Dante asked.
The lead singer rubbed his mohawk, "Our van crashed on the way here and, well, our lead guitarist injured his arm."
Dante thought back before he grimaced. This sounded familiar, "Oh…"
Dante ripped into a pack of demonic dogs that tried to get the jump on him in a dark alley off The Strip.
The son of Sparda jabbed the prongs of Cthulhu into the back of one demon. He swung the staff around, sending a wave of high pressure water that hammered the others and knocked them away. He swung the trident up, knocking the head off the last dog before kicking the disembodied dog-head like a soccer ball into the busy street. The head hit the windshield of a decorated black van that cruised down the street.
The van's driver, getting a near literal face full of ugly demon, panicked and swerved off the road, hitting a sidewalk vendor stand.
"Crap." Dante sighed.
The owner of the vendor stand ran up to the van, yelling all manner of curses and expletives at the band members that scrambled out of it. Dante was about to approach the vendor and explain himself, but then the vendor pointed to his stand,
"Now who's gonna pay for all this?!" the vendor shouted.
Dante's eyes widened, and he decided to continue walking.
"Yeah." Dante said, rubbing the back of his neck innocently, "Maybe I can help."
"You can shred a guitar, man?" the bassist of the band asked, his accent british.
"Lemme hear the song." Dante said. The singer brought up his phone and earbuds for Dante to listen.
For the next few minutes Dante grinned, "I can play this thing."
The band mates looked at each other before the singer said, "You serious? You just heard the song."
"Just give me the ax." Dante said, nodding to the electric guitar leaning on the wall.
The drummer handed the instrument to Dante, who wrapped the strap around his shoulder.
The chatter heard from the crowd told them they were tired of waiting.
"I guess it's now or nothing, eh?" the singer said. He and the band members moved to the curtains that separated the backstage from the crowd.
As Dante moved to follow them, Zatanna put a hand on his shoulder, "No pressure, Dante. It's okay if you mess up. Just know that if you do I'll only turn you into a puppy for the night." the sorceress said with a smile.
Dante smiled back, "If it means you'll feed me treats and let me sleep at the end of your bed, I might have to skip a few notes." he winked at her. Dante followed after the band, taking the stage with them.
The crowd was already cheering as they stood before them on stage.
The singer looked to Dante, and the son of Sparda nodded to the audience. The area went pitch black dark, before the entire area and setting of the auditorium changed to that of a flat desert. Dante's foot scuffed the ground, picking up sand and dust.
No illusion.
This was a real desert.
The acoustic guitarist of the band began strumming his rhythm.
The crowd, who was familiar with the song, was silent for this part.
The singer then sang along to the solo acoustic guitar.
"Yeah~, you've been alone~
I've been gone for far too long~
But with all that we've been through~
After all this time I'm coming home to you~"
The acoustic guitarist kept up his rhythm.
Dante stood still, waiting for his part. He looked up, the very real sky above began forming clouds that hung over the desert. His fingers rested on the strings of his electric instrument.
"Never let it show~
The pain I've grown to know~
'Cause with all these things we do~
It don't matter when I'm coming home to you~"
The devil's blood was pumping. It was almost time. A warm wind swept through the desert and through the crowd.
"I reach towards the sky I've said my goodbyes~
My heart's always with you now~
I won't question why so many have died~
My prayers have made it through yeah~
'Cause with all these things we do~
It don't matter when I'm coming home to YOUUU~"
Dante and the rest of the band let loose, shredding guitars and banging drums to the singers scream.
A lightning storm broke out through the desert, the lightning seeming to flash with every rev Dante made of his guitar.
"Letters~ keep me warm~
Helped~ me through the storm~"
Several tornadoes formed in the far distance, forming a massive ring that encircled the audience.
"But with all that we've been through~
After all this time I'm coming home to you~"
Dante shred away at the guitar, the man keeping rhythm with the rest of the band. He saw off in the distance that the tornadoes were moving in a mesmerizing ring around them, and the skies above were a beautiful swirl of dark clouds.
"I've always been true~
I've waited so long just to come hold you~
I'm making it through~
It's been far too long, we've proven our~
love over time's so strong, in all that we do~"
The clouds parted, revealing a sky full of sparkling stars.
"The stars in the night, they lend me their light~
to bring me closer to heaven with you~"
Dante rocked out to a guitar solo, impressing the crowd and even his bandmates. Somehow, everyone present at the venue began to float up into the sky, as if elevated by the half-devil's guitar solo. The night sky rapidly went through a cycle where the moon and stars rapidly shifted to daytime; the sun, and blue skies above them with the crowd of people floating within the clouds.
"But with all that we've been through~
After all this time I'm coming home to you~"
The sky shifted from day to night again, a meteor shower displaying across the night sky. The star formation was of two hands holding, before the stars changed to the hands releasing.
"I reach towards the sky I've said my goodbyes~
My heart's always with you now~"
The sky was day again, the clouds forming a heart that was held in two hands.
"I won't question why so many have died~
My prayers have made it through yeah~
'Cause with all these things we do~
It don't matter when I'm coming home to you~"
The clouds dispersed and everyone slowly lowered to the ground, the area darkening.
"And with all that we've been through~
After all this time I'm coming home to you~"
The area completely darkened with the final verses. The crowd found themselves back in the auditorium.
Cheers and shouts of approval erupted from the audience. Dante and the band bowed and high fived each other.
"Righteous, dude!" The singer fist bumped Dante, "You know how to rock!"
Zatanna ran up on the stage, hugging Dante, "That was awesome!"
"Don't sell yourself short," Dante told the magician, "what you did was insane. You teleport all of us?"
Zatanna snorted, "Maybe. But you'll never know for certain." she put her hand on her hip, nodding to the crowd, "You up for two more songs?"
Dante grinned, "Let's do it!"
After the show, Zatanna led Dante backstage. The two could hear the chatter of the audience die down as the people left.
"So what did you have for me?" Dante asked the sorceress.
The second Z opened her mouth, the building rocked, the sound of a nearby explosion interrupting her. The two could hear screams and shouts coming from the casino that the auditorium was built in.
"Always something." Zatanna shrugged.
Dante nodded, "Always something."
A gang of thugs dressed in white outfits in the theme of playing card emblems raided the casino, having neutralized the security on the scene and scared off the patrons. The thug, themed as an Ace; a buff meathead of a man, punched the wall of the Cashier section, bursting the wall to expose the frightened men and women working on the other side.
The thug dressed as a king grabbed one of the women in the Cashier section, "The safe! Where is it?"
The woman hesitated, "I-It…" The King, a man wearing a crown with red visors, put a finger to his temple, and the blonde woman's eyes widened, her irises enlarging, "It's behind the wall." she robotically said as she pointed to the Cash room.
The King tossed the mind controlled woman away.
The thug dressed as a Jack took initiative. His left eye, a red implant, glow before a laser shot and blasted a hole through the wall, the explosion frightening the workers of the room who screamed. The smoking hole in the wall revealed a brightly lit room with a massive metal safe embedded into the far wall.
The Queen of the group smiled evilly, "Easy pickings."
A woman with a short black mohawk, and a Ten painted into the back of her neck, stood behind the Queen, "Damn straight."
The gang started to continue inside,
"Well well well, a Royal Flush." Zatanna said, getting the attention of the criminals, "I win."
"Aw man," Dante groaned, "I never get those."
The Royal Flush gang looked between one another, the King getting mad at the jester, "She's here?! You said she'd be at Caesars Palace! Idiot!" He punched the jester.
The Queen, a woman wearing a crown and a pink visor, pulled out three cards, the edges sharp enough to slice through metal, "I have a magic act for you, magician… I'm gonna slice you in half."
"Shiver me timbers, I'm so afraid of an act I do every tuesday." Zatanna deadpanned. The other members of the Royal Flush gang stood side by side, ready to challenge the two demon slayers, "You like card games handsome?" she asked Dante without turning to him.
Dante got a good look at the gang who challenged them and laughed, "I dunno Z, given how bad I am when it comes to cards, this lot of morons might actually be too much for me."
"Ooh, I hate to hear that, Dante." Zatanna said as she summoned a deck of cards in her hands, "But fortunately for you, unlike these guys I have a few Aces up my sleeves." She shuffled her cards before fanning them out for Dante, top down, "Pick three."
Dante looked over the cards before randomly picking three from the deck.
Zatanna took the three cards and looked over them, before a grin crossed her face, "Not bad." She threw the cards to the floor and three ethereal figures materialized from them; a buff martial artist wearing a sleeveless white gi and red headband; a blue, knee-high robot in the shape of a young boy, a bulky cannon attached to his right arm; and an elegant white wolf backed with beautiful orange flames.
"Oh that's cool." Dante grinned.
The three summons engaged the criminals.
Ace traded punches with the martial artist. The thug nailed the martial artist in the jaw with a building leveling right hook. The martial artist shook off the blow and flipped back. He immediately lunged in and buried his fist deep in the criminal's stomach, and then knocked the criminal away with a roundhouse kick.
Ten charged energy into her fists, and fired vicious blasts at the pintsized robot boy. The little cyborg rolled to dodge the blasts of energy that destroyed chunks of the floor. It responded by firing a shot from its cannon that hit Ten, knocking her off her feet and rendering her unconscious.
Ace slammed his fist to the floor in anger, cracking the tile. When he looked at the martial artist his eyes widened in shock at the pose the man took; arms cupped at his side and blue energy forming in the palms. The martial artist thrust his hands forward, "HADOUKEN!" the blast of ki shot from his palms, an attack that Ace put his arms up to block. The impact of the blast knocked the criminal's arms open, leaving his defense nonexistent.
The martial artist got in, fist low for an uppercut, "Shoryuken!"
An explosion of pain burst through Ace's jaw as the punch connected full on with his chin. The criminal was unconscious before he hit the floor.
The wolf howled victoriously, having made short work of the King.
The Queen threw her cards at the wolf that leaped to the side, dodging the blades; one of the cards sliced through numerous slot machines before getting embedded to a wall. The wolf charged at the woman, leaving scorched floor in its wake before jumping up and swinging its tail at the Queen, knocking her out and leaving her with moderate burns.
"And then there was one." Dante said with folded arms.
The last member of the gang, the Jester, was now spooked. He hopped on a massive playing card on the floor. The card jetted up off the floor, into the air, and flew through the hole in the building wall.
"This one's mine." Dante said as he walked up to the Ace's card. He stomped down on it, the card lifting off the floor. He jumped onto it.
"Have fun, but not too much fun." Zatanna said as she waved Dante off.
"No promises." Dante said.
The devil hunter flew through the hole in the casino wall and out into the Vegas streets, shocking the civilians walking the Strip. He rather liked this flying card. Maneuvering it was as simple as leaning to one side or the other, like a floating skateboard. He picked up quickly on the trail of the Jester, and made way after him.
Jester looked back to see Dante gaining on him, and grit his teeth in anger and frustration. His robotic eye rapidly shot lasers at Dante who leaned and veered around to dodge. Jester charged up a powerful beam and shot it, only for Dante whoop and corkscrew through the air around it.
Dante raced after the man who serpentined all around the Vegas architectures; the Statue of Liberty, the pyramid, the Eiffel Tower. Jester's staff became imbued with red energy as Dante flew up next to him. He swung the staff at the devil who half-heartedly dodged and weaved.
Jester blinked his eyes and Dante was gone, having completely vanished from view. He turned back and gasped when he flew directly into the bar of a trident, getting knocked off the card and hurtling down to six feet of concrete.
Dante landed the card next to Jester, the villain having landed on the sidewalk of the Strip. He hopped off it and stood next to him, nudging the criminal with his foot, "Groan if you're breathing."
Jester groaned pitifully, the man face first in the concrete.
"Good." Dante picked up Ace's card and walked away from Jester, "I'm keeping this thing." he said as he waved the card. Police sirens were quickly approaching.
Entering the now empty auditorium, Dante met back with Zatanna, oversized card in hand, "Now that that headache is dealt with." he nodded for her to pick up where they left off.
"Ah, yeah," Zatanna twirled her hair around her finger, "so, bad news… I don't know what that brand is on your neck."
"Oh come on, Z." Dante groaned.
"I'm sorry bud, that thing is cryptic as all hell." Zatanna adjusted her hat, "It's like one of those buttons you never push on a calculator. But, good news!" she held up a hand, "I know a certain someone that deals in the dark and occult, and has a brain for that bigger than mine."
"Okay, cool." Dante said, "Can you take me to him?"
"No." Zatanna said plainly, "I like you, Dante, honestly, but not enough to deal with him. I'll tell you where he is, but you'll have to meet up with him yourself. I won't stand to be in the same city with him." her voice dripped with disgust.
"Oh, he's one of those guys." Dante nodded. He folded his arms, "Alright… What's this guy's name?"
-DMC-
A/N: I'm proud of myself for getting chapters out this frequently. Hopefully you all enjoyed this one as much as the others.
I'm thinking, since Dante will be collecting an arsenal of Devil Arms throughout this story, I'll provide a description for the ones he collects. Descriptions provided on the chapters he obtains them, of course.
Devil Arm: Cthulhu
Origin: After showing the Abyssal Dark the light, Dante added the Atlantean menace's power to his new arsenal of Devil Arms.
Form: Trident
Ability: This trident is imbued with the crushing power of the sea's darkest depths. The already impossibly sharp prongs will summon a backing of magical water that can shred through enemies with every swing. When wielded under water, the user can shoot through the oceans at unbeatable speeds and command sea life.
Type: Melee
Damage/speed: Balanced. Good for single targets and few enemies. Not good for crowds.
Lemme know your thoughts and all that.
(Bonus Points if you knew the song Dante rocked out to… before looking up the lyrics -_-)
Happy 4th!