Infinite Cry Zero: Dante and Vergil
Chapter 1
"Don't you dare to say it!"
Surrounded by demons from all angles, Dante and Vergil assuming a defensive position. Each back was on another's with complete trust in the gaping jaw of danger.
"Jackpot!"
Dante unleashed fire volleys from his identical pistols at the two incoming ferocious lizard-like beasts. Those wild hot spinning iron leads punched those beasts right on their body, leaving multiple lethal shocks resulting in a spontaneous halt on their track as though there was an invincible wall suddenly appeared. As those beasts stood awkwardly erect in recovering from the shocks, Dante applied more well placed shot each penetrated through their face and killing them.
Syncing his silver eyes along the movement of his arm where the pistol with identical color paired with his eyes, Evory burst out multiple bullets intercepting more beasts on their path from the right side. He kept spraying the carnage until his instinct kicked in to suddenly jumped his eyes to the opposite direction. A grim-reaper like creature sneaked upon him and brought its carried sickle upward with an eerie howl.
Before the demon could complete its motion, Ebony, the other pistol with opposite color from Evory, sent the foul creature back onto the air with a fierce BANG! The kickback from the jet black gun told Dante to re-correcting his aim at a group of same looking demons like the one he just sent airborne. Nevertheless, he dispatched them one by one bullet each with deadly marksmanship.
The threat on his left had subsided. Dante returned to the area covered by Evory. The chrome white pistol slid backward in exhaustion. Looking at the number of demons ridden by freshly smoking bullet holes all over their body then slowly crumbled down by themselves like cookies, Dante single handedly slapped a fresh set of magazine replacing Evory's empty chamber.
Just then, a shriek coming from up above. A giant sized bat, body engulfed in blazing crimson fire of hell making a sharp dive toward Dante. Out from its foul mouth, a thick wide flame spraying the air of death by inflammation to anything across its vicinity and reduced them into ashes-including the demons on the ground.
Dante did not budge from his stand. He opened his legs in entering a shooting stance. Twirling both guns in quick motion, whipping them straight at the incoming aerial demon.
"It's your lucky day."
RATATATATATATAT! Out of the barrels from both guns, a savage firestorm of bullets. The barrage firing rhythm created by Ebony and Evory was impossible to achieve to achieve with such rapid succession created by Dante's fingers. He was practically shooting faster than a gun with full auto performance, yet there was any protest coming from Ebony's kicks nor Evory's demand for a short firing reset. No. As if Dante melted both guns together and magically turned his pistols into one rapid firing machine gun.
The suppressing fire Dante unleashed extinguished the flame on the fire bat. Losing its altitude from the holes on its wings, the giant bat crashed landing and tumbled once, twice, thrice toward Dante. The fourth never came when an aerial roundhouse kick performed by Dante sending a new crash course to a new group of advancing demon onto his side. Receiving such a powerful kick, the fire bat's stomach began to bulge. It became bigger and bigger with orange stretch across the surface of its skin. Like a popping water balloon, the fire bat took the whole new invading demon group together into ashes with a searing fiery explosion.
Vergil studying the movements of his opponent carefully. A bloody reptilian-like creature standing on two took several strides toward him. Unlike the ones his brother fought where they were driven by ferocious instinct, this one apparently was composedly calm as if it possessed a certain degree of intelligent on its own by reflecting Vergil's observation right back at him. One, two, the two combatants engaging in psychological warfare against each other amidst every passing chaotic second.
At the strike of the fifth second, the red lizard brandishing bleeding curvy stingers out of its webby hand. A bloodthirsty light flashed in its eyes before it disappeared. But not fleeing from this fight. Instead, it created multiple imagery illusions with its eye blinking movement speed. It appeared and disappeared in rapid internal between left and right.
Dante's twin did not show any perturbed signs facing this agile monster. Vergil focused. He grasped the after image left by the beast with his own vision. That after image spanned across his eyes until Vergil caught up with the real live image of the monster making a turn from his left to his back with stinger outstretched forward, ready to gauge Vergil's innards.
Having fully read the lizard's movement like an open book, Vergil took a counter evasive maneuver.
"Scum."
Was the cold remark as the red lizard's head fell to the ground. Losing its directional guidance, the body kept running in the same direction and speed like a headless chicken until it went blue on blue with a group of demons.
Vergil did not come to a halt. For what came next after the red lizard was a solid band of five demon knights complete with their leader, who carried a greater sword than its minions and clad in the only color that distinguished their ranks-black.
Shields in front, the minions formed a perfect defensive arrow. Formation protecting their general behind. Vergil, through sheer concentration summoned blue ghostly swords around him. Their shiny tips had their end pointing at the demon knights formation. Then, each of the sword simultaneously pulled back together before committing a group of suicide attack in blistering speed onto their target. There were exactly eight crashing sound like glasses breaking, yet none of the demons broke from their solid stance.
The demon knight general, as if waiting for Vergil to make his first move, rose its sword and gave its underlings a permission to attack by a ferocious roar. Despite their barbaric cry, those demonic knights movements were perfectly coordinated.
The center knight was the first one to exchange sword blows with Vergil. Being the most agile than his twin and apparently, than the opponent in front of him, Vergil made quick counter works against his opponent. Unfortunately, the flesh was welly hidden by the thick armor worn by his opponent. Vergil's slices capable of separating flesh from bone within single stroke were mitigated from its lethality. Yet they still produced an acceptable result by pushing back his combatant several steps away. As soon as he was done, the left and right demon knights came from Vergil's sides with sword in a swinging horizontal arc. Vergil simply bent down faster than those two sword which thirst for his neck upper body. The last demon knight mirrored by Yamato came behind with sword raised up. Vergil was in a tight spot. No time for him to reclaim his ground. He bent too low and was now outmaneuvered in this mobility demanding battle.
Outmanuvered, but yet outclashed. Utilizing the scabbard he had in other hand, Vergil shot it backward. Once connected to the demon knight on his back, an unseen explosion knocked back his opponent far from where it came from. As his opponent fell behind, Vergil rose, sheathing Yamato.
He was now boxed at four direction with no escape. The demon knight general issued another attacking order. All of its minions simultaneously charging toward center where Vergil stood while the demon knight general went for a leaping attack to perfectly secure their kill. Vergil however, not a slightest intention to make a break out of the cage crossed his mind. He would end them all, right here by a sleigh of his balding technique.
Getting onto a blading stance, chilly air rushed out of him. Inhaling,
"The way of judgement…"
The demon knights' swords fell altogether at the same time. At midway of falling, the chilly air suddenly became freezing gust, then ear bleeding whizz. Vergil once again bent down to the ground. Once he did so, the freezing gust was over and the falling blades never came at him. Those demon knights including their general froze in their motion as though time suddenly came to a stop.
"…is by cut."
CLINK! When Yamato returned inside its scabbard, those demon knights slowly crumbled down. Flesh and metals, piece by pieces, all bore marks of clean sword cuts.
The ground suddenly shook on Dante and Vergil's footings. Driven by instinct and unspoken agreement, the twins reached for the air. A giant creature, ugly and pudgy perfectly go well with its ferociousness in surfacing to the ground. If high rank demons have pet in hell, then this beast would perfectly be their main candidate for it had a striking resemblance toward a hamster from its physical form ant the giant stone collar circled on its back.
Dante unloaded another volley of gunshots at that beast midair. Its stone hard sin deflected all of his shots, but most importantly Dante had agitated the beast. It pouted in protest, then spat out a huge chunk of boulder from its mouth. Dante did not expect his. He crossed both guns covering his vital parts, bracing for the impact.
It never came. Instead, Vergil appeared in between Dante and the boulder. With a singular stroke out of Yamato's scabbard, Vergil sliced the boulder into 2 like a knife through butter and the split boulder flew past the twin harmlessly. Vergil reversed his grip on Yamato mid air. He levelled up the blade above his forehead, shifting his body weight to the lower part of his body, Vergil accelerated his landing.
"Stop right there!"
With deadly precision combined together by inhuman strength-excluding the barbaric yelp, Yamato entered through the giant beast's head from above all the way down until it existed through the flesh of its lower jaw. The beast proven sturdier than it seemed. What Vergil did only provoked the beast more and drove it into enraging. It shook Vergil violently from its body, yet Vergil was not easily to be thrown from his mount. He twisted Yamato, expanding the area of the wound he inflicted the more the beast wiggle.
"What a pain." Vergil cussed.
Dante landed on two feet. He holstered his pistols and formed a grip onto the air. Crimson flames burst out of the space where he formed his grip and a jet black triangular sword completed the gap made by his hand. Its jet black enormous design held wicked ornament along the body and the center of the sword was covered by an additional layer of coating. Dante ran toward Vergil. The Devil Sword Dante, named after his own name from the events unfolded in Redgrave City began radiating with crimson light. It grew brighter and brighter until suddenly the red light faded as the center snapped open. 6 phantom blades came out from the center of the devil sword forming a quick rotating conical form in front of Dante with each sword's tip centered at one directional spot aiming at the giant beast.
"Hi-YAAAAH!"
Dante's barbaric cry blasted through the air. Vergil immediately pulled out Yamato and flipped to the air before Dante brought his sword forward. The spot where Vergil left once again became a merciless target for Dante as he brutally thrusted his blade to the beast's head. There was an explosion occurred sending a powerful shock that stopped the beast from wailing painfully from both the twins' sword stab. Right after Dante struck the beast with his blade, those rotating phantom blades possessed the beast in a drilling manner. The damage spread eventually throughout the beast body leading into total eruption of its rock skin within and exposed its white, juicy flesh.
"You are finished."
Vergil twisted his hip midair performing an aerial slash. A chilly air brushed the giant beast. Then it fell perfectly split apart in two upon Vergil's smooth landing not far from Dante in one piece.
While the twin made a solid teamwork in the face against the demons of hell, the invasion never ceased coming. They were back in square one entrusting their own back onto each other.
Yamato pointed at every single demons hungrily as Vergil eyeing his next victims cold bloodedly preventing the demons on his side from advancing further by their kin's carcasses left by the twin's combat works. Some even followed their instinct to retrace few steps back, barking, but no bite. Yet. Just by looking at Vergil, they felt being sliced already even though Yamato had not being extended further from where Vergil stood at.
"Who's…ready to die next?"
Though the cold provocation displayed Vergil's confidence of being able to slaughter these damned beings more, the pause betrayed his speech. Vergil did not know how long he could prolong this stalemate by intimidation. Sooner or later, one of them would discover his bluff. Who knows, perhaps something was currently moving underground making its way to surface.
"Anything will do now, little brother."
Vergil said without breaking his eyes. He was hoping to hear Dante's voice. At least just once amidst the snarls and bloodthirsty beastly growls.
Suddenly, a fierce engine roared throughout the area sending a wind blast from behind. Vergil stole a glance back from the corner of his eyes and almost surprised by what he saw.
A large sleek racing 2 wheeled vehicle appeared from where Dante stood. Its sides were coated with jet black metallic attachments. Underneath the inverted V shape steering bar, is 2 pairs of outstretched razor saws whislt 2 big mufflers are attached on each side at the back of the motorcycle. Revving the engine, preparing to depart,
"What you lack, is this." Dante patted the empty seat behind. "Thought you may like it."
Vergil smiled inwardly taking the tease lightheartedly. He turned around and immediately hopped onto the prepared space.
"Now I am motivated."
With Vergil now breaking eye contact, the demons on his side leapt toward the twin followed by the rest of them from all sides simultaneously.
"Before we go, I gotta take her for a spin."
"Fine by me."
Holding the brake while simultaneously pulling the accelerator down to rock bottom, slamming the steer hard on one side, Dante performing a fierce 360 degree Mad Max turn.
If the demons coming at them are fruits thrown into a blender, then Dante and Vergil are the spinner and its blade combined in creating a tornado of red color.
After completing 5 deadly circles, Dante released the brake both twins flew forward. It was a bumpy bee line motion at first with painful demon cries either being rammed forward or fell victims to Vergil's Yamato from the sideways. In adrenaline demanding moment, Dante stabilizing the steer and the motorcycle's balance. One mistake would throw them to the claws of the horde. Yet Dante skillfully evaded the grim reaper's grasp. The bike blasting with tremendous speed in a straight line, leaving the demons with their booing scream as they watched their prey gaining distance.
Those who didn't persist with their useless howling immediately went after the brothers. 2 new red lizard, exactly like the one Vergil beheaded chased them. Their nimble lightweight feet quickly closed the gap with the motorcycle in such a short time. Each took a position on sides of the bike.
Brandishing their claw, bot demons dispersed into thin air. Vergil, who kept an eagle eye behind Dante already known what they were up to. He calmly followed their movements, making a quick judgement on which one going to attack first based from their movement intensity. He finally made a vertical upper sword cut on his right splitting the beast into two. A small amount of blood flew to Dante's right eye and hindered his vision.
"Goddamnit! Where's the other one?"
Dante brought his face closer to his shoulder, rubbing the stain off his face. By the time it was done, the other red lizard loomed right in front of him in a surprise attack. Claws outstretched, performing a vertical wide arc swing at his face.
Yamato shot forward next to Dante's ear. It skewered through the demon's throat sending a shock that instantly stopped its track. Vergil raised his sword, flicked sideway discarding the inhuman corpse, then finally rested the sword back inside its scabbard.
While the dead lizard failed to rip Dante's face off, it managed to strike his inner composure. The bike slightly veered sideways, speed changing inconstantly. A black horizon lies ahead.
"Cliff ahead, Dante! You got to stop!"
"Damnit! I can't make the brake."
Dante fought the steer for balance, once again bringing the throttle down to bottom.
"Get ready to jump, Vergil!"
The motorcycle flew off the cliff. A wide bottomless abyss spread underneath them.
"Now Vergil, jump!"
"I can't reach the cliff, it's too far!"
"Climb my back and jump!"
Vergil obeyed. Dante's back served as an extra stepping stone for him in gaining jumping height. Channeling his magical power midair, Vergil boosted himself forward further. He extended his hand and managed to grab a spot to hang onto. Doing the same after Vergil, letting go of his bike, fortune finally seemed to cast her face from Dante.
Dante failed to grab a spot to climb on the other side of the cliff. Instead, he hung onto Yamato's scabbard. The suddent weight increase on the left side of his body almost dragged Vergil down and he barely cling onto the edge with one hand.
"Guh! Hang on, Dante! I'm going to swing you. Look out for any spots you can hold onto!"
Dante however, casted a hopeless sight down betraying the playfulness on his tone.
"You know Vergil, this brings back memories doesn't it? Remember when you fell off the cliff and I tried to catch you? Irony sucks eh?"
"Stop uttering foolishness and look around while I can still hold on you, Dante!"
"Sorry Vergil, but this time is a one way ticket for me. Just like what you did to send me back to human realm last time."
"Foolishness, foolishness, FOOLISHNESS!"
"Indeed, I am but your stupid little brother. You are smart, so you will find a way to climb up, yeah?"
"Yeah, and I will take us up both so shut up! Look! What about your promise to Nero? Didn't you promise him to keep an eye out me?"
"Kid's going to learn that adults lie about the world's being all rainbow and sprinkles."
"Then what about Lady…and Trish?! You have women who love you and waiting for your return, little brother!"
"And you have a son who's waiting for you at the other side, for God sake, Big Brother! Trust me, your family is more important than my romance. Nero has a wife. Soon you will be a grandfather."
"What did you say?"
"You heard me. Besides, I have rotten luck with women. Farewell, Big Brother. It's been a blast. Get the hell out, yeah?"
Dante let go of his hand.
"DAAAANTEEEEEEEEEE!"
Whipping out Evory, Dante unloaded a burst of fire forcing Vergil's survival instinct to stay. Nothing Vergil could do but to watch his twin being swallowed into the darkness.
Either I continue this chapter next, or postpone it for the for the different chapter of Infinite Cry Zero: Tony Redgrave's chapter.