Aiden shot up from his motel room bed, panting heavily with a thin coat of sweat covering his neck and collarbone.
("Aiden! Aiden! Are you alright, son!?") The worried voice of Sparda called out to him.
"Y-yeah, I'm-I'm fine." He answered as he struggled to swallow the bits of saliva, blocked by his hyperventilate state.
("Was it a nightmare about... that day?") The old demon hesitantly asked
The now 20-year old young man let out a deep, shaky breath to Sparda's correct answer.
"Yeah... it was."
("Do you want to talk about it with me or Eva? It could help with-")
"No. We'll talk about it once I'm done with my mission." Aiden interrupted his foster father's suggestion.
The old demon let out a small sigh to his foster son's answer. ("Alright, but you better fulfill your promise. You know how my wife gets whenever she's worried sick.")
The raven haired young man chuckled nervously, though with a little bit of relief. If there's one valuable lesson he has learned about Sparda's wife, is to never, EVER worry her
("Yeah, I'll proceed to engrave that into my brain.")
Aiden stood up from his bed, feeling just a tad bit more calm after remembering the very embarrassing yet very heartwarming memories of Eva scolding him.
He stood up from his bed and headed to the small bathroom.
When he turned on the bathrooms light, the cabinet mirror reflected the young man's lean yet muscular build. His raven hair medium in length as a few large hair bangs covered his left eye completely, obscuring half of his forehead.
Aiden didn't dwell on his current look as he opened the cabinet's mirror and grabbed the neatly folded white towel resting inside.
He dapped the dry cloth over his forehead before rubbing the towel all over his collarbone. The wet sensation gone every time he rubbed the towel over the sweaty areas.
("Aiden, are you alright sweetie?") The soft voice of a woman asked him in concern.
That voice belonged to Sparda's mentioned wife, and Aiden's official foster mother; Eva.
"Just recovering, Eva." Aiden answered as he let out a shaky breath.
("My husband told me you suffered another nightmare about... that day?")
Aiden didn't respond verbally as he sunk his head down. Eva letting out a saddened sigh as she knew the answer.
("Do you want to talk about it before you leave?")
"Once I'm done with my mission first, Eva."
Eva let out another sad sigh.
("Just try to not cope with it in an unhealthy and harmful way.")
The young man let out a nervous chuckle as his mind quickly dug up a certain memory. "Well, I learned that from the terrifying glare you gave me... and the punishment that came soon after."
("Well can you blame me!? Last winter you decided to meditate under a waterfall! Do you have any idea how bad your hypothermia could've been if me and my husband didn't stop you!?")
The boy scratched his head in embarrassment.
("My mind wasn't in a good place, Eva. Again, I'm sorry for scaring you and Sparda like that.")
The worried woman let out a sigh after she has calmed down from her rant ("Just be careful out there. Alright sweetie?")
("I will.")
He folded the towel to it's once neat state and put it back in the cabinet.
He walked out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him.
The remainder of his clothing was resting on a chair he placed next to the bed.
He grabbed and slid on his purple turtleneck sweater, his black dress coat following along shortly.
He glanced at the black guitar case that was resting near the door of his room. The contents inside being a dark-brown acoustic guitar he found inside a dumpster a few years back.
The young man couldn't bear seeing an instrument like that to sit and rot. So he decided to take it under his possession and play it the way it was supposed to.
That soon become one the greatest decisions he has made as he enjoyed playing relaxing riffs of his favorite songs to put his mind at ease.
His lips curved into a soft smile as he remembered his two adoptive parents applauding him for playing a cover of their favorite songs. Just one of the various positives that came from owning the guitar.
He quickly shook away those memories. Now wasn't to time to go down memory lane.
He checked his clothing as he finished adjusting them. His reddish-brown eyes trailing down to every inch of the fabric to make sure it didn't have any hair, dust, or stains.
He nodded in satisfaction before he slid on his black dress boots, also inspecting to make sure those didn't have any stains on them as well.
Once he finished, he made his way to the door, grabbing his guitar case and exiting the room.
...
The second Aiden stepped outside, his body shivered in response to the below zero temperature of Russia's winter climate. Despite that however, he started walking on the snow covered sidewalk. His guitar case being held by one hand as the shivering was gone.
His current location was the city of Moscow; specifically in the Solntsevo district.
There were a lot of aspects that made the district well-known. But for Aiden, he heard of the place due to the Bratva making their usual rounds throughout the place.
A sane person would have wondered as to why the illicit aspect of Solntsevo was appealing enough for anyone to book a vacation.
For starters, Aiden wasn't here on a 'vacation,' nor did he want to think of staying in Russia to fulfill a selfish desire.
He was here because it was the second part section of his 'job,' as he preferred to call it.
The first section of his 'job' was to hunt and slay the various nightmares that decided to inhabit themselves on Earth's soil. And the second section of his 'job' was to travel around the world to take down whatever crime was present, whether it destroying run of the mill gangs or dismantling operations connected to organized crime.
A ever cycling routine he has completed for the past 5 years.
But Aiden could care less how repetitive and grueling the cycle was. As long as the innocent earned a brighter path towards their futures, then he'll be more than ready to endure the types of pain the world will subject him to.
("I hope the decent souls that live here will be able to live on in peace...")
Aiden slowed down his steps to the distraught voice of his foster mother.
He shared her sentiments. If there's one thing he hated about regions living in poverty, was the fact that the inhabitants who had a high chance of joining the illicit activities to better their chances of surviving.
And once they got in, their chances of making it out alive would diminish day by day.
("I agree with you, Eva. But now's not the time to dwell on the living conditions of the people. There is something far more dangerous lurking around. And it is my job to find it and kill it before it's too late...")
Aiden has been long used to hearing his foster mother expressing her caring nature in places like this. It was one of her most loveable traits that made her a great source for emotional support.
("I understand. I just hope we find the time to help some of the people here")
("Don't worry, we'll do so once we're done.")
The young foreigner stopped his leg movement to take a look around the current street he was in. Once his eyes set on the familiar sight of a stray cat resting under a cardboard box, he knew that he was getting close to his destination.
("Aiden, do you mind if we go over what we know of the bar?") Sparda suggested to his foster son.
("From the file that I stole from the police precinct? Sure.") Aiden answered nonchalantly, as if stealing classified information from the police was just a walk in the park.
("The bar was owned by the more legitimate branches of the Bratva. The operations that were held inside the top of the bar, which I guess only the lieutenants or bosses were allowed into, are rumored to have illegal auctions, major drug deals, and maintaining connections with corrupt politicians from this country and across international waters.")
("A place that only the scum of this city have the privilege of worming into. It's a relief knowing that we are the ones responsible for the establishment's downfall.") Sparda voiced out his thoughts in a spiteful tone.
The youth nodded in agreement.
("But what we're really focused on is the case that was reported three days ago.") Sparda recalled.
("Indeed. The citizens that live near the location felt a rumble that shook the entire block. At first they thought an earthquake was happening. But in reality the rumbling was coming from the basement of the bar, confirmed by the bartender and a couple of patrons.")
("It definitely must be a big demon to cause that sort of effect around it's environment.") Eva gave her guess to the information they had.
("Maybe, but perhaps this piece of information will be able to narrow it down even further.")
(The foster parents listened to Aiden in silence. "One of the door's of the basement is frozen solid. In fact, its so solid that all of the battering rams the police used broke within a couple of hours. And if that wasn't enough, they heard animalistic growling coming from the other side of the door. They stated that it sounded akin to a dog, but with a monstrous tone.")
Sparda hummed to the information of the report; the ancient demon trying to recall which demon fitted the description of everything the police reported.
After a few more seconds of humming Sparda answered.
("It's Cerberus, the triple-headed demon dog.")
Eva and Aiden were both surprised to hear that. Summoning small demons was considered to be a semi easy task, but summoning a demon of Cerberus caliber is complicated.
Which meant one thing:
("They must've been working for a long time to try and summon a demon that dangerous.") Eva figured
("It does look that way. And they're also downright stupid for even summoning a demon that's far from their control.") Aiden replied with a scowl.
Sparda let out a frustrated sigh, sharing his foster son's sentiment. ("What were these scumbags even thinking!? Summoning a demon as dangerous as Cerebeus is the equivalent of unleashing a massacre!")
("I don't know why they do it, dear. But what I do know is that we can't let it live on any longer.")
Sparda hummed in agreement to his wife. There would be time to berate the idioacrsy of the criminal organization.
...
After a few more minutes of walking on the brick sidewalk in the ice cold weather and turning a street or two, Aiden faced the bar that was across the street he was standing on.
The front of the bar was closed down with yellow tape, though vandalism of crude graffiti adorned the windows. And if that wasn't those same windows had holes in them.
Despite the dark secrets this establishment held, it was still a very nice place for anyone to relax in. It irked his nerves to see the corrupt possessing the audacity to utilize a harmless front to hide their real motives underneath the noses of the public.
Hopefully the next caretakers weren't filled with morally questionable ambition. The young really wants to see someone transforming the bar back into it's former glory.
The raven haired youth moved past those thoughts once he let out another deep breath. He strutted towards the bar, not needing to tear the tape as it was already ripped by another outside force.
...
After making a turn to a hallway, Aiden found a trapdoor that lead to the basement.
He grabbed the curved hatches of the door and pulled them, the prying door emitting a brief, ear piercing creak before he descended down the darkened stairs.
The amulet worked its power to give his eyes night vision for easier navigation (and to make sure he didn't drop his guitar case).
Once he took the last step of the stairs, his eyes laid on a wooden door. The kind that looked like it came from the medieval ages.
Aiden walked towards it and opened it, entering a collection room that stored a vast majority of alcoholic drinks.
The young man walked past them as what really brought his attention was the metal door that had a 1-9 keypad.
He pushed the buttons 2-1-8-8 as he remembered that the police file stated those numbers were the password for access.
After hearing a beep followed by click, he opened the door.
But as soon as he did a cold breeze swept past him, far more colder than the one he felt outside.
His body immediately reacted by shivering wildly, but after a couple of more seconds of withstanding the cold breeze the shivering stopped.
("Cerberus sure is welcoming me with open arms...") The young devil hunter thought sarcastically.
Aiden looked down on the guitar case he was still holding onto. It was time to get himself ready for action.
He gently layed down the case on the floor and opened it, revealing his acoustic guitar in all it's glory.
He smiled softly at the instrument for a moment before frowning. Now wasn't the time to play a tune, it was time to kick some demonic ass.
He turned the opened case around and pulled off the black silk lining to show the case's secret contents:
A black katana handle engraved in snake patterns wrapped in silver silk, a black metal fuchi, a round black metal tsubasa, a black habaki, and the final/most essential part of the weapon: a black blade that was 40 inches in length, forged from a demonic metal that made it far more durable than any metal of the human world.
He chose to assemble the handle first by connecting the habaki, then the tsubasa, then the fuchi, before finally connecting the handle into the blade.
After hearing the click from the weapon, he brought up the katana to his eyes, his lips forming a proud smile.
The Black Ghost was assembled and ready for action.
He then reached for the sword's black scabbard painted in a pattern of brush strokes. Silver cloud patrerns embedded into the scabbard's end with two thin silver ropes wrapped near the top.
Aiden twirled the katana before sliding it inside the scabbard.
He then grabbed the two small ropes attached to the sheath and tied them around his waist. It was essential of him to use both hands to swing the katana to it's fullest potential.
With all the sword's preparation said and done, devil hunter was now ready to walk down the dark hallway.
But before doing so...
Aiden put the guitar lining back in its place, adjusting it before closing the lid. The young man grabbed the case by the handle, concentrating for a second before it disappeared in a purple light.
The guitar has been stored in his amulet.
Aiden turned around to face the dark cold hallway in front of him.
("Aiden, are you prepared for this?") Sparda asked to his foster son.
"I wouldn't be if I wasn't here." Aiden answered his foster father in a casual fashion. But Sparda needed to remind the boy to not get too careless or reckless.
("Just remember to try and keep yourself calm. I have seen you're anger get the better of you on a few instances.")
("I am aware of that. Just as I am aware that you and Eva will keep my focus.")
("We're flattered to hear that, Aiden. Now go, I think we have wasted enough time chatting.") Sparda pressed the boy to go forward
Aiden did just that and descended into the cold hallway.
...
It didn't take too long for the young man to stand in front of the door blocked by a very thick sheet of ice with it's surrounding area being covered in a thinner sheet of ice.
Aiden stared at the frozen door for a long period of time. Before he busted down the door, he decided to have a discussion with Sparda to get more information on Cerberus.
("Anything I should take into mind before I face the triple-headed mutt?")
("Don't underestimate his intellect. He may he a guard dog, but that doesn't mean he isn't quick to adapt to a foreign situation. Also, keep watch for the ice beam he can shoot out of his mouth.")
Before Aiden was going to proceed and break down the door, Eva chimed in. ("And remember, Aiden. Do not be afraid to speak out your dislike to his kind. It may sound dumb when I say this, but if you do, you'll have so much confidence that your fear will overpowered.")
Aiden didn't even have to contemplate his thoughts on the advice. He always trusted whatever advice Eva had for him, and he'll do so until the day he dies.
("Thank you, Eva. I will do so with pride.")
("That's what I like to hear. Now then, go and show that mutt that my husband's legacy will forever haunt the forces of Hell!)
Letting out a chuckle to his foster mother's enthusiastic cheer, the young man sprinted full speed at the door; Sparda's power has already been transferred to his feet as they were surrounded in a unnatural purple hue.
As soon as he was in close proximity of the door, he jumped up, cocked both of his legs back and shot them to the thick layer of ice.
As soon as the fraction of Sparda's power made contact with the ice, a purple colored explosion sent the door, and varied sized ice chunks, flying to the other side.
Aiden got off the cold ground in a flip, walking into the ice cold room.
What was lying on the other side was the terrifying sight of a bunch of men, definitely apart of the Bratva, frozen like solid statues with faces of pure fear plastered on every single one of them.
Despite the horrifying sight that surrounded the raven haired youth, he casually walked past them without sparing a glance.
The frozen corpses would come at a later time as his main focus was the house sized, triple-headed dog towering over the smaller life form.
The large demon, whose body was covered in several layers of thick ice, was scowling down at the young man with it's three pair of eyes. "What are you doing here puny human!? The likes of you aren't welcome here!!!"
The deep, echoing roar that came after barely made Aiden flinch as he just stared at the demon with narrowed eyes.
The demon dog quickly got irritated to the unresponsive human before it's three pairs of eyes trailed down to amulet hanging around the human's neck.
"Is that Sparda's amulet!? How did a meager human like you come into possession of a powerful relic?"
This time Aiden chose to respond, though it wasn't going to be kind to calm the dog's temper. "A rabid animal like you does not have the right to ask about my personal life."
The insult immediately made the demon growl at him. "I am no 'animal' human!! I, Cerbeus, am beyond superior compared to those dogs your kind likes to keep around! So you better know your-"
The young man stared at the triple-headed headed mutt with a bored face as Cerberus proceeded to go on a monologue.
Aiden clearly showed his disinterest in who the demon was as his ears blocked out the words that came out of the snout of Cerberus.
("Typical demon...") Aiden thought as he crossed his arms, one of his fingers tapping against the fabric of his coat. The pace of his finger tapping was rapid, showing his impatience.
"Were you even listening to me human!?" The triple-headed demon dog finally took notice of the human's lack of attention.
"No. But I didn't come here to witness a barking session of a mutt." The raven haired youth replied with another insult.
The growl Cerberus let out was intimidating to hear from the young man's perspective. Yet his disinterest and hatred towards demons managed to overwritte any sense of fear forming inside.
"ENOUGH! I shall not take this disrespect any longer than I have to!" Cerberus let out an earth-shaking roar filled with animalistic an urge to kill.
[Devil May Cry 3 OST-Cerberus Theme]
Aiden didn't hesitate to sprint at the demon.
Cerbeus swiped at him but Aiden was quick to slide under the swipe. He activated his sword's whip function as he unsheathed in an instant, swiftly wrapping the whip around the wolf's arm and using it's momentum to bring it against it's middle head, breaking all of the covering ice and exposing the dark blue skin of the monster.
While it was still dazed, Aiden jumped towards the middle head and retracted the Black Ghost into it's katana state. He rose the blade over his head and brought it down to the head, splitting it by two halves.
The demon dog let out a pained howl as a fountain of blood spurt out of it's split head.
The demon dog quickly replaced it's middle head for the left one before he started slamming it's front legs to the ground, making the room shake violently and causing Aiden to almost fall to the floor.
But the real problem came quickly as the ice from the top of the room started falling down in spikes.
Aiden saw the falling jagged ice and quickly evaded the ones that were coming straight down at him.
Cerbeus stopped slamming his feet and cocked his middle head back, an icy blue light forming inside.
The young man stopped evading once the ice stopped falling, but was quickly alarmed in seeing the demon dog charging a ranged attack.
The demon brought his head down, releasing a large beam composed of ice molecules.
Aiden flipped to the side but immediately went into a sprint as Cerbeus proceeded to do a beam sweep.
The young devil hunter slid, jumped, and bounced from the frozen walls to avoid being frozen solid by the beam.
He did not want to die as a frozen statue.
The young devil hunter rushed at Cerberus once the ice beam disappeared, sliding under its claw swipes before jumping up and attempting to stab Black Ghost into one of its eyes.
Key word "attempted" as Aiden's body got crushed in between the demon's set of sharp teeth before he was launched away by a head jerk.
His body rolled across the frozen floor, blood flying out from his punctured flesh he's used to sustaining by now.
Despite the life threatening wounds, he swiftly got off the floor. He wasn't going to let the jaws of a frozen mutt be the end of him.
His open wounds quickly disappeared, replaced by healthy skin.
God bless the amulet's healing factor.
The large demon snarled at the human's survival, rising it's front legs and repeatedly slamming them against the ground.
Another rain of ice spikes falling again.
Aiden evaded the spikes, though he had a plan to utilize them.
Once Cerbeus stopped slamming his legs, Aiden sent out the blade whip to wrap the last falling spikes.
He managed to get a small amount, but he was confident that it would be enough.
Reeling back the bladed whip and bringing it forwards, lauching the icicles at their creator.
The demon dog didn't have to do anything to protect against the homing spikes as they smashed against it's ice covered body, proving that the attack was ineffective...
Unril Cerbeus let out another pain filled howl as one of the spikes managed to impale the left eye of Cerbeus middle head, a large stream of blood spurting out.
Aiden saw that the ice spike was sticking out from Cerbeus middle head like a metal nail.
"(Another plan has just been formed." )
The young man dashed towards the demon dog, sliding his body on the icy floor to build up more speed for his next attack. He leaped off the ground and towards Cerbeus, his body barely missing it's swinging claws.
Aiden twirled his body while mid-air, extending his left leg that slammed into the icicle, burying it deeper into the dog's skull.
The demon howled loudly in pain once again.
The devil hunter bounced off it's head and landed on the frozen floor in a crouch.
"I refuse lose to a human!!!" It roared out as blood was spurting out from it's imapled eye.
What the two living organisms didn't know, is that Cerberus blood fueled a drawn circle lying underneath.
("Aiden! I am sensing the power of a ritual circle under Cerbeus!") Sparda notified Aiden.
The young man looked under Cerbeus, his eyes widening once he saw a glowing red light in the shape of a circle.
"If that thing finishes it's process then I'm dead! I need to kill Cerbeus quickly."
The young devil hunter looked up to Cerbeus who was growling at him, completely oblivious to the circle powering up under him.
He decided that it was best to finish the mutt off with a powerful attack so he could take care of the ritual circle.
("Sparda, permission to unleash your power to end Cerberus." )
("Granted. Let's show the Underworld that my spirit will always hunt them down.")
("I wouldn't have any other way.") The adopted son replied with a small smile.
Aiden closed both of his eyes, the red gem glowing brightly as he was focusing on unleashing it's full power.
Cerbeus saw the bright light illuminating from the amulet and slowly backed away as he felt the overwhelming power of a certain demon knight coming from it.
The second Aiden opened his eyes, he was engulfed in purple flames as he summoned the power of Sparda in the form of his devil spirit. The demonic ghost standing behind him as his giant demonic claymore was held by his left hand.
Cerbeus witnessed the shocking sight of a human wielding demonic power that belonged to the legendary demon knight himself!
"I-It can't be, h-how is a human wielding Sparda's power like it was apart of you!?" The triple-headed demon dog asked, its tone expressing nothing but uncontrolled fear.
"How about I show you..." The devil hunter said in his human voice mixed in with a demonic echo.
He slid the Black Ghost into it's scabbard, his right hand gripping the handle tightly as he placed his left foot forward. Sparda's physical spirit placing his demonic claymore underneath his armpit area.
With one last exhale, Aiden swiftly unsheathed the katana, the black blade sending a wide wave of purple energy towards its triple-headed target. Sparda's claymore sending a wave of his own in a right diagonal swing.
The two sharp energy waves quickly interlocked with one another, forming a sharp x-shaped energy wave.
Cerberus was left helpless as the x-shaped attack easily cut through his blue skin. Small mists of blood flying out from the energy waves slicing through his body.
"So this is...Sparda's power..."
Those were the last words the demon dog would utter out as his body shrunk into four large chunks of exposed demonic tissue.
Aiden rose to his normal height, Sparda's spirit disappearing into wisps of purple fire.
Sadly, the circle finished it's process as a large black void quickly formed into the center of the room.
Aiden quickly stabbed his sword to the floor and gripped onto it for dear life as the void was pulling in everything that was around it, including some of the frozen men.
"Crap!!! That portal has the pulling force of a damn tornado! I won't be able to hold on for long!"
("Try to maintain your grip, Aiden! I'll find a -")
Sparda's attempt to help his son would be in vain as the blade was forcefully detached from the floor, pulling Aiden into the void and making him disappear once his entire body was pulled in.