An array of clouds blocked the sun's delightful rays on a rather humid afternoon. The air foul of wet grass and molded garbage, with the temperature sitting in the mid-seventies. The streets empty with few bodies in sight. It wasn't exactly a prosperous neighborhood, always seeming to draw troublemakers and drunks. Most of whom frequented the local strip joint for a brief moment of amorous pleasure. Or grab one of the cheapest drinks in the city. Tastes like crap but it'll get the job done. Other than that, it may as well be a ghost town. A yellow cab turns the block and stops in a front of a small building that sat in between a closed sandwich shop on the left, and an old lot full of tires, amongst other trash dumped there on the right.

"Is this the place?" Asked the cab driver.

The backseat window rolls down, and a girl pokes her head out. Eyes reading a bright, red neon sign above the front door. It branded the words "Devil May Cry", with the big C burnt out. The only thing separating this building from all the other buildings put together on a brown, brick foundation.

"Yeah, this is the place," she answered in a thick, British accent. Handing over 24 bucks for the ride, she exited the car and waved goodbye. "Thanks mate."

The young lady checked the time on a Nokia flip phone. In black digital numbers it showed 3:37 PM. Taking another look at the sign, she prayed to every God known to mankind that this was the place. Trickles of rain started to come down, and the woman quickly stepped to the front door, standing under its arch. Grasping the doorknob, sounds of guitar playing on the opposite side momentarily distracted her. Instantly recognizing which song it started. Seek and Destroy by Metallica. It brought forth fond memories of only weeks ago. How distant those times seem now. Choosing to reminisce later, she walked in.

Sitting twenty feet from the front door sat a white-haired man with his feet kicked up on a wooden desk. Wearing large boots, baggy pants and a red T-shirt with cut off sleeves. His eyes were closed while casually strumming away on the most wicked looking guitar she's ever seen. Long and drenched in a blackish-purple color. The body split in two parts, resembling blades that a sword would hold. Some could say it resembles a metal heads hand sign known as "devil fingers". If she wasn't so tired, those small purple sparks popping off the neck may have been real. A guitarist's wet dream so to speak.

"Can I help you?" He called out, not looking in her direction. Senses triggered by the creaking, wooden door. The room so quiet that it created a light echo.

She nodded and spoke softly, "Um, yeah. I could use-"

"Either talk louder or move in closer!"

She shuddered but answered his command, pacing towards the desk. The chains on her blue jeans jingling with each step as he continued to tug on the guitar strings. Close enough to make eye contact, she could see that this man wasn't as old as she had presumed. His work area being a mess of bikini magazines, half open mail and a Gameboy Advance. Her lips parted and said, "yes, I'm looking for Dante."

He yanked a chord and let it ring for seven seconds until it faded to a quiet hum before answering. "That's my name, don't wear it out."

"Uh, sure." She nervously looked from side to side, as if someone was watching her. An action that Dante took notice of.

He turned his head and whistled. "Hey, miss. You alright?"

Pulling her green hood down let her matte, black hair loose. The tips dyed blonde three inches deep. Doing a small hair flip, she bundled it into a knot and tied it with a rubber band. "I'm fine. For now, anyway." An odd response. Her face was thin and a little pale, settling into a tired state without any makeup. Light bags under the eyes, showing an exhausted soul. One nose ring on the right nostril. One lip ring on the left side. Both ears decked in multiple piercings. Neck tattoos peeked out from under her sweatshirt that carried the logo of presumably an indie rock band.

Dante nodded. "Okay then. What can I do for ya, um?"

"Natalie Bardum. Nats for short." She coughed and buried her hands in the hoodie pouch. "Are you the demon hunter people say you are?"

Dante laid the guitar on his desk, next to a half empty box of pizza. A meat lovers special. Hands resting behind his head, Dante delightfully told her, "Well Nats, I tend to do some demon slaying in my spare time. So, I'd say, yeah. I also happen to be for hire at the moment. If that's what you happen to be looking for."

Natalie's mouth opened to respond, only to be cut off by a loud "FUCK!" from behind another door. A flush occurred, followed by bumping and some male grumbling. The bathroom door swung inwards, and Jason Todd stumbled out of the bathroom, almost tripping over his own feet.

Dante looked over his shoulder. With a shit eating grin he asked, "You okay there buddy?"

Jason's eyes almost popped from his head. "What? Hell no! A rat jumped out of the toilet!"

"Oh yeah." Dante chuckled. "That happens sometimes. Little pests won't pay a dime in rent though. Don't tell me you're scared of a few mice?"

Head shaking in disbelief, Jason dried his hands with an unused dinner napkin. "There isn't a damn thing little about that bastard. Might be Mickey Mouse's cousin for all I know."

"Heard. Just do a double flush next time."

"Thanks for the heads up," he sarcastically replied. Jason adjusted his white thermal top and tightened the belt holding up a pair of khaki cargo pants. His work pants to be specific. Seeing Natalie, he offered a greeting. "How you doing?"

"Fine," she answered in a hoarse tone. Following a throat clear she said, "I'm Natalie. Nats for short."

"Jason."

"Great! Now that we're all introduced, let's get back to business, shall we?" Said Dante.

Natalie nodded. "Right. This may take a while. Should I give you the short version or long version?"

Dante shrugged nonchalantly. "If I'm going after a demon, I'd like to know what I'm up against. Give me the long version."

"Fair enough." She pulled a pack of cigarettes from the hoodie pouch and slipped one out. Marlboro Red, short pack. "Mind if I smoke in here?"

Dante shrugged once again. "I don't care. Jason, got a problem with that?"

"Nope."

"Thanks." She lit it up with a pink zippo lighter, taking a five second drag and sticking it between two fingers before exhaling away from the kind men. Their relaxed demeanors set a mood that eased her mind to a smooth ocean flow. "Ever since I was thirteen, I had been interested in the occult. Necromancy. Blood sacrifices. All that dark shit certain kids that age are into."

Jason snickered and pocketed his hands. "So, you were an edge lord?"

"Call it what you want mate, it's what I like," Natalie retorted. Her words spilling out with an attitude of someone who has lost all care in the world. She hit the cig for a second time. "I read any book I could get my hands on. Drew gothic symbols on myself with markers for fun. Then I browsed the dark web hoping to find some satanic shit."

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Asked a curious Jason.

"Nah. The dark web is overrated. All I found were alien blogs, black market gun dealers and kid diddlers. Dipped out of that incredibly fast. Over the years I meddled around in different online forums until I found this bloke who made these detailed drawings of a creature called Maazir (muh-zeer). Check these out." Natalie pulled a rolled stack of paper cased in a plastic bag from her back pocket. Placing them on the desk for Dante to view.

Dante slid them out and unrolled the paper. They were creased from sitting under Natalie for a two-hour taxi ride. Jason observed from over his shoulder. Flipping through notebook pages of colored pencil drawn art showed a bulky, humanoid demon. It stood on both feet, with orange skin and black tribal markings wrapped across it body. A wide jaw line that had two, four-inch tusks passing his upper lip. It's toes and fingers were the length of a wrench, being able to suffocate one with ease. Fingernails sharp enough to rip skin to shreds. The top of its head covered in skin colored, small spikes, similar to a Super Mario turtle shell. On its forehead and chest resided a symbol. Two letter V's with the double pointed ends attached, forming a wide diamond. A large X sat in the middle, all four ends poking from each side of the diamond. All outside points drawn together in a connect the dot esqe line.

"Eh, this guy doesn't look so tough," Dante claimed as he studied each hand drawn photo. "I never heard of Maazir. So please Natalie, enlighten me."

"Maazir is a demon of creation. Or monstrosities depending on how you look at it."

"More monstrous than he already is?" asked Jason.

"Maazir's a harvester of body parts. Arms, legs, eyes, all of your organs. Any major part of the body that we use on a daily basis. Collecting them for food, or to create his own stitched together minions. I thought it sounded pretty bad ass at first."

"Sounds like Professor Pig," muttered Jason.

"Professor Pig?" Dante repeated.

"A psychotic surgeon who mutilates and reconstructs people to fit his mold of perfection. All while wearing a pig mask. Never met him myself but I've seen his handy work. It's not pretty."

Dante rubbed his chin trying to create an image of this Professor Pig. "So, is he like half pig, half man?"

"No, he's human. Doesn't make him any less of a monster than this Maazir thing."

"Hm." Dante dropped the papers and sat up in his chair. "Where do you fit into all of this Natalie?"

Already done with the first cigarette, Natalie lit a second. Taking another five second drag before continuing. "I ended up messaging the bloke who I found all this out from. Name was Temlin. We talked and he mentioned his little covenant that messed around with black magic. Open to anyone that was interested in joining. I didn't think much at first, but I had nothing to lose. And he only lived eight miles out from my place in Yorkshire."

"Let me guess, a demon summoning gone wrong?" Dante queried.

"Gone right actually." She took another puff, finally noticing her dropped ashes on the floor. "Oh shit, my bad."

Dante waved it off. "It's hardwood. Nothing a broom can't fix. Keep going."

"I head out to his meeting place and Temlin introduces me to all of his friends. Shelly. Marcus. Steiner. Gregory. Very nice people. We had similar interests in music and in gothic history."

Dante's fingers drummed against the desk. "Anyone give you bad vibes? Maybe had different intentions? Possibly looking to set you up?"

"No," she answered calmly. "Like I said, nice people. None of them came of as dangerous. If anything, they were harmless compared to what I expected meeting with a stranger. I could of been hacked to pieces and stuffed in alley somewhere." Jason grabbed a root beer from the nearby fridge, offering Natalie one, who declined. He cracked the can and rejoined the huddle as her story progressed.

"Weeks pass and we're all getting along. Exchanging stories and practicing in summoning circles. Goofing off for the most part. We spent more time chain smoking and listening to music. For a summoning we took dead squirrels we found and tried using those as sacrifices."

"What, no Ouija board?" Joked Jason.

Natalie shot him a dirty glare but remained calm. Instead choosing firing back. "No, there was no fucking Ouija board. The department store was sold out." Her eyes suddenly slammed shut, and she groaned. Leaning one arm on the desk to keep from falling over. Breathing deeply and clutching her chest with the other arm. Was she hyperventilating?

Dante jumped from his chair and reached over. "Are you-"

Natalie raised a hand and replied through rough breaths, "I-I-I'm fine." She scratched her head and sniffled, trying to regain composure. Clearly in immense pain. "I don't know how much time I've got left, so let's get to the end." Natalie removed her hoodie, wearing a black tank top underneath. A flower bed of various plants were tattooed across her chest. Dandelions, sunflowers and daisies growing inside of a wooden flower bed. Butterflies and bees floating about. A bundle of intertwined vines crawled down her arms, attached to large roses on the back of both hands. All done in black ink and in beautiful detail. She slid the left shoulder strap to her bicep and pulled the top down a few inches, carefully lifting her exposed breast. "Take a look at this."

Dante and Jason exchanged awkward glances. Neither one staring directly at Natalie for the obvious reason. Jason bit the bullet and decided to ask, "What are we looking at exactly?"

"The symbol on my chest," she replied, sounding as if the energy was sucked away from her body.

They peered in close, seeing what they could not from their current position. Blended in with her tattoos was Maazir's symbol. Four inches in diameter. The flesh seared and burned onto her chest. Right in front of where the human heart should be.

"Oh, I see it now, said Dante. "That's gnarly. Did Maazir do that you?"

"More like we did it to ourselves," Natalie replied, fixing her top. Moving on to a third smoke, she continued the story. "A week ago, was when our covenant decided to mess around with another summoning circle. Maazir's required that we each draw his symbol on the parts of our body we choose to sacrifice. It would all come together to bring Maazir to life. Temlin chose his brain. Shelly chose her tongue. Marcus chose his eyes. Steiner and Gregory, arms and legs. Me, well you already saw. At first nothing happened as usual. Then a voice called out to us. One of those nasty, growling voices you hear in movies."

"What did he say?" asked Dante.

She laughed and folded her arms. "I honestly don't fucking remember."

"No problem."

"Next thing we know the candles go out and out drawings burn like hell. We're all rolling around in this dark basement, screaming for mercy. Eventually the pain subsided, and we found the symbols etched into our skin."

Jason sat on the desk, chugging the remaining soda and raised his arms, "Kobe". The empty can flew from his hands and sunk into a small trash bin that sat next to Dante's jukebox about fourteen feet away. He turned back to Natalie. "Is this the part where shit hits the fan?"

Her face grew sorrow as she momentarily became lost in the vicious memory of that night. A basement they used for fun and games became the scene of an Eli Roth flick. "He fucked us up pretty bad," she whispered. Loud enough for the guys to hear, but still a low tone. "Maazir came out of the circle and went for Temlin first. It stuck its finger right into his head. Pulled his entire brain out. We all split. Didn't say a word to each other. I ran as fast as I could. For as long as I could until stepped into a pothole and twisted my ankle. But I made it home...and I haven't spoken to any of them since then."

"Did you cut off all contact, or did Maazir get to them first?" asked Jason.

"Somewhere in between. I tried calling Steiner since we were getting pretty close, but he never answered. I assumed the worst and focused on finding a way to kill this thing before it killed me."

"And now you're here," said Dante. "I didn't realize my name was known across the world."

"I recalled seeing a few different forums about a demon hunter named Dante operating out of Red Grave City. White hair, red coat. Two guns and a big ass sword. The real deal."

Dante grinned. "I'm flattered."

"You're the only person that can help me." She leaned on the desk with both hands, nails digging into the wood. Her voice oozing a fear that only came with being chased by an unstoppable force. "I traveled over four thousand miles to find you. The cops aren't an option, and I can't fight it myself. Please Dante...I don't want to die."

With the story at its conclusion, the demon hunter heard all that he needed to. She wasn't the first panicked human to come running for his unique skills, and for sure won't be the last. Despite going against the unknown in many different scenarios Dante always came out on top, and Maazir would be no exception.

"Alright, you've got yourself a bodyguard."

Natalie exhaled in the biggest sign of relief she's had since this all started.

"But" Dante raised a finger, "I don't work for free."

"Of course, I didn't expect you to." Natalie patted each of her pants pockets, pulling a small wad of bills from the back one. She placed it on the desk. "This is all I have right now, but I promise I have more. Consider it a down payment?"

Looking puzzled, Dante stared at the money, and then to Natalie. "What's this?"

"That's 206 British pounds. I wish I had more. Sorry."

Dante chuckled and palmed his face. "What the hell am I supposed to do with this?"

"I'll take that." Jason snatched the cash and began counting.

"Hey, just because I can't spend it doesn't mean it isn't mine."

Jason tuned him out. Silently mouthing the amount as he flipped each bill. He then dug into a pocket for his own stack of cash, dropping two Ben Franks and a Hugh Grant on the desk.

"You wanna fill me in here Rain Man?"

Jason broke it down for him. "This 206 pounds exchanged in US currency is about 250 bucks. I'll keep the pounds, you take that. There, solved your problem."

"Wow, you must be good at math," said Natalie with a smirk.

"I work with plenty of international contacts. Definitely helps to know foreign exchange rates."

"Well, you better not be shortchanging me," said Dante as Jason continued to ignore him. "Natalie, where can I find Maazir?"

"He'll find me," she grimly answered. "My little panic attack was Maazir calling me. This symbol may as well be a GPS to my current location. I can't say when, but it's only a matter of time until he finds me."

"Perfect." Dante stretched and kicked his feet back up. "Now we wait."

"That it?" She asked. "We just wait?"

"Yeah. This isn't the military. I don't have 50-foot steel walls and defense cannons to prep. I got two guns and a sword babe. That's how we do it at Devil May Cry."

Natalie sadly sighed, feeling as if death was inevitable. While not the ideal attitude she expected from a demon hunter of this supposed caliber, she had no other choice. Besides, the fee had already been paid, and he didn't seem like the type to give refunds.

"I'm running to my car," declared Jason. "If we're going to war, I should get ready. Gotta make a call too. Be right back." Jason exited, leaving Natalie and Dante alone for the moment.

Natalie dove right into another cigarette, unfortunately her last in the pack. She took a look around Dante's place. It gave off bachelor pad vibes. From the drum set and various guitars. To the lack of any real furniture and posters of swimsuit models on the wall. A set of stairs connected to a metal walkway led to his bedroom. Oh how that sounded so incredibly comfortable for Natalie. Jumping into a warm pile of sheets and rest without sleeping with one eye open. Still, this is the safest she's felt in days.

"That Jason guy. He your partner?"

Dante grinned as his chest pumped in slight laughter. "Nah, he's just a cool dude I hang out with."

"Do cool dudes you hang out with usually help you fight demons?"

"This one does. It's actually how we met. He shot me in the chest five times and I stopped a demon from eating his face. Then we became friends."

"Y-you're joking right?"

"No. Feel free to have a seat, relax a bit. I got drinks in the fridge. A bit of pizza left. Microwaves in the corner."

"Relax?" Natalie giggled in a coping manner, trying not to lose her cool. "You want me to relax knowing there's a demon coming here to kill me?"

"Okay then, stand there and look crazy." Dante's eyes closed, done with the current conversation.

Natalie threw her arms up, followed by a dual leg slap. If Maazir doesn't kill her the anxiety will. She flopped on the couch, parallel to the jukebox. Resting on one elbow, she rubbed her temple. Jason returned, Red Hood armor on with a duffel bag over the shoulder and brown leather jacket in hand. He saw Dante napping and turned to the distressed Natalie.

"How are you holding up?"

"As fine as I can be," she replied, staring off into the distance.

Jason carefully placed his bag on the opposite end of the couch and sat next to her. "Fear of death getting to you huh?"

"What kind of stupid ass question is that?"

"Hmph. I guess the stupidest of questions but it's one I can relate too."

"Really now? Please enlighten me."

In a straightforward manner, he locked eyes with her and said, "I died once before."

Natalie squinted, giving Jason an evil glare. "I'm not in the mood for more bullshit."

"It's not bullshit, believe it or not. I have a death certificate and multiple people who can verify what happened."

She leaned back and crossed her legs. "Ok, so what? You're a ghost?"

He snickered, amused by her disbelief. Of course, he didn't think she'd actually believe it. The average person wouldn't. "I thought someone in a gothic covenant might be open to the idea of necromancy. Especially in your current situation."

"I mean..." She struggled to find a proper way to express her feelings, but immediately gave up. "I don't know. I didn't think any of this crap was real! I just wanted to play around ya know? Like, if this is real, then what else is out there?"

Jason nodded in agreement. "I've seen some shit in my 24 years on this Earth. Underground cults, aliens, and I even talked with gods."

Natalie's eyes peaked in interest. "Gods?"

"Yeah, you never heard of Superman?"

"The superhero with the red cape and tighty whities?"

"Haha, that's him."

Natalie smiled for the first time all night, prompting Jason to smile back. She peeked out the window behind the couch, checking for any suspicious activity. With nothing in sight she asked Jason, "so how did you die?"

"Hm, this story again." Jason unzipped a pocket on his bag, reaching in for a Red Bull. He cracked the can, took a sip and offered Natalie some, who happily accepted it. "I used to be a quote "good guy" in my teen years. Worked under Batman for a while. One of his philosophies on fighting crime was no killing under any circumstances, and that philosophy came back on me tenfold."

Natalie passed the can. "Who's Batman?"

"Eh, some prick in a black suit. He's cool though." Jason took another swig. "His arch nemesis The Joker, kidnapped me and beat me with a crowbar. For at least an hour I just laid there. Hands and ankles bound, unable to defend myself. Each hit worse than the last. The only thing on my mind is, "Batman, where are you?". Waiting and waiting but he never showed. When he was finished, Joker left me there, setting off a bomb which finished the job. I found peace when I died, because the pain finally went away." He sighed and leaned on his knees. "Sometime later I was resurrected by a group of assassins in something known as the Lazarus Pit. This green liquid that restores and extends someone's life at the cost of their humanity each time it used. I took my second chance at life to do what I thought was the right thing. What Batman can't and won't do. Put any scum bag six feet underground where they can't hurt anyone like the Joker did to me. But I also have to live with the memory of my death repeatedly, and that's what motivates me. I know how you feel, and I just want you to know that we'll be there for you."

Natalie's lip quivered. She didn't have the words to describe how she felt in this current moment. Confused. Curious. Scared. Sad, amongst every other emotion having a pier six brawl from her stomach to the heart. One thing she felt on top of all of that is thankful. Thankful for Jason sharing that story to ease her mind. To shine a ray of light upon this dark day. Having spent the last week terrified, knowing these men show the up most confidence in fighting a demon was reassuring. "Thank you."

He nodded. A guidance counselor he was not. Small talk was barely leveled in his skill set. This is a rare occasion where it worked. "No problem. You should get some rest. You look exhausted."

"Uh, I don't know about that."

"It's fine. Me and Dante are right here. If anything happens, we'll be the first to see it. Just be ready to move if shit hits the fan."

"Okay." Natalie checked the time on phone before laying down. 4:12 PM.

Time passed without interruption. Dante and Jason dueled in a best of three chess game, going from 5 to 6:30 PM. Dante took the first, only because Jason let him win. Scoping out his strategy to take the next two wins with ease. Dante played a strong game, even if all of his moves were made at random. Jason periodically checked the time, and Dante never bothered to ask until five minutes to seven.

"You're getting antsy waiting this Maazir guy?"

"I'm waiting for someone. She's supposed to be here at seven."

Dante rubbed his chin in curiosity. "You should have let me know. I would of straightened up a bit."

"It's a business call. She'll be in and out." He looked at his watch again, with the time sitting on 6:59 PM. The moment it struck 7:00 PM, a large black hole appeared in Dante's floor. The demon hunter immediately snapped Ebony downwards, preparing to pump led into whatever came out. Jason gently lowered Dante's black pistol, letting him know this was his visitor.

A purple cloaked female emerged, headfirst until her leather boots hovered over the portal. It disappeared, and she landed on both feet. Her neck length purple hair swung like wind chimes. A red gem on her forehead gleamed off the light, contrasting her grayish skin.

"Thanks for coming Raven," said Jason.

"Sure," she answered monotone.

Dante whistled. "Two goth babes in one day. I must be dreaming."

Raven's nose twitched as she looked at Dante. Showing no emotion towards him she said, "I smell demon on you."

Dante sniffed his armpits. "Hm, what does that smell like?"

"A comedian. Lovely." Her cloak opened, and she raised a thick, hardcover book that was held in between her arm and purple, long-sleeved onesie which garnished a gold belt studded with circular, red gems. A black glow consumed the book as it floated in mid-air. The cover flipped over, and the pages followed suit. Flicking each other with the sounds of a money counting machine. It stopped almost halfway in, and she turned to Jason. "I have a handful of notes on Maazir that I could find. It's not much, but it should help."

"Good."

"Wait a minute compadre. Who's she and how do you know each other?" Asked Dante.

"Raven worked with a friend of mine Dick Grayson in a group called the Teen Titans. She's a sorceress and an expert in demonology. I figured she can give us some insight on this Maazir thing."

"Oh." Dante leaned on his folded hands. "You don't got a problem with half demons do ya?"

"My father is a demon."

Dante sarcastically scoffed like an 80's schoolgirl. "Really? Me too!" Raven's face didn't move a centimeter. Only giving Dante the coldest stare, he's ever seen. Sending a shiver down his spine that most demons haven't been able to. He chuckled. "You're not the talking type huh?"

"Only when I'm casting a spell that sends you into eternal hell." Dante nodded and continued to listen. Raven went on, "Maazir is not a major threat, but he's not to be taken lightly. Once summoned, he creates a parasitic bond with those who brought him out. A bond that won't be broken until he claims what was promised. Only then will he return to where he came."

"So, what does that mean?" Asked Jason. "We can't beat him?"

"It's a little bit of both. Even if Maazir is defeated, it's only a matter of time before he regenerates and rises again. Your friend over there will be on the run for the rest of her life."

Dante and Jason looked at Natalie, sound asleep under the warmth of a spare blanket. Courtesy of Dante. Unknowing of what she'd potentially go through if the red clad duo weren't successful.
"There's gotta be a way. There's always a way." Said Dante.

Raven slammed the book shut, gripping it under her arm again. "If you're talking about a loophole, then there are a few options. None of which are pleasant."

Jason sniffed and flicked his nose. "It's never that simple, is it?"

Raven shook her head. "Option one is for Natalie to sell her humanity. Become a demon or a vampire, therefore making her heart corrupted and therefore useless to a demon. Option two is a heart swap with someone else, and give Maazir what he wants. Not exactly practical, but it's possible."

"We don't got time for open heart surgery," said Jason. "Anything else?"

"There isn't anything else, unless you can manage to trap Maazir inside of another dimension where he can't escape."

"Can you help us with that?"

"No. This isn't my fight. I'm only here to give advice. If I were you guys, I'd get ready. I feel a demonic presence getting close. Good luck." Raven floated an inch in the air as the large black portal reopened, allowing her to fall through. Disappearing in an instant.

The clock struck 7:34 PM and they wasted no time. Dante went for his sword and jacket. Jason dashed to the slumbering Natalie. Giving her a light shake, she woke instantly. Sitting up and looking back and forth with tight fists.

"Natalie, Maazir's on the way." He reached into his duffel bag's side pocket and retrieved a black 9mm and two clips. Those cheap pistols crimes bosses will supply their goons with. Jason always collected a few for spare parts. "You okay using a gun?"

She wiped the crud from her eyes and answered, "yeah."

He passed the gun and pointed to the bathroom. "You go in there and stay there until its clear. If that door open up and it's not me or Dante, give it the full clip. Understood?"

"Yeah."

"Alright. Go."

Gun in hand, Natalie went for the bathroom, crossing paths with Dante. She stopped momentarily, as the two had a quick, wordless conversation. No words were needed. The time was now, and this was her last stand. She wished him the best, and he smiled. With Natalie secured, Dante strolled over to Jason, who prepped his own hand cannons.

Custom built desert eagles worth over $35K. The mark XIX variant brushed in a chrome finish and titanium grips. Extended magazines carrying 13 bullets a piece. Of course, loaded with his special flex rounds. Spiral bullets that twist and tear the flesh when they fly in, making them even harder to remove. Dante was familiar with those.

"You nervous amigo?"

"When you've faced death, there's nothing to fear." Jason popped on his new, modified helmet.

Standing side by side, Dante and Jason walked outside leaving the door to Devil May Cry headquarters cracked behind them. The streets were barren. It was a Tuesday, so this part of town didn't see much activity. Warm air wafted across their noses. The clouds above became dark. Jason activated a thermal scanning feature within his helmet, scanning the area for anything in the distance.

"Whaddya see?"

"Nothing but a few rodents," Jason answered. "Either Maazir's veins are made of ice or my helmet ain't working right."

"Well, I can tell you something that red box on your head can't."

"And that would be?"

Dante reached over his shoulder, gripping the hilt of his prized sword Rebellion. "Most demons attack you from behind!" He spun 180 degrees, swinging full force at the looming Maazir, who caught the blade with one hand.

Maazir looked exactly as it was depicted in the drawings. Tall, menacing, and a grin that would scare the white off a ghost. Dante used his free hand to pull Ivory, and Jason followed suit. Letting off a hailstorm of bullets at point blank range. The pops and bangs combined with the muzzle flashes turned this fight into a momentary fourth of July celebration. They fired until nothing but clicks came from their guns. Maazir had budged only an inch or two, absorbing every shot like a punch from a toddler. It stared down at its bleeding torso, then up at the two hunters, and it laughed.

"You got to be shitting-" Was all Jason managed to say before being sent flying into a mailbox across the street, courtesy of Maazir's size 15 foot.

Dante released the grip on Rebellion and pulled Ebony. He quickly jumped up, pressing the barrel against Maazir's chin, and fired again. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Blowing five holes through the top of its head. Maazir dropped Rebellion and stumbled backwards. Blood oozing from its head as it gurgled and groaned. Dante grabbed his sword, took one step and slid forward, using his signature Stinger attack, stabbing Maazir in the heart and out the back. With two hands, Dante lifted Maazir with the motion of wielding a sledgehammer. Bringing the orange demon over his head and slamming it into the concrete headfirst, breaking its neck, confirmed by a loud crack. Dante removed the blood covered bladed from Maazir and slung it over his shoulder, not even breaking a sweat as Maazir folded over onto its back. It's head a visual example of Swiss cheese. Jason returned, fine from his crash.

"I knew this guy was all hype," said Dante. "Takes pain just like the rest of us."

"Yeah, but just to be sure." Jason yanked the pin from a grenade already in hand and stuffed it Maazir's chest hole. He and Dante ran towards the front door as it exploded, demolishing Maazir's upper body into various chunks spread across the pavement.

"Hey, Raven said he'd come back, right?" Dante asked.

"Right. Didn't say when. It isn't regenerating, so that's a good sign."

Dante waved it off. "If it's this easy he can come back whenever I need a workout. Come on, let's check on Natalie."

They went inside where everything remained the status quo. Almost as if nothing happened.

"Nats," shouted Dante. No response. "Natalie, it's over."

The eerie silence worried both men. Not a peep coming from the door's side. Something felt wrong. Guns drawn, they rushed over with Dante jumping up and kicking the door in. It came off the hinges, sliding a few inches across the floor. In a corner next to the shower, Natalie sat slumped, head hanging low.

"Natalie!" Dante dropped his weapons, running to the lass while Jason squeezed his pistol grips, expecting the worse. Dante lifted her head by the chin. Her eyes, the window to a human soul were lifeless, yet any signs of a struggle were nonexistent.

"Is she gone?"

Dante didn't have an answer for Jason, as he wasn't sure himself. He pressed an ear against her chest. No heartbeat, at all. Then the smell caught his nostrils. Dante gently grabbed Natalie's arms, causing the limp torso to fall into him. He caught her and saw what he couldn't only moments ago.

A hole in the wall. A blood ring painting it. Feeling her back, Dante's fingers connected with the moist wound. The flesh torn. Ripping into Natalie from behind and claiming her heart.

"Dante..."

"She's gone man."

8:58 PM is what the clock struck once Jason finished cleaning Natalie's wound. Doing so in silence as Dante sat at his desk, angrily looking into the void upon folded hands. Jason covered her with the blanket, keeping the young lady warm on her trip to the afterlife. Jason turned to Dante, who sat across the gaze of a Medusa.

"Dante...we did the best we could."

Dante's lids closed and head shook. He grumbled, "Maazir outsmarted us. We failed."

Jason sighed. "I know man." While torn over Natalie, Jason understood from the beginning what Raven had told them. This was to be her fate, and one would have to bend the will of time itself to change that. By this point in his life witnessing death had become a daily routine but that makes it no less difficult to accept. These demons were a different beast. Ruthless, bloodthirsty, and even cunning in this case. Jason knew his game needed to improve a hundred-fold if demon hunting was going to be a constant job. Maazir got the best of him this time but if they crossed paths in the future, well, fool me twice they say.

Dante's energy gave Jason a different view of him. The jokester shut himself off completely. Despite claiming he only did this for money, what happened clearly bothered him. It became personal. Jason couldn't decipher what instance of tonight's madness riddled the half devil's mind. Was it Natalie's death? Being outsmarted by a demon? The act of failing? Was this Dante's first loss? Perhaps all of the above. Whatever the answer may be, Jason wouldn't get it today.

"Hey uh, I'm going to take Natalie and give her a proper burial. Go grab some flowers. I contacted my people, and they ran her information. Moms in jail. Father's dead. No siblings. Her friends...we already know. She didn't have anyone else. It's the least I can do. Are you coming?"

Dante silently nodded. Jason nodded back. He kneeled and scooped Natalie in his arms. Holding her like a secured child. Similar to how Bruce carried Jason back home after that infamous night. At least that's how Alfred described it to him. She looked to be more comfortable now than she was all night. Dante opened the front door, letting Jason maneuver his way out and to the car. With Jason's back turned, Dante pounded his front door, almost busting a hole through it. He needed that badly but didn't want to lose his cool in front of his partner. He flipped the bottom lock and closed to the door to Devil May Cry.