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Day 14 of Quarantine
Vergil: *Finds Y/N in bed*Â âHave you eaten yet today?
Y/N: I think so.
Vergil: But you just woke up.
Y/N: ... Maybe not then.
Vergil: *sighs* Iâll go make dinner.
Y/N: Dinner!? But I thought... What day is it?!
#incorrect quotes#Vergil#VergilxReader#VergilxOC#VergilxRoxy#It's actually like day 21 for me so...#Incorrect dmc quotes
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Cadence 34
Catch up on the story here!
Sorry it took so long! This chapter needed some time to stew. Hope you enjoy ^^
I become one with my demon My dark side keeps me alive Become one with my demon Let the beast outside of my mind There are two sides to everyone I have become one With my demon
Stitched Up Heart - My DemonÂ
 Raijin was fighting harder than Vergil expected him to. Every strike seemed aimed to kill, though they were slow enough that Roxy could dodge far enough away to avoid them. Vergil soaked what he could as he fought Raijin himself. The dragon clearly didnât expect him to fight, and certainly not as a cat of all things. But fight Vergil did, using every trick in the book to keep Raijin away from Roxy.Â
When Roxy did fire back, however, nothing fazed the dragon. He ripped arrows out like they were nothing, even ones that embedded into what should have been his heart. Vergil knocked him down, but he kept getting back up. Roxy threw whatever ice she could, but Raijin brushed those off too.Â
How can someone like him be nearly invincible? It didnât make any sense. Had Mundus imbued him with some kind of power? Even as Nelo Angelo, Vergil hadnât been impenetrable, and heâd been in a suit of armor. Raijin had a few scales and electricity. A strike to the heart should have killed him.Â
âMaybe thatâs the secret,â Roxy said. âHe doesnât have a heart.â
Vergil thought she was being metaphorical - and he wouldnât disagree - but he quickly realized she was serious. A heart is the center of a demonâs power. Had Mundus taken it? If that were the case, then how was he still moving? As far as Vergil knew, even Mundus didnât have the power to raise the dead.Â
âMy heart is inconsequential,â Raijin said. âAnother demon is strong enough to fuel me.â
âMundus did to you what my father did to me,â Roxy said.Â
âMy brother was a fool,â Raijin said. But his gaze softened as if a part of him didnât believe it. âHe gave up everything for a human⊠for you. His pseudo-immortality, his life, gone in an instant. The form he took was a simple shadow of his old self, bound to your body.â
âThat isnât true,â Roxy said.Â
âAnd how would you know?â Raijin said. âYou donât remember a thing.â
âI remember enough,â Roxy said. âKuro was still himself, all the way to the end.âÂ
âHe was nothing."
âYou donât believe that.â
âHow would you know what I believe?â Raijin said. âHow could you possibly understand?â
âMy sister died in the same crash that shouldâve - that did kill me,â Roxy snapped. âShe didnât get a second chance. She didnât get a demonâs heart. Sheâs the one that lost everything, not Kuro.â
âA fragile human life is unimportant,â
âThen why havenât you killed me?â Roxy pressed her hand to her heart. âThis is why right? Because Iâm all thatâs left of him.âÂ
âEnough.â
âHe still lives,â She said. âHeâs still with me, even thoughâŠâ
âI said enough!â Raijin shouted.Â
âAnd you see it too!â
Raijin lunged. Lightning crackled off his form. Vergil leaped as high as he could go, brandishing his claws. Â
Mere seconds before they collided, a wall of ice shot up between them. Vergil pushed off from it, landing beside Roxy as if that had been the plan all along. Raijin slammed straight into it, hitting the ground with a sickening thud. Roxy grunted as she stumbled. Her hand grabbed her arm as ice seeped up her skin from her fingers. The wall shattered as Raijin pushed himself to his feet. âHis power is wasted on you,â He said. âYour fear holds you back.âÂ
But Vergil could feel something else. Some deep, rumble of power that radiated through him. He shuddered, looking up at her. She grimaced, staring at Raijin as the ice crawled further up her skin. âVergil,â She said. âI canâtâŠâ She glanced behind her, then back at Raijin. âI canâtâŠâ
âOf course not,â Raijin said. âMy brotherâs power will eat you alive.â
Why was he provoking her? Raijin had done this before but Vergil still didnât know why. Mundus wanted her dead, and Vergil was positive he could hold on to her if she did transform. So what was Raijinâs goal? Did he want her to embrace it? That couldnât be. Mundus would know if Raijin was trying to get around his commands. Did he want her to kill him? That was a very real possibility. He fought because he had to, but if he found a way to end his life without doing it himselfâŠ
âJust give up,â Raijin said. âYouâre too weak.â
Her eyes flickered a pale blue. âKuro believed inâŠâ
âAnd his belief was clearly misguided,â Raijin said. âHe left everything to you. And here you are. Dying a slow and painful death.âÂ
She cried out, dropping to her knees. Ice seeped up her cheeks. Alarmed, Vergil shifted to his human form and reached for her. âHold on,â He said.Â
âBetter let him go,â Raijin said. âOr heâll die with you.â
Vergil reached through their link, trying to push back the ice, but to no avail. It was spreading quickly now, with jagged lines closing in on her eyes as they shifted to Kuroâs own. Her breathing was heavy. Vergil could feel her fighting back, but it was a losing battle. âYou have to accept it,â He said. âYou have to transform.â
âBut...â
In the blink of an eye, Raijin was there, hand around Vergilâs throat. He reached for it, wrapping his hand around Raijinâs wrist as he tried to transform and slip away. But it failed when a pulse of electricity wracked his body. âStop!â He heard Roxy yell through his haze. Another strike nearly knocked him out cold. Air struggled to reach his lungs. Darkness filled the edges of his vision.Â
His human form was powerless, just as it had been all those months ago.Â
A blast of ice slammed into Raijinâs chest. He skidded backward, not letting go of Vergilâs throat. But Vergilâs own strength swelled inside him. He twisted Raijinâs wrist, and a resounding crack echoed in his ears. Raijin ripped his hand away, swearing before another blast knocked him off his feet. Vergil pulled back, wincing as his vest tightened against his chest. He sucked in a breath and glanced at his hands. They were bigger now, and he knew with a quick swipe through his hair that he was himself again. âRoxy.â He turned as a flurry of ice swirled past him. Ethereal wings emerged from her back. The ice turned to scales. Hands turned to claws. Her eyes narrowed into draconic slits.Â
âDonât be afraid,â Vergil said as he reached for her. âIâm here.âÂ
The katana dropped at his feet as Roxy darted forward. She slammed into Raijin, nearly tossing him off their makeshift platform. Vergil grabbed the katana as more demons crawled up from the pits. He sliced through two, surprised when they actually vanished. He glanced at the sword - it is imbued with her power - and leaped into the fray. The demons fell without much fanfare, and it might have been a disappointment if he didnât feel Roxy still tugging on his mind. As he stabbed another demon, she glanced back at her. Raijin had his own wings out now but hadnât fully transformed. Ice protruded from various body parts, including one in his chest, but still, he fought on.Â
But Roxy⊠Vergil felt another tug as she threw more ice Raijinâs way. She was trying to tell him something, but Vergil didnât know what. Her thoughts were sporadic, mixing between kill and stop with a million things in between. Her claws wrapped around Raijinâs neck, slamming him to the ground.Â
Another tug.Â
Stop.Â
Her second set of claws dug straight into his stomach. Raijin howled as he struggled to escape. Blood pooled around him.Â
Another tug.Â
Help.Â
Vergil darted forward, stabbing the blade through Raijinâs chest with enough force to pin him to the cement. Then, he turned on Roxy as she pulled her hand away. Her pupils were gone, replaced by a light blue glow. She didnât move, but Vergil could feel that a part of her wanted to. Kill. Kill. Kill. But the rest of her was holding back, fighting her new demonic self. âItâs alright,â He said reaching for her. She pulled away, and Vergil could feel her shame.Â
I canâtâŠ
âYes you can,â Vergil said. âKuro entrusted this power to you. Do you think he would have done that if he didnât believe in you?â
She stared blankly at him but didnât move when he reached for her cheek. âItâs alright,â He repeated. âYouâre safe now.â He paused, and then, âI will keep you safe.âÂ
The ice dispersed. He wrapped his arms around her to keep her from a hard landing. Her eyes cleared. Her hair returned to normal. Her breathing was heavy, but her heart maintained its expected pace. She buried her face into his chest with a quiet sob. Vergil wasnât sure if it was out of fear or sorrow. He supposed it didnât matter.Â
âYou have to stop him.â
She looked up as Vergil glanced back. Raijin was staring at the sky, docile and complacent. He hadnât even tried to remove the sword, even though he would be more than capable. âMundus,â He continued. âHe made the portal, but his demonic body wonât last long out here. He needs a body⊠and he wants you.âÂ
âVergil!âÂ
Nero ran out from the buildings, hopping the gap with ease. He didnât even spare Raijin a glance. âI⊠I messed up.â
âWhat?â Vergil said as Roxy dropped to her feet.Â
âThat bastardâŠâ He took a deep breath to steady himself. âA demon kept saying Kyrieâs name, so I thought they had her.â Guilt crossed his face. âI fought as many as I could but⊠wellâŠâ He sighed in frustration. âThere were just too many.â
âBut youâre here now.â
âDante saved me,â Nero said. âI assumed it would be childâs play for him butâŠâ
âBut?â
âHeâs gone, V,â Nero said. âHim and all the demons he was fighting just⊠vanished.â
âDid you see a portal?â Roxy said. âMaybe MundusâŠâ
âBut Dante can fight that asshole, right?â
Vergil frowned. He should be able to. Vergil knew from experience that Danteâs energy was limitless, possibly even more so than himself. And his demonic form was possibly more powerful than even their fatherâs had been. But if heâd been caught off guard⊠if one thing had gone wrongâŠ
âYou need to go,â Roxy said.Â
âHeâllâŠâ
âNo,â She said. âYou donât know that for certain.â She turned to face him and pressed her hand against his chest. âHe needs you. The full you. Not this⊠shadow of you.â
âRoxyâŠâ
She shook her head. âIâll be fine. Stopping Mundus is more important than myâŠâ She trailed off, but the word didnât need to be said. âPromise me youâll end this.â
âIf you let him go now, then how do you know Mundus wonât just call him back?â Nero said.Â
âHe canât,â Raijin said. âHer contract broke his own. But it wonât stop him from trying.â He turned his head to stare at Vergil. âCan you resist his onslaught long enough to kill him.â
âIâll have to,â Vergil said. âBut I canât abandon you.â
âDante needs you,â She said with a small, sad smile. âGo.â She pressed a bit harder against his chest. âI release you, Vergil.â
A sharp snap echoed in his ears as a moment of pain slammed into his chest. Roxyâs legs gave out, and he barely caught her before she crumbled completely. âYou foolish woman!â He snapped as her heart began to slow. âYou wonât survive without...â Me.Â
But she just smiled, brushing his cheek with the back of her hand. âGo,â She whispered as her eyes closed. âPlease⊠donât let Kuroâs death be⊠in vain.âÂ
Vergil pressed her hand back to his chest. âCall me back.â
Oh, NeloâŠÂ
He flinched. âRoxy.â
Her eyes glazed over as her heart slowed. A deep chuckle echoed in his head. You canât even save her⊠the woman you love. How unfortunate.
âGo,â Raijin said as he ripped the sword from his chest. As he forced himself upright, he tossed it at Vergilâs feet. âMy brotherâs power is still harbored in that sword. It will be more than enough for you.â
âAnd Iâm coming with you,â Nero said. âNo one gets the better of me.â
The pain in his chest was almost too much to bear. She was dying before his eyes, and there was nothing he could do about it. He couldnât take her to Mundus, and who knew how long she could hold his real form? No⊠this was the only way. And Roxy knew that. RoxyâŠ
Come to me, Nelo, and weâll finish this nonsense.Â
Vergil reached for her sword. Then, he pressed his lips to her forehead. âI wonât let you down,â He whispered as he lay her on the ground. âI promise.â In a flash of light, his demonic form returned. All his emotions slipped away, replaced by pure, undeniable fury.Â
He would win. No matter the cost.Â
Her death would not be in vain.Â
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Cadence Update - 26
In which everything goes awry.
Catch up on the full story here!
See the world through a tear, keep on breathing Salt has dried, youâre not here Just a heartbeat away, the demons walk in Now I know its too late
In Vain - Within Temptation
 --------
Vergil woke up in a field of roses. Except these flowers were all impossible shades of all different colors. Purples, blues, yellows, oranges, all mixed together in extraordinary ways. And once heâd blinked the spots from his eyes, he forced himself upright, only to see the blood seeping into every flower around him. And when his eyes followed it to the source, he saw Kuro, slumped over and bleeding from the hole in his chest. As Vergil moved closer, the dragon looked older. Exhausted. His scales were slipping from his body like petals from the roses that surrounded them both.
And there, weeping at the dragonâs side, was Roxy.Â
He pulled us into her mindscape.Â
It was the only solution Vergil could think of. It would delay her death, if only by a few real-world seconds. He could transfer his power fully to Vergil. Maybe even show him exactly how to keep her heart beating before it was too late.Â
âStop!â
Her voice surprised him. It quite literally boomed around him as if she was yelling from everywhere at once. She sounded terrified through her tears and Vergil wanted to rush to her side before it was too late. But he found himself frozen.Â
âRoxy,â He said.Â
âLeave,â She sobbed. âPlease. Quickly. Before itâs too late.â
âIf I leave youâre dead,â Vergil said.Â
âBut I promised you!â She said. âI promised⊠IâŠâ
âEnough,â Kuro said, his voice quiet and breathy. He was minutes from death. Maybe seconds. Vergil wasnât certain, but it didnât matter. If they lost Kuro before he could take his place, it was all over. âYouâre acting like a child.â
âA child?â She said. âI am notâŠâ
âI am dying, Roxy,â Kuro said. âYou need his help.â
âYou lied to me,â She whispered. âKuro. YouâŠâ
âI knew you were not ready for the truth.âÂ
âAnd you think I am now?â
âYou have to be,â  Kuro said. âAnd⊠Iâm sorry.â The dragonâs eyes closed as Vergil reached them. Roxy froze as tears streamed down her cheeks.
âKuroâŠ. Kuro wait. Please....â Her head dropped against his neck. âDonât go. Donât leave me!â
âRoxyâŠâ Vergil said as he reached for her.Â
âI said go!â She shouted, her eyes snapping up to him. âPlease Vergil IâŠâ
Anger surged through him. âIs the idea of making a pact with me so miserable youâd rather die than accept it?â
She stared at him. âNo thatâs notâŠâ A sob broke her words up before she could finish that sentence. âI promised you your freedom,â She choked out. âI canâtâŠâ
âIâm here, am I not?â Vergil snapped. âI made the choice to come find you. I made the choice to take his place until we could fix this.â He reached for her, resting his hand on her shoulder as he glanced at Kuro. The dragon was still holding on. Still listening. Could Vergil do this? He wasnât certain, and he hated it. He hated not knowing if this would work. He hated not knowing if this would all be for nothing. But he had to try. He had to do something. He couldnât lose her. Not now. Not ever. Â
This was her only chance. Their only chance.Â
âMy creator,â Kuro mumbled. How long it had been since Vergil had heard that name. And there was something in his voice- some powerful emotion Vergil couldnât quite pick out- that reverberated in those two words alone. âYou have shown me many wonderful things in this world. You gave me a reason to live. A reason to keep going. A reason toâŠâ He trailed off as he took a deep and painful breath. âYou must live, Roxanna. You must⊠You canât let him win. PleaseâŠâ
Roxyâs hand fell to the dragonâs snout before her head followed. Her tears slowed, but Vergil wasnât certain if theyâd ever truly cease. âThereâs so much you havenât told me.â
âI know youâll figure it out,â Kuro said. âHeâll help you.â His eyes closed again. âTrust him⊠RoxyâŠâ He tried to force them open again, but his body wouldnât let him. When his head rolled to the side again, his body began to vanish. Roxy choked back another sob. âTake care of her⊠Vergil.âÂ
Roxyâs hands hit the ground as he vanished completely. The second she gasped for air, Vergil was by herself side and took her hand. âWhatever you need to do,â He said as he gently pulled her toward him. She stared at him, her eyes glazed over in shock. âRoxy!â He yelled. âYou have toâŠâÂ
He gasped as her hand touched his chest. Electricity snapped through him. He felt his own power pulse around them, sweeping through the roses. Each one turned various shades of blue. The blood seeped into the ground, vanishing as if it never existed. Insurmountable grief flooded into him, knocking the air from his lungs. Suddenly, all he could hear was Roxy; her tears seemed to coat his own cheeks. When he tried to wipe them away, nothing happened.Â
Your biggest concern will be her.Â
That was a gross understatement. Vergil felt everything. The erratic beating of her heart as it tried to regain some semblance of control. The burning of her eyes as she cried where Kuro had once been. The weariness in her legs. The pain in her back. His own whirlwind of emotions nearly overwhelmed him as he tried to catch his breath. Instead, Vergil forced himself forward, collapsing at her side. Without a word, he pulled her close, resting his chin on her head. She buried her face into his chest, sobbing. âHe canâtâŠâ She whispered between breaths. âHe canât be gone⊠heâŠâ
âRoxanna!â
When Vergil blinked, he was back in the real world, flat on his back beside Kuro. Roxy gasped for air beside him, crumbling as if all the bones in her body had vanished. The clanging of swords echoed around him, followed by Nero swearing in at least four different ways. Vergil forced himself upright, reaching for Roxy. But he nearly fell again as his hand went right through. Instead, tendrils of something clung to his fingers, linking himself to her. Four curled around to her back. One went straight to her heart. Was this how Kuro healed heder? No wonder the dragon had focused so much on transferring power; this was the only thing keeping her alive.Â
But as Vergil shifted a bit of his own strength to her heart, he frowned when he was unable to do the same to the other tendrils. Why? The energy needed for her heart had been minuscule compared to the rest of what he had. Why couldnât he channel some of the rest? Surely he was capable of more than this?
âYou need a few more days,â A chirpy voice echoed in Vergilâs head. âYouâll never be able to reach her like this.âÂ
Aki?
âYep!â
âI canât see you yet,â Roxy mumbled. âOur connection isnât very strong. ButâŠâ She pushed on her chest again. âItâs⊠beatingâŠâ Flashes of her memory flooded into him; agonizing pain as her heart simply stopped. Vergil winced, trying to reach for her again. His fingers slipped through her, but she shivered, reaching for the arm that heâd gone through. Her eyes closed as she let out a shaky breath. âYouâre there⊠You can hear me.â
âHe is!â A chirpy voice echoed in Vergilâs head. âI can see him.âÂ
âGood,â Roxy murmured. She tried to push herself upright but failed miserably.Â
âInsufferable child!â The archdemon shouted behind them. Vergilâs gaze jerked to the fight, relieved to see Yamato in his sonâs hand; at least heâd had the sense to grab that. âIt doesnât matter what you do. Your father is gone. Accept it.â
âWhat, you think my pops is gonna just go down like that?â Nero rolled his shoulders, Blue Rose pointed at the manâs face. âThen you donât know him as well as you think you do.â He glanced back at Roxy. âPlease tell me you have good news.â
She clutched her chest and winced. âDia.â
The woman was by her side in an instant. âWe have to go, Nero.â
âA little busy,â Nero said as he parried the dragon again. âThis fucker doesnât even have Yamato anymore.â
âI never needed it,â The man hissed. But as Nero swung for what could have been a deadly strike, the demon blinked away, landing back up in the tree. âIâm done wasting my time with you.â A dragon claw took the place of his hand, and he slashed at the air behind him. A portal opened as Nero lunged forward, and the demon vanished through it before he reached him. Nero tumbled past the tree but rolled to his feet as if nothing had happened.
âDammit,â He said as he reluctantly clipped Red Queen to his back. âDamn it all.â
âNero,â Vergil said. But his son didnât react. He didnât even look at him. âHe canât,â Vergil thought. âNot yet.â But the logic didnât stop the sting in his heart. It didnât help when Nero had to pick Roxy up, his eyes full of concern. âPlease tell me it worked,â Nero said. She nodded but didnât say anything as her eyes drifted to Kuroâs corpse.Â
Kuro. Her voice echoed in Vergilâs head. Come back⊠KuroâŠ
Heâs gone, Roxy, Vergil thought. Itâs justâŠÂ
Us.Â
Aki cooed sadly as Nero loaded Roxy into the van. Vergi glanced back at the dragon as guilt nearly tore him apart.Â
âIt isnât your fault.â
Vergil flinched as Dia stepped up beside him. âIâm assuming youâre there, anyway,â she said. Her voice caught before she cleared it and spoke again. âWe should have been paying more attention⊠we should have assumed that someone would come here⊠but I wanted so desperately to believe that it was anyone but him.â
âWho is he?â Vergil thought.Â
There was silence for a moment. Vergil felt a tug on the tendrils prickling his skin. âSheâs falling asleep,â Aki said. âWeâll both fall asleep with her.âÂ
âGo,â Dia said. âI will deal with this.â
âWho is he?â
Diaâs eyes closed, and Vergil still wasnât certain if she could hear him or not. âGive yourself time,â She said. âThings will get better.â
Dia!
âLet me bury my son,â She said. âThen I will help you.â
Vergil was yanked back into the darkness before he had a chance to process what she said.Â
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Update - Cadence 35
Catch up on the story here!
As you stand upon the edge Woven by a single thread And fate may fall down upon you While the devil is knocking Right at your door
Awaken - League of Legends (2019)
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Vergil wasnât surprised when Nero led him to the former location of the Qliphoth Tree. It was the weakest barrier between worlds, something Vergil and Dante had used to escape themselves. But he thought the seal theyâd placed on it would have held longer than a year. He was, however, surprised that Mundus had managed to find it. Theyâd been pretty thorough in cutting all remnants of the tree down in the Underworld, and Vergil was certain they hadnât left any remnants of themselves behind.Â
âWhereâs Dante,â Vergil snarled, trying to keep his demon self calm. The last thing he needed was to lose his control at such a critical moment. But memories of Roxy kept flashing through his mind. Her smile. Her laugh. The time they spent together. Their first and only kissâŠ
He shook his head. Not now. He could remember her later.
He flinched at that, unable to fully bury the thoughts from his mind.
Roxy...
âDad,â
Vergil paused, whirling back on Nero who threw his hands up. âI know youâre angry,â Nero said. âBut you canât let Mundus get to you.â
âI wonât.â
âAre you sure?â
Vergilâs eyes narrowed. âAfter all she gave up⊠I wonât fail.â
Nero nodded. âDante disappeared somewhere aroundâŠâ He froze, eyes wide as a pulse of demonic power erupted behind Vergil. He spun around in time to knock away Danteâs Devil Sword. The half-demon appeared where the sword landed and slashed again, eyes a deep red. âDante!â Vergil yelled, blocking every strike. But his brother was just a bit stronger, knocking him away with a perfect strike to his chest. Vergil landed on his feet, growling as he launched at his brother. Dante transformed and dove at him.Â
Nero dropped between them, one demonic hand on Vergilâs chest as the other punched Dante straight in the mouth. Vergil teleported backward as Dante rolled to his feet, wings extended. âGetting a real sense of deja vu!â Nero shouted as Dante pulled his sword back. âSnap out of it!â
Vergil leaped in front of his son, blocking the strike. âI donât think he can,â He shoved back and summoned Kuroâs sword. Ice covered the blade, sweeping out in a wide arc when Vergil did the same. The blast smacked into Danteâs chest, but he brushed it off as if it were nothing. âNero,â Vergil said. âGive me Yamato.â
âAre you sure?â Nero yelled back. âWasnât Mundus like⊠calling to you or something?â
Vergil hesitated, nearly taking a sword to the face. He dodged backward, swinging more arcs of ice. Each one slicked across Danteâs body, but his demon melted anything that lingered on his skin. Raijin had said he was safe⊠right? Was Mundus still a threat? Or was he already here? Lingering within Dante?Â
And if that was the case⊠Did that mean Dante had lost?
Impossible.Â
âI need it,â And, as much as he hated to admit it, Vergil said, âThis sword wonât be enough.âÂ
Nero grimaced but held Yamato out. The second Vergil grabbed it, the world started spinning. He grunted, barely dodging another strike by Dante. Youâre a fool, Nelo, Mundusâ voice whispered. Did you really think you could get away that easily?
No. He had to be hearing things. Roxyâs connection had broken Mundusâ hold. It had to have. Her life⊠her hope for a brighter future⊠it couldnât have been for nothing.Â
But lucky for you, The voice continued. I donât need you. Not anymore. Iâve found something even better.Â
Vergil threw both swords up, blocking another strike by Dante. But his brother just laughed, eyes blazing. âHow unfortunate,â A distorted voice echoed back. Mundus. Vergil grit his teeth and shoved his brother away. But he landed and charged within a second, stabbing the Devil Sword straight at Vergilâs chest. He tossed Roxyâs sword, embedding it into Danteâs shoulder and knocking him slightly off course before stabbing Yamato into his gut. But Dante - Mundus - just looked up at him with a feral grin. âYou couldnât even kill Raijin,â He said as he pushed himself off of Vergilâs sword. âWhat makes you think you can kill your own brother?â
I canât, Vergil thought before he could stop it.Â
Danteâs grin widened. âA pity.âÂ
When he swung again, it was Nero who appeared back between them, clapping his demonic hands on either side of Danteâs sword. He grabbed Roxyâs sword and tossed it to Vergil. âGo,â he said. âIâll hold him here.â
âWhat?â Vergil said. âGoâŠ?â He glanced behind him. The Underworld. Wherever Mundus was doing his experiments had to be nearby. Maybe if he found it⊠he could save Dante.Â
âGo!â Nero said.Â
âI canât justâŠâ
âI can handle myself, old man!â Nero snapped as he punched his uncle straight in the chest. Danteâs body went flying, and even Mundus seemed surprised.Â
âYouâre his son,â He said.Â
âDamn right,â Nero said as he rolled his neck and flexed his wings. âAnd Iâve fought much worse than you.â
Mundus snorted. âWeâll see, child.â
âHold on,â Vergil paused, glancing at Yamato. Whatever connection Mundus had was through the sword. And if he could read his mindâŠ
âTake this back,â Vergil said. âIâll be back soon.âÂ
Nero caught it with a flourish, blocking Dante from going after Vergil.. âCounting on it.â And as his son tossed his Uncle away for the second time that fight - Mundus clearly didnât have much practice controlling a body like Danteâs - Vergil leapt back into the Underworld, hoping the portal didnât simply snap closed behind him. He glanced up as he landed, glad to see that it didnât, but knew he didnât have much time. If Mundus got a hold of YamatoâŠ
Vergil shook his head. Nero could hold his own. He had to trust him.Â
So, Vergil took off, searching for any sign of Mundusâ domain. The former demon king hadnât been anywhere near Vergil and Dante during their time here, of that Vergil was certain. They would have found him then, either in one of their rounds or by pure luck. But it had to be close, right? How could Mundus both hide from them and remain near the Qliphoth Tree all at the same time?
Underground.
Of course. Neither of them had thought to check underground for anything, much less Mundus. So he flew low, searching for any kind of entrance. Demons cowered beneath him. He slashed through every tree. Shattered every rock. He practically tore the earth itself apart, searching for something.Â
Then, he found it, a false tree leading to a hole in the ground. It was too small for his demon form, so he swapped back, dropping inside with a quiet thump. The tunnel was dark and empty, but his superior vision could see a flickering light toward the end. He walked toward it, hand on Roxyâs sword. He could feel the ice on his fingers, waiting to be used. It made his heart twist, even as he tried to ignore it. He couldnât have brought her with him. Mundus would have killed her too easily, and humans didnât do well in the Underworld. But he wished he could have done something. Anything to ensure her survival. Now, all he could think about was her silent heart. The light dying in her eyes. Her smile slipping away.Â
He shook his head, trying again to dispel whatever he could. He had to focus. Mundus himself could be waiting, and Vergil had to be prepared. Failure meant death. Failure meant losing his brother, his son, and everyone else to Mundusâ schemes.Â
Failure meant the end of everything.
Once he reached the light, it took his eyes a moment to adjust. He was inside what looked like a human science lab with bright white walls, wooden tables filled with documents, and panes of glass separating him from a variety of unconscious demons. But as he walked further, the demon prisoners turned to human subjects, each one dead. Vergil wondered if Raijin had helped with that, or if there was some other place in the Underworld where Mundus could have found human subjects. Maybe, he thought with a flicker of regret, they were all victims of the Qliphoth tree.Â
When he reached the end, he sliced through the glass. It shattered, spilling in all directions. Vergil stepped through, brushing the few shards that had managed to cling to him as he looked up at the person inside. A human male. Well built. Tall. Dressed in workout attire. He floated in a test tube with a sewn scar on his chest. Vergil moved down the line, checking each and every one. All of them were similar. Tall men with scars on their chests. Vergil frowned. Had Mundus been practicing transplants? Why? It wouldnât do him any good to put a demon heart into a human body. Surely he knew from Raijinâs limited knowledge the downsides of replacing a heart. âSo what was hisâŠâ
A low chuckle caught his attention. He whirled around, katana in hand, wishing heâd been able to bring Yamato. The laughter turned to wheezing and Vergil followed it, reaching the end of another hallway with a door. When he cut it down, his eyes widened in shock. For there, sitting on a throne of metal, as the Mundus from his nightmares. Except this one was slumped over in his seat with a hole in his chest. Demonic tendrils grew from the wound, stretching to a table to the demonâs right. There, Vergil saw a steadily beating heart. Except what should have been a large and imposing thing was shriveled and dying; a heart even smaller than his own.Â
âI knew youâd find me,â Mundus said. âBut it doesnât matter now. Iâve gotten what I wanted.â
âYou look pathetic,â Vergil said as he lifted Roxyâs blade. âIâll cut you down right here and now.â
âGo ahead,â Mundus said. âThis body is nothing to me.â
Vergil frowned as he glanced again at the heart. How was such a small thing fueling him? How had it ended up so⊠shriveled? But when he looked closer, he realized it had been cut. Dozens of sealed incisions lined the heart in various shapes and sizes. The heart had shrunk naturally. Mundus had taken pieces from it.Â
That was it, then. It wasnât that these people had all lost their hearts. Mundus had attached a piece of his to theirs instead. Thatâs why Raijin had survived so many attacks but stopped fighting once Vergil pierced a different part of his chest. Roxy froze because she had all of Kuroâs heart, not just a piece. Mundus wouldnât want a failed body. He would want control. And that must have been what happened to Dante. One useless injury could have implanted one without Dante even realizing it.Â
Now, Vergil knew how to save him.Â
But first⊠he had to ensure Mundus wouldnât survive it.Â
âYour sonâs close to death,â Mundus said. âBetter hurry.â
âEnough,â Vergil said, though it was difficult to keep the worry from his voice. Mundus in Danteâs head was a terrifying prospect. His brother wouldnât be able to hold back. Wouldnât be able to stop himself from killing Nero. He had to get back. Kill Mundus now andâŠ
With a hefty sigh, the demon rose from his seat and reached for his heart. The tendrils wrapped around it, pulling it back into his chest. He towered over Vergil, just like he had all those years ago. âIt still haunts you, doesnât it Nelo.â
âItâs Vergil,â He growled. âAnd I suggest you remember it.â
âThe blades through your heart,â Mundus continued as he moved forward. âThe voices in your head. The vines that pulled your muscles tight. The glass that nearly shattered you.â He chuckled. âI remember it all quite clearly.â
âEnough,â Vergil said.
âYou might kill me,â Mundus said. âBut youâll never save your brother. And then heâll bring your son right back here, where you once were. I wonder if heâll survive as long as you did.â
Vergil darted forward, jamming the sword into Mundusâ chest. But the demon just laughed it off, raising his hand to bat Vergil away. He yanked the sword away, jumping back in time to dodge it. Mundus was slow, but his movements were precise. He swung his hand the other way, striking Vergil. He flew into the wall, but triggered before it did any damage. He shot back at Mundus, slicing in as many directions as he could. Mundus cackled at the pain, holding his arms wide. âDo what you want, spawn of Sparda,â He said. âYou wonât win.âÂ
Vergil stabbed him in the chest again, shoving the sword deep within the wound he already had. Mundusâ breath stopped, but his smile never faded. His body dissipated, but Vergil wasnât done. He cut through everything he could. Breaking glass. Putting the test demons out of their misery, ensuring that the bodies left behind were both dead and without a heart for Mundus to draw off of. And with every strike, the voice in his head slipped away. With everything he tore through, the few tendrils Mundus had left on him dissipated. A sense of freedom nearly overwhelmed him, but he used it as fuel, burning everything in his path as he triggered and darted back to the surface.
Vergil emerged from the Underworld, slipping between Dante and Nero. The second his son tossed Vergil Yamato, it plunged into Danteâs chest, but Vergil yanked it away. It didnât work, as he could still see Mundusâ eyes in his brotherâs own.Â
There was only one solution.
Heâd have to cut Danteâs heart.
The idea of it was revolting, but Vergil didnât know what else to do. He couldnât kill something he couldnât see. And Dante would survive it⊠right? He could heal anything⊠couldnât he? Even a temporary transplant? The other option was to keep swinging in the dark until he struck the piece Mundus had left, but Vergil didnât know how long that would take. And Nero looked tired, a sign that Vergil couldnât ignore. He didnât have time to question himself. He had to move and fast.Â
âIâm sorry,â He whispered as he lifted both swords. Ice burst from Roxyâs sword, covering the blade. Blue energy pulsed off of Yamato. Vergil charged at his brother, shifting forms as Dante did. One slice of Yamato cut through his demonâs armor. Another with Roxyâs sword reached deeper. It burst, sending shards of ice everywhere. Everything it touched froze, and the ice spread quickly. Still, Vergil knew he didnât have a lot of time. And as the body heat of Danteâs trigger began to melt his fragile prison, Vergil drove Yamato through the only gray piece of his brotherâs heart he could find.Â
Dante gasped as the piece of Mundusâ heart froze and shattered. His trigger vanished as the wound closed. Dante hit the ground dry-heaving, throwing his hand out in a thumbs up. âIâm good,â He said through coughs and sputters. Nearby, a body rose and stumbled from the pit. Vergil could feel the remnants of Mundus inside, struggling to hold on. Nero snorted as he finally wandered up to Vergil. âIs that our guy? Trying to run in a body like that?â
Brandishing Yamato, Vergil said, âThis should be the last body he can go to.â
âCan we save the human?â
âNo,â Vergil said. âThe body is already dead.â
Nero looked sad, but nodded. âThen do the honors.â
But as Vergil started to move, electricity pulsed around them. Surprised, his gaze rose to the horizon as a half-dragon slammed down in front of Mundus. Ice and electricity exploded in all directions, forcing the Devil Hunters to take a long step back. Mundus howled in agony and, when Vergil could look up again, this new dragon had his human form by the throat.Â
âRoxy,â Vergil whispered.Â
She didnât look at him. âYou know why Iâm here?â She said, her voice distorted. Vergilâs heart sank. Had Raijin really taken her body? He wouldnât⊠couldnâtâŠ
âBecause of his last wish,â She whispered. âTo watch your end.â
With another pulse of electricity, she slammed Mundus to the ground before smiling up at Vergil. Relief flooded through him, and he knew what she was asking before she had to say it. Roxy hopped to her feet as Vergil buried Yamato in Mundusâ chest. A silent scream wracked his features, but the life in his eyes faded in an instant. Vergil pulled Yamato from the body, flicking it to the side to throw off any blood before sheathing it and turning to his love. âRoxyâŠâ He said.Â
She watched him for a moment, giving him time to take everything in. Her body was split, half Kuroâs wing and scales, half Raijinâs. Magic swirled around her hands, down that same divide. Even her eyes were split, one light blue, and one purple. She lowered herself to the ground, bringing her wings in and she stared up at him. How little she still was, even in this form. He wondered if that was a conscious decision. âVergil,â She said, her voice shifting between a demonic growl and her own voice.
âWhat happened?â
âRaijinâŠâ She said. âHeâs⊠gone.â She placed her hand against her chest. âHe gave everything to make this beat again. The least I could do was fulfill his last wish.â With a slow breath, everything vanished. Her skin returned to normal. The wings dissipated. Only her draconic eyes remained, both teeming with untapped potential. It must have been overwhelming existing in such a state. âHe warned me that I would have some trouble adapting.â
âItâs alright,â Vergil said as he stepped up to her. âYouâll have help.â
Then, after a moment of simply staring at each other, he swept her into his arms and held her tight. She laughed as she hugged him back. âMiss me?â
More than you know.
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Cadence - 30
Catch up on the story here!
Lost all my precious Rage ate me up Endless forlornness has made me numb Iâd rather rise from here Or should I hold on to my past?
Ashes - Hiroyuki Sawano
------------------
When Vergil woke up in a field of flowers, he knew he was back in their mindscape.Â
He sat up slowly, wincing as his bones seemed to pop back into place. He felt her tugging on his mind, but it didnât feel like she was trying to wake him up. Instead, it felt like a gentle, almost mindless tug. It was as if she wasnât intending to pull at him at all. And when he found her on the edge of their mental garden, he knew she was lost. She stared at the broken statue of Kuro that still towered over her. Her arms were wrapped around her legs. Her head was tilted back. Vergil could feel the solemn sadness that had plagued her heart for the last few weeks. But there was something different this time. Some emotion that Vergil couldnât quite describe. Longing? Possibly, though that didnât feel quite right. Acceptance? No, not quite. âRoxy,â He said as he approached her, disheartened to see that her skin was a pale blue. âYouâre frozen.â
To his surprise, she nodded. âThis is where I used to rest during my stasis.â
Vergil sat down beside her, glancing up at Kuroâs half-broken face. âI didnât think you would still freeze with me.â
âMy father used to say that oneâs heart is the source of their power,â She said as she pressed her hand to her chest. âAnd if I have his heart⊠thenâŠâ She sighed. âThereâs a lot I donât understand.âÂ
âSomething is on your mind.â
âHow could Kuro have possibly survived losing his heart?â
âFamiliars are different,â Vergil said. âThey may have a preferred form, but they survive things we would deem impossible. Most would go into their own stasisâŠâ He paused as the realization dawned on him. âYouâve been going into stasis in his place.â
âWhat?â
âThatâs the only explanation,â Vergil said. âWhen the power sustaining him started to wane, the power holding onto your heart did too. He must have purposefully slowed it to make sure it didnât stop.â
âBut this is all conjecture.â She said miserably.
âThere must be a way to find out.â
âIf my father was still aliveâŠâ She paused. âMy father must have done the procedure.â
âWhy?â Vergil said. âWhy would he risk your life like that?â
For a long moment, she said nothing, but memories flooded Vergilâs mind. Flashes of metal. The screeching of tires. Her sisterâs scream as two cars collided. The pain of a pole shooting through her body, pinning her to the seat. Sirens ringing in her ears. Her last breathâŠ
Her eyes widened. âHe wasnât risking my life.â She murmured. âHe was saving it.â Her lips parted. Her mind raced in a whirlwind of thoughts and feelings that Vergil couldnât hope to pull apart. âI⊠I died. He⊠he saved meâŠâ Her eyes glistened with tears. âWhy did he save me? Why didnât he save her?â
âDia would know,â Vergil said.Â
âBut my sisterâŠâ
âYour father made his choice,â Vergil said. A choice I couldnât imagine making. If it was Neroâs life on the line, Vergil knew now that he would do anything to save him. But if he had a second child, and he could only save one⊠How could anyone make that choice?
âDia knows,â Roxy muttered. âShe must know.â
âDid you know she and Kuro were related?â
âNo,â Roxy said. âBut I have a feeling I might have before.â She stood up slowly, eyes locked on Kuro. âWhy did you lie to me?âÂ
But the lifeless stone didnât answer, and Vergil found himself falling as Roxy turned away.Â
-------------------
Vergil jerked awake in a panic, his chest heaving. He coughed, and the pain-wracked his body. He reached for his heart, smacking a hand on the way there. âHold on, Verge,â Dante said, his voice echoing over the ringing in Vergilâs ears. âHere.â A cup of water appeared in front of him, and Vergil snatched it away, forcing himself to take a deep breath before taking a drink. He nearly choked, but managed to swallow before the coughing began again. A hand smacked his back and he nearly fell out of bed. âWhoops,â Dante said. âForgot how⊠uhhâŠâÂ
âFragile I am?â Vergil said, his voice hoarse.Â
âYour words not mine.â
Vergil glared at him. âWhereâs Roxy?â
âSheâs fine,â Dante said. âWorry about yourself.â
âWhere is she?â
âI told you sheâs fine,â Dante huffed, crossing his arms with an indignant glare. âWould I ever lie to you?â
âYes,â Vergil forced himself to his feet but stumbled the second they touched the ground. Dante reached for him, and it took everything Vergil had to not try pushing him away. His brother was nearly twice his size like this. Heâd be lucky if he didnât knock himself over in the process. âCurse this body,â He muttered, but he didnât quite mean it.
âAt least youâre not a cat.â
The catâs marginally more useful, Vergil thought as he stood up. He was dressed in pajamas and one of his coats, but he was practically swimming in it. Heâd forgotten how thin this form was. How fragile. One snap in the right place and heâd be nothing but a pile of bones. But it was something. A sign of power that he wouldnât take for granted. And he could still feel his other forms hovering at the back of his mind. This was something new. A step in the right direction. âIs she frozen?â He asked.Â
âShe was earlier,â Dante admitted. âBut her skin is all warm now. Sheâll probably wake up soon.â
âHow did you find us?â
âI was in the area,â Dante shrugged. âThe ice pyramid helped. Howâd ya manage that?â
âI donât know,â Vergil said. âAnd I donât think it was me.â He stumbled out to the doorway, stopped, took a deep breath to find his footing, and followed his instincts. Vergil was certain she was awake, but only just. If it was like her last stasis, she would be groggy for at least half an hour before she could communicate with anyone, much less wander around. âHow long have I been out?â
âYou?â Dante said. âYou appeared about thirty minutes ago. Sheâs been out for a week.â
A week? âAnd nothingâs happened?â
âA lotâs happened,â Dante said. âBut nothing serious. The big man downstairs still hasnât appeared, and Nero said nobody has made a grab for Yamato, so our dragon manâs been missing.â
âAnything from Dia?â
âSheâs been working with Nico on some things,â Dante said. âBut Iâve been too busy fighting all the demons.â
âMundus has to be getting closer,â Vergil said.Â
âWe still donât know what he wants,â Dante said. âIf it was Yamato, then what was the point of killing Kuro? Surely he knew his little dragon minion or whatever wasnât going to get it back.â
âIf theyâre actually working together,â Vergil said as he finally made it to the doorway he was searching for.
âThey have to be,â Dante said. âItâs all too convenient. And even Kuro worked for him in the past, didnât he?â
âYes,â Vergil admitted. âConscripted, just like his brother. But he said they both escaped.â
âClearly he was wrong.âÂ
Vergil said nothing as he knocked on the door. It snapped open, and he nearly fell over again. âSheâs awake,â Dia said. Behind her, Roxy shivered as her head turned to look at him.Â
âWhat does Mundus want?â Vergil said.Â
âVergil,â Roxy whispered.Â
âYou know, donât you?â He pressed.Â
Dia glared at him, but her gaze softened and she sighed. âCome in,â She stepped back to Roxyâs side, beckoning to the brothers. As Vergil found his spot on the bed, Dante kicked the door closed and leaned against it. Dia flinched before she spoke again. âHis name is Raijin,â She began. âKuroâs brother⊠My son. I believe that he has fallen back into Mundusâ service.â
âWhat does he want?â Vergil said.Â
âRoxyâs father.â
âMy father is dead,â Roxy said weakly.
âYes, he is,â Dia confirmed. âBut the information he gathered isnât.â
âWhy would Mundus want that?â Vergil said.Â
âControl,â Dia said. âIf a familiar were bound to him with a physical piece of itself, they could never escape.â
âThat canât be it,â Vergil said. âMundus is more than capable of controlling those around him.â He felt Danteâs gaze harden on him, but he ignored it. âUnless his power has weakened that much.âÂ
âOrâŠâ Dante said slowly. âHe thinks he can implant himself into someone else.â
Vergil stared at him. âWhat?â
âThink about it,â Dante said as he tapped his forehead. âWhat would Mundus need with more men? As far as we know, heâs raised a small army down there, and, as you said, heâs had no issues with controlling people in the past.â Vergil met his gaze for a moment before both broke it. âClearly he wants to cross over to this side, right? What good is he doing in hell?â
âA strong enough familiar could take over his host,â Dia said.Â
Vergil paused, pondering. He honestly wasnât certain that was the answer. There was a lot about familiars that he still didnât know.âBut then the familiar is still bound to the body. Mundus would never willingly chain himself to a human. It has to be something else.â
âThe brain,â Roxy said softly.
Vergil froze. âWhat?â
âIf you can implant a demonâs heart for their power,â She said. âThen would it be possible to move their brain too?â
âWhat would that do for him?â Vergil said. âA demon brain in a human skull is still handicapped by the potential of the host.â
âSo find a stronger host.â
âLike what?âÂ
âLike a half-demon who ate the Qliphoth fruit,â Dante said.Â
Vergilâs heart sank. âThatâs why heâs trying to get to me.â
âAnd you were onceâŠâ Roxy paused. âIn his service⊠right?â
âYes.â
âSo he knows how your powers work.â
â... Theoretically.â
Roxy sat up slowly, her muscles crackling as she moved. She flinched as some of the ice broke off, leaving behind bright red marks along her neck and arms. Dia moved to help, but Roxy stopped her. âIâm fine,â She said, her voice rough. Dia looked away. âIf he is after you,â Roxy said slowly. âThen why kill Kuro?â
âMaybe he didnât expect Verge to give himself up,â Dante said.Â
âSurely he considered it,â Vergil said.Â
âWhy would he?â Dante countered. âThink about it. He knows who you were, Verge. Not who you are.â
âRemember what Raijin said?â Roxy looked to Vergil. âHe said you had a choice; save me or your own power. Is it fair to think that Mundus expected you to abandon me?â
Vergilâs jaw locked as he stared at her. âHe should have known better.â
âBut the old you would have,â Dante said quietly. âAnd if youâd reclaimed Yamato after it killed KuroâŠâÂ
Roxy looked to Dia. âSo Raijin knows that I have Kuroâs heart.â
âOf course he does,â She said bitterly. âHe was there when Kuro gave it to you.â
A silence fell over the room. Roxyâs eyes widened. Vergil gently took her hand, but she didnât look back. âHe gave it to me?â
Dia sighed before she reached for Roxyâs forehead. âRemember,â She whispered. âRemember everything.âÂ
The world vanished, replaced by a room Vergil didnât recognize. It was nearly three times the size of his own and flooded with natural light from the wide-open windows. Boots were scattered in perfect piles in front of two empty bookcases. Beside that was a desk and computer that Vergil recognized from Roxyâs own apartment. The walls were painted bright orange and covered in various pieces of artwork ranging from flowers, animals, and a half-finished painting of a dragon. Kuro. The form was undeniable, and the painting itself was lying on the floor, surrounded by bottles of paint and numerous brushes.Â
The door behind him opened. âI told you not to look,â A young Roxy said, pouting in that fake way she did when she was pretending to be annoyed. She looked⊠different. Her skin was a few shades darker. Her hair was black. Her eyes were green. And as a second half-dragon boy walked in behind her, Vergil realized why.Â
âI just canât help myself,â The human Kuro said, the scales along his neck glistening in the sunlight. The similarities to Raijin were uncanny. Only his hair and scales were different, and even those were fashioned in the same style as his brother. âI just hope you got my good side.â
Roxy rolled her eyes as she swatted at his shoulder. âI have a good memory.â She carefully navigated her way through the stacks and moved to the painting. âWhat do you think?â
Kuro paused, staring down at it with a look between shock and admiration. âItâsâŠâ
âAmazing?â Roxy said with a grin. âI sure hope so. Iâve been working on it non-stop.â
âBeautiful,â Kuro murmured, but his eyes hadnât left her. Roxy didnât look up, reaching for the blue paint at his feet.Â
âYou can watch for a bit if you want,â She said. âBut donât distract me.â
Kuro smiled. âI wouldnât dream of it.â
The scene shifted, and Vergil was in a new, much smaller room. This one he recognized as the living room in Diaâs cottage. All of the furniture had been removed, save for a single table in the center. On that was Roxyâs body, eerily still. Her skin was pale. Her eyes were glossy, and Vergil knew without moving that she was dead. Kuro stood beside her, face stained with tears. Dia appeared in the center of the room. âI told you not to get too attached,â She said. âHuman lives are too fragile for demons like us.â
âItâs too soon,â Kuro whispered.Â
âTragedies happen,â Dia said. âYouâve been alive long enough to know that.â
âBut she⊠sheâs different.â
âWhat are you getting at?â
âIf her father gives her my heart,â Kuro said. âThen sheâll live, right?â
Dia gawked at him, but it was Raijin who spoke, his voice echoing around the room. âYou would give your life to a human?â
âShe deserves better than this.â
Raijin snorted, stepping up beside Vergil. âLove has made you a fool.â
âDo you have any idea what youâll be forcing on her?â Dia said. âHer body is broken, Kuro.â
âBut I can heal it.â
âAnd then what?â Dia clicked her tongue. âYou cannot come back from this.â
âIâm not expecting to,â Kuro said as his eyes fell back to Roxy.Â
âAnd how will she feel, knowing that her life was spared while her sister was abandoned?â
âI can only save one,â Kuro snapped. âItâs my choice.âÂ
Dia sighed. âI cared for her as you did, Kuro. But youâŠâ
âNo, you didnât,â Kuro snapped. âYou donât understand.â
âBut you have hundreds of other lives to live,â Dia continued. âMore humans to meet, and more that will pass by you.â
Kuroâs hand tightened around hers. âShe deserves better,â He repeated. âShe deserves to live.âÂ
Silence fell between them as tears streamed down Kuroâs cheeks. Finally, Raijin scoffed. âYouâre a fool, brother. Always have been.â
âJealousy is an ugly thing, brother,â Kuro shot back.Â
âI am not jealous of this lifeless body before me.â
âBut you are jealous of me,â Kuro said, standing a bit straighter. His eyes darkened, shifting to slits. The scales on his body shifted upward, wrapping around his cheeks and under his eyes. âWhat you wouldnât give to have someone you believe in like I do her.â
âFoolish,â Raijin repeated. âAll of it.â
âIt is Kuroâs choice,â Dia said softly. âBut you must considerâŠâ
âWipe her memory,â Kuro said. âOf all of this. Of me. Of us. Pretend Iâm simply a familiar that chose her. Iâll reveal myself as soon as I can.â
âThat could take years,â Dia said, rubbing her temples.
âThen so be it.â
But Raijin wasnât done, and his fury consumed the room. âYou escaped Mundus for this?â
Kuro ignored him. âGo find her father,â He said to Dia. âTell him the truth, and tell him its not his fault.â
After a long moment, Dia nodded. âThere is no going back from this.â
Kuro nodded. âI wonât regret it.â
Vergil blinked and his room returned. Roxy stared at the bed, hands shaking as she clutched the blanket tighter than he thought possible. âVerge?â Dante said. âIs everything alright?â
âIâŠâÂ
âHe loved me?â Roxy said, her voice hollow.
âOf course he did,â Dia said. âWhy else would a demon give up so much?â
Vergil could feel her desire to snap back. Why keep that from me? But she silently rose from the bed, grabbed a coat, and left the room.Â
âI think thatâs your cue,â Dante said.Â
Perceptive as always, was what he wanted to say. Instead, he simply nodded and followed after her, his mind lost in what he could possibly say to make all of this right. Â
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Cadence Update - 33
Catch up on AO3 Here!
My wish for you Is that this life becomes all that you want it to Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small You never need to carry more than you can hold And while youâre out there gettinâ where youâre gettinâ to I hope you know somebody loves you And wants the same things too\
My Wish - Rascal Flatts
-----------
A week went by, but nothing happened. Everyone was on edge, but all managed to pretend they were fine. Nero called Kyrie every day to check on the kids, and Vergil could hear the worry in his voice every time they spoke. Dante grew more and more restless, flying back and forth between Redgrave and Fortuna to take on any hint of demons. Nico continued to watch the DVD, but she could only work about half an hour at a time as the video kept freezing up and it took far too long to fix it.Â
Vergil went through some of the information with her, but it didnât provide any insight into Mundusâ plan. It all seemed very straight forward. Demonic kidneys transplanted into demons with human forms. A liver for another. Lots of blood transfusions. Nico had yet to find Roxyâs surgery, and Vergil wasnât certain Roxy would even want to see it.Â
âIâm sorry, Rox,â Nico said. âI wish I could get through it faster.â
Roxy just shook her head. âYouâre doing your best. Iâm sorry I havenât been helping.âÂ
Vergil did, however, manage to convince Roxy to keep working with her powers, if only to overcome her fear. It had taken many attempts to persuade her, as she struggled to get the temporary transformation out of her mind. But eventually, Vergil was able to coerce her into at least trying to learn small facets of her power. They focused on defense. She was summoning small walls for a shield, knocking things out of the sky and surrounding his own body with ice crystals. Anything they could think of to help him fight. Eventually, she started enchanting Akiâs arrows with ice and managed to freeze the enemies she hit. âKuro used to do that for me,â She told him. âSo, it wasnât too hard to pick up.â
âYou should still be proud,â Vergil said.
Heâd gotten a ghost of a smile for that, but she hadnât responded.Â
Now they were out wandering Redgrave, searching for any demons they could find. Nico was in the van less than a mile away, finishing up the last of the DVD. They all hoped it would be enough, but Roxy had too much on her mind to wait around.Â
âYou know Dante got my mail yesterday,â She said as she plopped down on a piece of cement and looked over at him.Â
âYes,â He said, leaning against the building. His human form was easy to maintain now. Almost easier than Shadow. If only Vâs form was better in a fight. Vergil was fairly certain heâd break his bones just touching a demon, much less attacking one. Sheâd tried to summon his actual self but had only managed to change his hair. But Vergil was hopeful. She was getting stronger, little by little. He just didnât know how much time they had left.Â
She reached into the inside of her jacket and pulled out an envelope with a golden seal. âAn invitation to the gala,â She said. âHe actually sent it.â She turned it in her hand. âIt feels like a lifetime since weâve talked about it.â
âAre you planning on going?â
âI havenât had any time to paint,â She said. âI donât even know if I have any creative energy left.â
âIâm sure you do,â Vergil said. âYou just need some time.â
âWhat would I even present?â She said. âAssuming my house hasnât been ransacked by now, all I was working on were flowers and butterflies.â
âAnd they were quite beautiful.â
She blushed as she met his gaze. âBut I need something new. Something original.â She shook her head. âAnd with everything thatâs happened...â
âPaint Kuro,â Vergil said. âYou never did finish the mural.â
Her eyes seemed to glaze over in thought. âNo I suppose I didnât,â She said, her voice quiet as she held her hand out. A small ball of ice appeared, hovering there for a moment before she sent it away with a small, but unreadable smile. âA girl and her dragon.â
They looked up as the squealing of tires echoed in the distance. Nico barrelled around the corner, barely keeping the van on all four wheels as she slammed on the break and skidded to a spot. âRox!â She said as she leaned her head out the window. âI think youâll want to see this.âÂ
Roxy glanced at Vergil as Nico disappeared into the back of the van. âHow did she find us?â
âShe always does,â Vergil said, helping her up.Â
âIâm still not convinced the van isnât a demon.âÂ
Vergil chuckled as the side door opened. âCome on!â Nico said, beckoning to them both. Roxy hopped in and Vergil narrowly made it inside before Nico slammed the door back closed. âI was watchinâ that tape,â Nico said as she tried to rewind it, hitting the remote a few times before it worked. âAnd I found this.â When she stopped, a man appeared on the screen. His resemblance to Roxy was uncanny; similar jaw-line, same hair color, eye color, and general build. This man, however, looked like heâd been run ragged. And considering the empty basement behind him, Vergil assumed he and Dia had just gotten done cleaning it all out.Â
âDad,â Roxy murmured, her hands gripping the edges of her coat with such force that her knuckles had turned white.Â
âRoxanna,â Her father said with a small smile. âItâs been a while since Iâve gotten to speak to you, and Iâm afraid it might be longer still.â Roxyâs eyes widened, but she didnât speak. Her father smiled, and Vergil swore he saw a twinkle in the manâs eyes. âIf youâre watching this, then you probably already know what I did to save you. I really hope Kuro or Dia told you before you watched this, or that might have been a terrible shock,â He chuckled, but it was strained and quickly followed by a sigh. âI want you to know that I tried to find another way out of this, but Iâm afraid this will be my last night on this earth.â
Roxyâs hands wrapped tighter around her as her father continued. âI donât know where youâll be when you see this. I hope youâre happy and healthy and living life to the fullest. I hope youâve found someone to cherish you even more than I have, whether it be Kuro or someone else entirely. I hope you have it in your heart to forgive everyone involved,â He paused and lowered his voice. âA few weeks ago, Raijin informed me that Mundus has taken his heart.â
âHis heart?â She echoed. âWhat does he want?â
âBefore he was taken away, Raijin warned me that Mundus has a prisoner whose body he hopes to use to cross fully into our world.â Vergilâs blood rain cold and Roxy shivered without looking at him. âApparently he doesnât believe any other body will work, and I know he wants to use my research to accomplish it.â His eyes closed for a moment as he took a long, deep breath. âIâm certain that Raijin has been commanded to take my work and kill me, as Mundus would never work with a human so far below him.âÂ
He glanced behind him. âBut I made sure thereâs only a small amount left for him to find⊠enough to save Raijinâs life⊠and enough for you.â He shook his head with another, small smile. âHe wonât be able to enter this place until you do. Diaâs going to seal everything up once Iâm done. And donât worry if he took the notebook. We already agreed that was what he would return to Mundus with.â
âBut why?â She whispered. âWhat good is it going to do?â
âThe notes are incomplete,â Her father continued. âThe information is incorrect in some places. Missing in others. Mundus might believe he has everything Iâve ever written, but all he has is a bunch of medical jargon and a mess of scientist notes. Will it stop him? Probably not. Raijin knows enough about my work that he will be forced to interpret it, but I hope it gives you and Dia the time to find someone who can help.âÂ
Roxy glanced at Vergil for the briefest moment. âIt was you,â She muttered. Vergil didnât reply; his stray thoughts were more than enough.Â
âRoxyâŠâ Her father said. âMy beautiful, wonderful daughter.â Tears filled the corners of his eyes. âI canât imagine what youâre feeling right now, but please donât blame yourself for anything. Not for Kuroâs decision. Not for your sisterâs death. Not for your motherâs failing health. Nothing. None of this is your fault. Raijin is fighting, but I know one day Mundusâ influence will be too much. He will come for you, and I pray you find a way to save him.â
âSave him,â Roxy echoed. âAfter everythingâŠ?âÂ
âBut I hope someday, somehow, youâll see this and know how much I love you.â Her father blinked rapidly, dispelling any tears he could. He wasnât very successful. âAnd I hope one day you can forgive me.â He smiled through his sadness.
As the video ended, the world shook. Roxy flinched, reaching instinctively for Vergil. Except that just destabilized him and they both ended on the couch. Nico stumbled past them both, reaching for a chair. Cracks appeared in the asphalt around them. âShit,â Nico said as she made it to the front seat and threw the car in reverse. They hit a bump on the way, throwing Roxy to the ground as she dragged Vergil with her. He transformed before he landed on top of her, growling in annoyance. Roxy forced herself back to her feet as another shake jarred the van.Â
âWhatâs going on?â She said as she eventually found her way to the passenger seat.
âHell if I know!â Nico said as she spun the wheel. She slammed on the breaks when more cracks appeared, throwing Vergil into the back of the seat. He heard a groan from Roxy and felt a pulse of pain in his chest. âSorry,â Nico said.
âItâs fine,â Roxy said. âItâs not like I needed my ribcage.â
Thatâs when the demons emerged. Small creatures like the empusas scurried from the cracks to their side. Multiple scythes snapped up from the darkness before the ghoulish beings attached to them emerged, moaning and groaning as they wandered toward them. Three furies snapped up in a blur, landing and summoning their blades. Another jolt knocked a few of the weaker ones off their feet, but the others stalked forward. âVergil,â Roxy said as she scrambled to the backseat and swung the door open, summoning her bow. âFury's first or I donât think weâll last long.â
âYouâve never managed to shoot down a fury.â
âWell, I better figure it out now, huh.â She launched a trio of arrows, but the furies lurched forward. Roxy rolled out of the van, barely dodging a swipe and fired another shot. Vergil knocked the second fury out of the air, impaling it with his tail long enough for her to stab it with Kuroâs sword. The third fury appeared behind her. Roxy pulled back as the blade cut her shirt. When her hand snapped out to catch herself, a spike of ice shot out of the ground, piercing the furyâs chest. The third one slipped, and Vergil managed to catch it with his tail as she shot it.Â
âDoes that count?â She said as she rolled to her feet.Â
âIt wasnât moving.â
âStill shot it.â
Vergil rolled his eyes as they turned on the other demons. Except they were gone, and a certain red-jacketed half-demon was standing in their place. âGood!â Dante said. âYou got the other ones.â
The earth rumbled again. In the distance, Vergil could sense more demons all congregating in one area. But where? The underworld itself was breaking through the ground and Vergil didnât know why.Â
âTake a wild guess where theyâre coming from, Verge,â Dante said.Â
He looked up at Roxyâs blank expression, then back to Dante. He growled, hoping it would convey a silent where? Dante sighed, running his hands through his hair. âThat stupid tree,â He said.
âThe tree?â Roxy said. âYou mean that giant thing that broke through Redgrave?â
âThe thing I raised,â Vergil thought bitterly. âIt canât be back. We cut it down.â
When Roxy relayed this, Dante nodded. âItâs not back⊠but thatâs where the holeâs the biggest.â
A gentle thud drew their attention. âHeâs coming,â Raijin said as he leaned against the van. Nico scowled in the front seat, but wisely remained where she was.Â
Dante reached for his sword. âBold of you to come straight to us.â
âThat is what he demanded,â Raijin said, eyes locked on Roxy. âHeâs not very happy that his favorite prisoner actually took my brotherâs place.âÂ
Vergil glared at him, but it was Roxy who took a step forward. âThereâs a way out of this,â Roxy said. âA way you can live.â
Raijin scoffed. âWhat makes you think I want to?â
âLet me deal with this, Rox,â Dante said. âI'll make it quick.â
âWhereâs Nero?â She said.Â
âFighting demons with some other devil hunters,â He said. âWhy?â
âDemons are coming from the center,â She said. âIt needs to be closed.â
âWeâre not totally sure how to do that,â Dante said.Â
âGo figure it out.â
He paused, eyes flickering between her and Raijin. âYou want me to leave you alone with him.â
âSheâs not alone.âÂ
âI have Vergil.â
âButâŠâ Dante sighed. âCome on, Nico. Letâs get you to safety.â Vergil was grateful when she didnât argue, slamming her door closed while Dante summoned his bike. âGood luck,â He said as Nico climbed on. âDonât make me regret this.â He hopped on his bike and the two were gone faster than Vergil could blink.Â
âWe wonât,â Roxy said hollowly, her grip tightening on her bow. Vergil could feel her thoughts attempting to seep into his own, but she was either expertly holding it back, or it was, once again, too jumbled for him to make any sense of. âRight, Raijin?â
The man shrugged. âThat depends on you, Roxanna. I have my orders.â
âItâs Roxy,â She said simply.Â
âI never called you that,â He said. âDrove you crazy, though you never did admit it.â
âWe were friends.â
âWe were nothing of the sort.â
âThen why havenât you killed me?â
Vergil tensed, eyes locked on Raijin. He was confident he could defend her, though he wasnât quite sure what they would do if he transformed. But Raijin made no effort to do so, nor did he move from his spot against the van. âI hated you,â Raijin said. âFor stealing my brother away.â
âIâm not the one who killed him.â
âYou might as well have,â Raijin said, his voice bitter. âIf he were here⊠if he were with meâŠâ
âHeâs not,â Roxy snapped. âYou made sure of that.â
âI did what I was told!â Raijin said. âI alwaysâŠâ His hand moved to his head, grunting. âI alwaysâŠâ His scales began to glow, even through his clothing. He stumbled back a few steps, leaning on the van for support. Breaths turned ragged. Eyes turned to slits, glowing a dark purple. Lightning crackled on his hands, and Vergil wondered if they should have let Dante kill him in the first place.Â
âThereâs a way out of this,â Roxy said. âI can help you.â
âEnough!â When Raijin spoke, lightning slammed down around him. Both Roxy and Vergil jumped back, avoiding a strike. But Vergil didnât think Raijin was really aiming. Losing it, maybe. But not trying to kill them. Not yet.Â
Finally, he looked up, his expression filled with hatred. âYou canât even help yourself.â
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Cadence Update - CH 25
Catch up on the full story here!
One soul's cry, A passion dwelling within Sacrifice, A final plea to her kin Yet this bond of hope, by treachery was broke Scattering her words to the wind
Dragonsong - Final Fantasy 14
 ---------------
At first, Kuroâs lessons were simple and mundane, yet Vergil found that they werenât altogether unpleasant. He had always enjoyed learning, even as a child. And, surprisingly, Kuro was very forthcoming. Every question Vergil asked was answered without hesitation or scorn. It was clear that the dragon wanted him to learn. He wanted Vergil to absorb as much information as possible, though Vergil still didnât quite understand why.Â
That, however, was a question for another time.
âYour feelings toward her will change,â Kuro said after a rather lengthy conversation on the logistics of summoning oneself without stealing Roxyâs power. It was actually a simple concept; find a less powerful form that doesnât tax her, and Vergil would be able to summon himself whenever he wanted. He assumed as long as he didnât trigger, heâd be fine.Â
âHow so?â
âA pact binds two souls into one entity,â Kuro said. âYou will still be yourself, of course. And you will be able to break the pact once all of this is over. But as long as it is active, your biggest concern will be her.â The dragon sat back as his eyes drifted to the sky. âItâs difficult to explain without experience, but it is vastly different than the feelings humans have towards each other.âÂ
âMy human half may not feel it.â
âYou will,â Kuro said. âEvery familiar does.â
That did explain why his own familiars had been so willing to throw themselves in harm's way to protect him. Most demons were compelled to protect themselves at any cost. But Shadow in particular had always been there, manifesting in any way she could to ward off other demons. Vergil had assumed it was simply her nature. He hadnât realized how close their bond actually was.
âStrong familiars have what Roxy and I call a âmindscapeââ
Vergil blinked as his mind caught up to the change in conversation. âA mindscape?âÂ
âItâs a place that familiars like us can retreat to. Because our souls are much stronger, we require actual space around our summonerâs soul. Other familiars like Aki simply go to sleep when they disappear. It wonât be that simple for you.â
âSo Iâll have my own home within her mind?â
Kuro nodded. âShould you spend an extended time with her, youâll learn how to bend it to your will without affecting her own consciousness. Itâs a delicate balance of power between both souls. The better you control your mindscape, the better you control the flow of energy between you.â
âWhy are you telling me this?â
âIt will take time to undo the pact no matter what happens,â Kuro said. âYour presence alone will put extreme pressure on her soul, especially if you are sharing the space with myself.â
Vergil paused, carefully considering his next question. âIs there a chance the pact could kill her?â
Kuro was silent for so long that Vergil wondered if heâd even heard the question. But when the dragon did speak, it was the softest Vergil had ever heard him. âYour strength is remarkable, but the power of the Qliphoth fruit was never meant for a human. You tolerate it because of your lineage, but it could overwhelm her the moment your souls connect.â
Vergilâs heart fell as he glanced at the cottage. The thought of losing her⊠because of his foolish pursuit for powerâŠÂ
âShe is strong, Vergil,â Kuro said. âAnd you hold no ill-will toward her. As long as you genuinely wish to protect her, your soul will intervene.â Â
âCan I heal her?â
Kuro paused again. This time, however, he looked genuinely perplexed, as if the question hadnât even crossed his mind. Odd. Vergil assumed that would be one of the most important things for him to learn. âIt will take time,â The dragon said slowly. âYou will have to learn where to channel your energy, but with practice, I believe you can. However, you shouldnât have to.âÂ
âPrepare for the worst, right?â
âIndeed.â Â He raised his head. âItâs time.â
Vergil glanced over to see a small, blue portal snap open. His eyes widened as Nero was the one to step out first, followed by a stunned Nico and annoyed Dia. âRoxanna!â The demoness yelled. Roxy appeared at the front door almost immediately, and Vergil wondered how long sheâd been listening to their conversation.Â
âDid you figure it out?â
Nico beamed as she held out a sheathed sword in Roxyâs direction. While it wouldnât compare to Yamato (what would, honestly?), Vergil was rather impressed. The sheath was dark blue with swirls of a lighter blue that looked like ice wrapped around the blade. A ribbon hung near the hilt with two snowflakes dangling off the ends. The hilt itself was wrapped identically to Yamato, but with a mix of blues like the sheath itself. When Roxy gently drew the blade, Vergil could tell that the blade was as sharp as a human could make it. âItâs perfect,â Roxy said with a smile.
âI went with the ice theme since I figured you might want to use it after all of this is over.â Nico laughed as she glanced at Vergil. âAssuming V-manâs up to teach ya.â
Roxy blushed, and it only darkened when Vergil nodded. Dia snorted. âYou can deal with that another time.â
âRight.â Roxy clicked the blade back into its place and moved to Vergilâs side. âAre you ready?âÂ
After a deep breath, Vergil stood and reached for the blade. âI am.â
âAre we sure about this?â Nero said.Â
âWe donât have any other choice,â Vergil said. âWhereâs Dante?â
âHe stayed with Kyrie and the others,â Nero rubbed the back of his neck. âWe werenât letting Nico go alone,â he glanced at Dia. âNo offense.â The demoness huffed, but didnât say anything else. âI just⊠Are you sure about this?â
âYes,â Vergil said. âI can do this, Nero.â
âIâm not concerned about that.â
âThen whatâŠ?â
âWhat if you have to stay with her?â Nero said. âAre you⊠okay with that?â
âI was staying with her anyway.â
Nero scowled. âYou know what I mean.â
 âYes, Nero,â Vergil said. âI know what Iâm getting into, and Iâm ready to accept the possibility.â After a moment of hesitation, he reached out and rested his hand on Neroâs shoulder. The younger devil-hunter froze, eyes wide, but didnât pull away. âThis will work, Nero. I promise.â
Finally, Nero nodded. âAlright. Just be careful.âÂ
Vergil nodded and moved back to Roxyâs side. Kuro moved toward them, his tail wrapping at Roxyâs feet. She looked up at him with a smile and patted his scales in encouragement. âEverything is going to be fine.â
He looked down at her with a reverence Vergil hadnât seen before. âI know.â He leaned forward and breathed a soft breath of ice onto the sword. It glowed a bright blue, and the image of snowflakes remained on the blade as the dragon pulled away. âTake good care of it.â
Roxy grinned as she turned back to Vergil and held the sword out toward him. âEvery pact begins with a promise,â She said âSo, Vergil. What do you ask of me?â
Even though Kuro had prepared him for such a question, Vergil still took his time. If he did have to stay with her for an extended period, then this promise was the most important part. They needed this connection to work for as long as it took to erase Mundusâ hold on him. These promises had to mean something, and Vergil refused to waste it. âDonât let me fall to him,â he said. âNo matter what happens, I entrust my soul to you.â
She intertwined their fingers and nodded. âAnd what do you promise me?â
After another quiet and purposeful pause, Vergil lowered his voice and said, âI promise to protect you.â He brushed her cheek with his thumb, earning a soft blush as her gaze remained on his. âNo matter what dangers we face or what demons we have to fight, I will remain by your side.â Her lips parted in something akin to surprise, but it quickly shifted into a gentle smile.Â
âThank you,â she said as she held Nicoâs sword out between them. A flicker of blue light pulsed from the weapon. It slithered up her arm, reappearing as veins of blue along her cheeks. Her eyes turned a deep shade of blue for a brief moment, but it vanished when she blinked. The energy retreated, and Vergil wondered if he would get to see the marks their pact would give her. Would it be something unassuming to signify its temporary nature? Would it be as lavish as the ones his own familiars gave him? Something in between?
âWith these promises,â She whispered. âOur pact is sealed.â
Vergil gasped in surprise as energy slammed against his chest. Electricity pulsed through every fiber of his being, seizing his muscles and locking him in place. The veins of blue light returned to Roxyâs skin as she closed her eyes. Vergil heard Neroâs voice somewhere over everything, but between whatever was happening and Diaâs loud âhush, childâ, Vergil couldnât guess what his son had said. Instead, his world was entirely focused on Roxy.Â
At that moment, he finally understood what Kuro had been trying to tell him. She was his everything. As long as this pact existed, his life didnât matter. Nothing mattered but her.Â
That should have scared him. It would have terrified a much younger him. But Vergil was relieved. This was finally the purpose he had been looking for. Something much stronger than a simple caretaking job. It didnât matter how long their pact lasted; Vergil would not forget this feeling.Â
Then, everything snapped.Â
Roxy gasped in shock. Her eyes snapped open, and Vergil was startled at how blue they were. Then, he realized that Kuro was howling; a horrible screech that vibrated the world itself. Beside them, the dragon collapsed on his side, head slamming at Roxyâs feet. Vergil barely caught her before she dropped with a scream. Nero was by their side in an instant, but cursed as a spark of energy shocked him when he reached for Vergil. âWhat happened?â Vergil said as his gaze moved to Kuro. Roxy crumbled in Vergilâs arms.Â
No.Â
There, buried deep in Kuroâs chest, was Yamato.Â
Laughter erupted around them. Vergilâs eyes jerked to the trees where a man somewhere around his age stood, arms crossed as he stared down at them. Except Vergil knew immediately that this purple haired, dark skinned, and slightly scaled person was not a human at all. Archdemon. âMy master was curious, Son of Sparda,â
âYou did this.â
The demon rolled his eyes. âMy brother has been a nuisance for far too long. Split him from his host and he has nothing left.â A blast of ice struck the tree, but the demon didnât move. âPitiful as usual.â
âDo you have any idea what youâve done?â Kuro hissed, his breaths heavy as he struggled and failed to stand.Â
âOf course,â He said. âIâve forced Nelo here to make a choice.â He tilted his head with a wide, predatory grin. âSave the girl, or reclaim his power.â
What?Â
âBetter hurryâŠâ
Then, Roxyâs heart stopped.Â
Panic surged through Vergil as his gaze shot to hers. She wasnât moving. Wasnât breathing. Her eyes and mouth were wide open, but there was no life in them. Kuroâs head shifted beside them, but Vergil could see the pain in every move the dragon made. âVergil,â He said. âPlease,â His head flopped back to the side, shaking the ground. âTake my power⊠save herâŠâ Blood pooled around them. Roxyâs face paled. Her heart was still silent. âThatâs all Iâve ever wanted.â When his claw raised, Vergil understood.Â
Take his power and the sword, his own demon whispered. Abandon the girl⊠without her, youâll be invincible.Â
Vâs voice scoffed. If you need me to tell you what to do, then youâve already failed.Â
Power is all youâve ever wanted.Â
But now youâve found something so much more.Â
âHer heart,â Vergil whispered. âYouâre fueling her heart.â
âHer heart is my own,â Kuro said. âShe needs a demon who can keep it beating⊠weâre running out of time.â
Without a second of hesitation, Vergil said, âDo it,âÂ
He knew what was coming.Â
He knew it would hurt.Â
But even he wasnât prepared for the agony he felt when Kuroâs claw plunged through his chest.Â
A terrible burning sensation ripped through his body and nearly overwhelmed him in an instant. After that was the agony from the stabbing itself. He felt his body tear. He felt it rush to try and heal even though there was no room to do so. He couldn't breathe. He could barely think. It felt like his body was disintegrating on the spot as its pieces were torn into another world entirely.Â
It was the most excruciating pain heâd ever felt, yet all he could think about was her.Â
âHold on, Roxy,â He reached for her through the agony. âHold on.â
Then, he plummeted into darkness.Â
#zenni-writes#cadence#update#dmc#fan fiction#vergil#nero#vergilxoc#vergilxroxy#familiars lore#post-DMC5
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Cadence Update - 28
Catch up on the full story here!
Now and again we try To just stay alive Maybe weâll turn it all around âCause itâs not too late Itâs never too late
Never Too Late - Three Days Grace
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Over the next few days, things fell into something akin to a schedule. Nero and Nico would arrive in the morning before Dante had even rolled out of bed. Then, Nero would carry Roxy to the backseat of the van, give her the blade Kuro had blessed, and wait for Vergil to hop in after. It had only taken a day for the devil-hunting duo to lapse back into what Vergil assumed was normality. Nero and Nico fought more with each other than they did demons, but Vergil could sense a certain underneath all the arguing. When they did encounter any demons, Nero would let Vergil out and the two would fight them off together.Â
There was just one, glaring problem: Vergil couldnât kill anything on his own.Â
He had been worried something like this might happen. It didnât matter how strong he was on his own; he was still a familiar. And, for reasons he still hadnât figured out, familiars couldnât kill other demons. Every time he tried, he failed miserably. His most vicious attacks would do nothing, leaving Nero to kill them himself. And if that wasnât bad enough, the demonic energy always shot straight at Nero, no matter how much damage Vergil had done. Nero had apologized, but they hadnât figured out how to fix it. And the less energy Vergil had, the more pain Roxy was in. Every day put Vergil further from figuring out how to fix her paralysis, and there was nothing he could do about it. Â
Nico had tried to solve it. Nero had used their blade instead of Yamato, but it didnât do anything. Nico had offered to drag Roxy out, but she could barely raise her arms, much less stab a demon. Sheâd been too weak to summon Aki, much less hand him off to anyone else, so that was out. Vergil tried everything he could think of. Heâd dragged a few demonic bodies back to the van, but both had spurred back to life before they reached her. Nero had done the same, even holding her hand to kill them, but the energy still flocked to him. Vergil had even slipped back into his corporeal form to try and direct more energy at her. But nothing happened, and he had a sinking feeling that nothing ever would.Â
How had Kuro managed this? Aki mentioned that it had taken the dragon a few years to even manifest himself, much less reveal his existence to her. Another lie that, unfortunately, Roxy hadnât been aware of. Vergil had learned through her thoughts that Kuro had revealed himself to her as some kind of passing demon with interest. She hadnât had a clue that heâd already existed within her and had just waited until he could show himself to let her in on it. But no matter how much Vergil cared for her, they didnât have years. They all knew that Mundus would be back. The former (or current?) Demon King would find his way out in due time. And if Roxy was this week, both her and Vergil would be dead in a heartbeat.Â
Or enslaved, the thought of which was much, much worse than a quick death.Â
After four days of no luck, Vergil could tell that even Nero was getting upset. âHow long do you think this will take?â He said even though his present company had no hope of answering him. âI canât stay away from Fortuna forever, even with Danteâs constant visits.â He sighed, rubbing his fingers aggressively through his hair. Vergil didnât blame his son for being so close to a breaking point. Vergil himself felt positively miserable, as his only contribution to the last few days had been almost-demon-kills and long, fitful naps beside his summoner.Â
He could feel Roxyâs frustration as strongly as his own, even though she was rarely lucid enough to express it.Â
Nero stabbed through another demon, wincing as the energy swarmed him. âSorry, Pops. Iâm not doing it on purpose.â Vergil shrugged, prowling around Nero impatiently, before pouncing on another demon, biting its neck for good measure. It didnât bleed out - of course not - and Nero shot it without about as much gusto as a snail. âIs she close to standing at least? Surely sheâs getting stronger.â
Vergil sighed, but it came out as nothing more than a huff. âNoâ, was the easy answer, as âI donât knowâ made him uncomfortable. Luckily, he didnât have to say anything as Nero plopped himself on the ground, spinning Blue Rose in his hand. Vergil sat beside him, glancing at the van behind them. Nico was missing from the front seat, probably checking on Roxy. She was fine if a bit tired. Vergil could feel her in the back of his mind no matter how far away he got. She was mildly more awake today - thankfully, as sheâd been in and out of sleep for a few days now - but her back still hadnât healed. Vergil could still see the strings connecting them; small, fragile things that still didnât show any signs of improvement.Â
Finally, Vergil sighed and tapped the ground. Nero glanced at him, and he drew a circle in the dirt with a claw, before drawing a line through it. Nero snorted, but Blue Rose stopped spinning. âI canât stay here much longer.â Vergil drew a question mark and Nero sighed. âNico will stay behind to help, but Kyrie needs me.â Vergil nodded, even though his heart sunk at the thought. Nico could only do so much. He hoped that Roxy would at least be walking before Nero left, but it wasnât fair of him to expect that.Â
So, he drew a single word in the dirt, âGo.âÂ
Nero nodded. âDonât worry, pops. Itâll all work out.â
A rumble pulsed around them. Vergilâs ears flattened on his head as he searched for the source. A quiet dream laugh echoed from beneath him. He slammed his head into Neroâs side. The younger hunter swore as he rolled to his feet and darted to the side, giving Vergil just enough time to leap out of the way. A massive demon burst through the ground, sending chunks of concrete in all directions. Vergilâs gaze jerked to the van, but he was forced to dodge away as a giant fist slammed down where heâd been standing. âWonderful,â Nero said as he propped Red Queen on his shoulder. âI swore I killed you months ago.â
Vergil had never seen this creature before. It towered over them with lava swirling through its rocky body. Two, massive horns curled off the top of its head, but Vergilâs attention was drawn to the massive, shark-toothed mouth in place of its stomach. âHuman!â The creature roared. âYou were the one who fought my brother?â
âGuess so,â Nero said. âAnd he was just as ugly as you.â
Vergil wanted to roll his eyes, but his gaze kept shifting to the van. They needed to pull the beast away before it crushed the helpless women inside. But Nero wasnât moving, and the last thing Vergil wanted was to draw attention to them. The creature roared again before his stomach snapped open. A ball of fire shot at Nero, but he simply hopped out of the way before Vergil could react. Nero clicked his tongue as he shook his head. âAnd now Iâll just have to take care of you too.â He slammed Red Queen into the ground, revving it with a wink. That time, Vergil did roll his eyes; Nero was acting far too much like Dante for his liking.Â
The creature roared again. Another fireball shot at Nero. Vergil backed away, glancing at the van again. Nico was in the front seat now but had yet to move. But with a building at her back and the demon in front of her, Vergil knew she wouldnât have a chance. He considered going back to the van himself. There wasnât exactly much he could do to the monster.Â
Unless.Â
He closed his eyes as Nero continued to run the Goliath around. Vergil wasnât sure why he and Dante spent so much time playing with their prey, but it didnât matter. Instead, Vergil focused on his memories of Shadow. The way her body moved and twisted in whatever way she wanted. She could have fought a creature of this size, and he couldnât rely on Nero any longer.Â
My tailâŠ
His eyes snapped open. Of course. Heâd spent hours working on summoning his demon tail. Surely that could use that now. And as Nero continued fighting, Vergil focused on his tail. After a few moments of nothing, it snaked out around him, sharpening in a form similar to his demon tail. More tendrils seeped off his body in response, and he was satisfied when he found he could recall them at will. Perfect. As Nero slashed across the demonâs chest, Vergil leaped forward, slamming his tail into its leg. The creature howled, surprised as he swung at Vergil. But Vergil sunk into the ground surprised to find that it didnât hurt as much as he thought it would. He slipped back out on the other side, stabbing his tail into the opposite leg. The demon swung to the side and his stomach-mouth widened. But as the fireball launched, Nero appeared and knocked it back into him.Â
âNot bad,â Nero said. âBut you need a lot more practice.â Vergil glared at him, but Neroâs wings appeared and the man was gone, launching into the air. Nero kicked the Goliath in the head, leaping off of it with a whoop of delight. The monster stumbled. Tendrils shot from Vergilâs tail, wrapping around the creatureâs legs. He yanked back as hard as he could. Goliath went down in a heap. Vergil backed away, snarling as Nero moved to take its head off. âYou ugly piece ofâŠâ
âWait!â Nico said.Â
Nero froze, Red Queen inches from the beastâs neck. Alarm swept through Vergil as he realized that Roxy was standing, arm over Nicoâs shoulder. The frozen blade was in her other hand as they limped toward them. âWhat are youâŠ?â Neroâs voice trailed off as Roxy shakily extricated herself from Nicoâs arms and stumbled slowly forward. Vergil moved to her side, uncertain what he could do if she fell. And while the pain was obvious between them - Vergil could feel it in his own back - her determination was as strong in her eyes as it was in her heart. The strings between them pulsed with energy, though it was far less than Vergil wanted. She unsheathed the blade as she approached the dying demon. Its eyes rolled up toward her.Â
âYou,â It whispered. âMy master wants you.â
âWell,â She said, out of breath as she dropped the sheathe. âHe canât have me.â
Then, with both hands on the hilt, she stabbed the creature straight through the eye. Blood pooled at her feet as it screamed; a shrill, terrible sounding thing. Then everything went ominously silent. His body vanished, leaving behind trails of red orbs and demonic essence. It all cascaded into Roxy, nearly overwhelming her. Vergil moved first, leaping to her as she clumsily dropped to her knees. He propped his body against her back as the sword fell from her hand. She took a deep breath as her head fell back toward the sky. âThere,â She said quietly. âI did it.âÂ
Then she slumped forward, her eyes closed, and she said nothing more.Â
#zenni-writes#cadence#update#vergil#nero#nico#vergilxoc#vergilxroxy#I'm glad the fight scenes aren't as long as Blazing Tempest#;_;
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Cadence - CH 27
I say, I thought you would be home You said you never would be gone But you are. You are
Gone - Daughtry
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When Vergil opened his eyes the second time (or was it the third? Fourth? Everything was blurring together), he was in Devil May Cry. At least he was sitting upright this time, back against the wall with his legs phasing right through Roxyâs body. She was still asleep (so what summoned him? That wasnât something Kuro had mentioned), and he didnât miss the way her legs just⊠flopped in weird ways. He glanced at his fingers but the threads were gone. Vergil frowned. How could he summon them again? How did he see them in the first place?Â
Could he heal her?
RoxyâŠÂ
âDonât worry, Mr. Vergil,â Akiâs quiet chirp echoed in his ear. Vergil flinched, glancing around. The owl wasnât there. âIâm still in here,â his voice said. âI canât summon myself as you can.â
âIâm not sure this counts as summoning,â Vergil said.Â
âYouâll figure it out,â Aki said. âRemember what Kuro said: find a form that doesnât put pressure on her.â
Vergil still didnât know what that meant. He thought this âformâ would be the easiest. She hadnât shown much stress when summoning Kuroâs full form. Surely his human form couldnât be that difficult. But even as he wracked his brain over the numerous possibilities, he was acutely aware that nothing would happen as long as Roxy was asleep. Kuro had been able to summon himself because heâd had years of practice. Vergil doubted he could do the same thing. And maybe that should have frustrated him. The⊠powerlessness he faced just sitting here, bound to someone he couldnât even heal. Yet it was his ignorance on the matter that bothered him the most. He couldnât escape that feeling of failure. Kuro had tried to teach him, but a few hours hadnât been enough time to take over completely.Â
Had the dragon known something might happen? Was that what he was hoping to prepare for?
Suddenly, the door opened, followed by a slow-moving Nico and Kyrie. âMr. Vergil,â Kyrie said as her eyes scanned the room. They didnât fall on him, nor did he expect them too. âWeâre here to take care of Roxy, okay? Thatâs all weâre doing.â Vergil didnât quite understand why she was talking to him (or maybe more towards him) as if he were some kind of wild, unpredictable animal. How long had they been out? It couldnât have been more than a few days. But the girls picked Roxy up with clearly practiced hands as Kyrie wrapped her arms under her shoulders and Nico picked up her legs. Roxy groaned, but her head simply flopped to the side.Â
Vergil followed them out of the room, both curious and uncertain how far he would be able to go attached to her like this. The girls led her into one of Devil May Cryâs bathrooms and slowly turned the dials to the bathtub. Someone must have convinced Dante to pay for the water, as it came out in an instant, crystal clear. Vergil looked away as they undressed her, and he felt a ping of recognition somewhere in the back of his mind. Roxy was awake but quiet. She might still be half asleep for all he knew, but she was aware of her surroundings. He heard a quiet slosh of water and he risked a glance as the girls lowered her into the bathtub. She stared back at them, her⊠his blue eyes glossy as she sagged in the tub. âHold on, Roxy,â Nico said as she handed Kyrie the shampoo. Weâll have you out of here before you know it.â
Tears prickled at Vergilâs eyes, but he knew immediately that they were not his own. He hesitated, wondering if he should reach out to her in such a state. Could she even see him? He didnât know. She wasnât really looking at anything. More just staring into an empty abyss of her own making. Vergil could feel her sorrow weighing on his own heart. The pain of Kuroâs loss was clearly too much for her to bear. But Vergil didnât know how to fix that. He couldnât bring Kuro back. He couldnât even summon himself.Â
Find a form that doesnât put a strain on her.Â
He closed his eyes, pondering the dragonâs words. When had he seen Kuro summon himself? Heâd been small, almost like a child with Kuroâs knowledge and memories. What would be the equivalent for Vergil? A part of him wondered if V was the answer, but he doubted summoning his human half was any different than simply summoning himself. No. It had to be something different. Something small and inconsequential, but something that could still help her if he needed to. A summon to bridge the gap until she got her own power back.
As the girls continued their ministrations, Vergil wandered back out into the hallway. He felt a gentle tug on his chest, but he kept it bay by pacing in front of the door. What could he do that wasnât too taxing? His mind wandered as he walked, considering multiple possibilities. She needed something now. She needed to know he was still here with her. She had to see that Kuroâs death wasnât for nothing.Â
âMr. Vergil?â Aki said.Â
He paused. âYes?â
âYour form is flexible like this,â Aki said. âAt least, thatâs what Kuro told me.â
âSummoning myself as a tiny human isnât going to do us any good.â
âThatâs not what I meant,â the owl griffon huffed. âMaybe try something that isnât human at all.â
Vergil stopped dead in his tracks. Inhuman. He hadnât even considered it. Was it even possible? A flexible form didnât necessarily mean he could do something like that. But maybe⊠just maybeâŠ
He closed his eyes and thought of his own familiars. Griffon had been able to speak, but she needed something more. Nightmare was much too large and had taken far too much of his own power to summon. No, he needed something flexible. Something like Shadow.
ShadowâŠ
Could he really do it?
âIt doesnât hurt to try,â Aki said.Â
Or it might hurt a lot. Vergil wasnât really certain. But what did it matter? This was the best shot they had. So, he closed his eyes and thought of Shadow. How sleek the panther had been. How flexible. All the ways she could transform however he needed. He thought of her claws, her sharp hearing, her demonic fur; anything he could think of he did, rolling it through his mind dozens of times. His limbs started to ache. He heard a crackling sound, and pain shot through every nerve imaginable. Vergil reached for his arm, biting his tongue to keep from crying out. He heard Akiâs voice, but it melted into the background as agony nearly overwhelmed him. But he held on, determined to make things right.
This wasnât worse than the pain he experienced before.
This wasnât worse than Mundus.
Roxy.Â
When he opened his eyes again, he was lying on the floor. When he groaned, it came out as a purr. Surprised, he snapped his gaze to his hands - paws - and realized it had actually worked. He gently got to his feet, feeling his new, panther muscles moving in an unfamiliar way. His walk was clumsy, and he could feel his tail swinging in an effort to stabilize him.Â
Slowly, he moved back to the bathroom and gently pawed at the door. When nothing happened, he tapped it with his head. It shot open as Nico stared down at him in surprise. âShadow?â
âNot quite,â he thought, but no words came out. Behind her, Kyrie had already drained the tub, and the two had managed to wrap Roxy in the biggest towel Dante owned. Vergil peered past Nico, trying to find Roxyâs eyes. And as her head gently turned to the side, her surprise was obvious. Tears filled her eyes as she whispered the single word that he wanted to hear.Â
âVergil.â
-----------
âSo let me get this straight,â Dante said in the most exasperated tone possible. âRoxy is paralyzed from the waist down for reasons we canât figure out, and Vergil can only manifest himself as a cat.â
âSomething like that,â Nico said. âThough thatâs all conjecture on our part. He hasnât said anything.â
âHe canât,â Roxy said quietly. At least now she was sitting upright with her legs propped up on the recliner Dante had gotten a few weeks ago. Vergil was on the couch beside her, tail flicking often in annoyance. It was the only expression he was capable of making, and nobody seemed to notice.Â
âAnd Mundus is still out there somewhere,â Dante said slowly.
âSeems that way,â Nero said. âSo whatâs the plan? We canât exactly leave her by herself.â Vergil growled at him, and Nero threw his hands up in mock surrender. âYouâre a cat, Dad. Thereâs not much you can do.â
Vergil didnât know if he should be offended by the comment, or proud that his son had called him Dad without any sort of hesitation. Maybe it was a little bit of both. Not that he had any way to express it. That would just be too easy.Â
âThey could stay here,â Dante said. Vergil growled again, and it was his turn to take a step back. âWhat other plan is there? You canât exactly stay with Nero and the kids if Mundus is after you.â
âHe just needs to learn how to heal my back,â Roxy said, wincing as she sat up. âThen weâll be fine.â
âHeâs still a cat,â Dante argued.Â
âIâll be able to summon him properly once Iâm healed,â She snapped back.
âHow do you know that for certain?â
âI could summon Kuro.â
âWell no offense to him,â Dante countered. âBut heâs a lot different beast than my brother.â
Roxy glared at him. âHe was strong in his own right, and I suggest you watch what you say.â
âLook,â Dante said. âI get it. You miss him. A lot. And I donât blame you in the slightest. But you have to look at the facts, Sunshine. Vergil isnât just a dragon archdemon. Heâs the technical ruler of the Underworld. It would be the equivalent of you summoningâŠâ he trailed off.
âMundus?â Vergil thought dryly. His tail flicked toward Dante, but he couldnât will it to spike him. Not yet, anyway. That was something he was determined to figure out first. If his demon could do it, so could this flexible cat form. But Dante seemed to take the hint and kept going. âIâm certain youâll figure it out. Heâs clearly stubborn enough if heâs summoning himself like this,â He gestured in Vergilâs general direction. âTo make it work. But we donât know when that will happen.â
âSo what?â Roxy said. âYouâre going to sit in here and babysit me until things get better?â
The panic in Danteâs eyes might have been amusing if it were any other situation. âWell⊠I mean⊠If I have to.â
âWhy doesnât she just come with me?â Nico said. Vergilâs eyes snapped to hers in surprise, but she kept going. âI mean in the van when Nero and I are out. Itâll give Vergil access to some demon energy to help heal her, and you wonât have to be at home all day.â She shrugged. âSeems like a win-win.â
For a long moment, nobody said anything. Then, Nero sighed in a rather Dante-esque way and hopped off the back of the couch. âIf thatâs what it takes to fix this, then I have no problem with it.â
âYou might draw more demons to you,â Dante warned.Â
âThat bastard doesnât have Yamato,â Nero said as he held the sword out to make a point. âThat dragon-man couldnât fight me, and I doubt heâd try again so soon.â He shrugged as he put Yamato on a special strap beside Red Queen. Vergil hadnât realized heâd been wearing it but was rather proud to see it. He was more surprised Dante hadnât demanded he take it back. Maybe he still felt guilty for losing it before.Â
âAnd I can help take care of her at night before we leave,â Nico said. âSound like a deal, V-man?â
It took Vergil far too long to realize that everyone was staring at him. He simply nodded, his attention fixated on Roxy. She looked pale and exhausted. Maybe he shouldnât be too surprised, though he hoped it wasnât because heâd summoned himself. Surely this form had to be weak enough to count.Â
He didnât let himself think about that statement for longer than he had to.Â
âYou can rest here for tonight, Verge,â Dante said. âJust use your old room.âÂ
âIâve got her,â Nero moved to Roxyâs side. âIf thatâs okay with you.â She simply nodded, and he scooped her up as if she was nothing, hopping up the stairs before Vergil had a chance to leave the couch. Surprised, he did so rather clumsily, glaring at Dante before the latter had a chance to laugh at him. But Dante just shook his head with a small, lopsided smile. âI canât tease you like that. Ruins all the fun.â
Vergil huffed and followed after his son, stepping into the room as he lay Roxy down on Vergilâs old bed. âWeâll come to get you tomorrow, okay?â Nero said. Roxy nodded again, but Vergil could feel that she had long since checked out of the conversation. Nero hesitated, so Vergil pushed his head against his sonâs legs and managed to flick his tail toward the door. âYouâll take care of her then,â Nero said. Vergil nodded and hopped up on the bed with more grace than heâd managed since heâd first transformed. âWell this is weird,â Nero muttered.
âYouâre telling me,â Vergil thought.Â
âBut itâs probably even weirder for you.â
Vergil snorted. It came out as a huff. Nero smiled just a bit, but his expression was wary. Vergil didnât blame him in the slightest. âYou think youâll be able to fight with me if she stays in the van?â When Vergil nodded again, Nero sighed as he reached for the door. âSounds like we have a plan then. Iâll see ya then⊠pops.â
He left at that, and Vergil might have dwelled on his sonâs words more if he hadnât felt a tug between them. He saw the tears in her eyes as she stared helplessly at the ceiling. Her fists clenched at her sides. âHeâs gone,â She mumbled. âKuroâsâŠ. Heâs reallyâŠâ
Vergil nudged her chin and, after a moment of hesitation, licked her cheek in an attempt to get rid of the tear. She sniffled and looked at him. âIâm sorry,â She said. âIâm soâŠâ Vergil head-butted her as gently as possible. Her eyes watered more as she reached up to scratch behind his ears. He purred and lay down beside her, head resting on her stomach. âHeâs gone,â She repeated.Â
âI know,â He thought.
âWhat are we going to do?â
Vergil didnât answer, but he stayed by her side as she eventually cried herself to sleep.Â
#zenni-writes#cadence#update#vergilxoc#vergilxroxy#vergil#nero#dante#nico#kyrie#familiar lore#dmc#fanfic
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Sneak Peek - Cadence 30
A cup of water appeared in front of him, and Vergil snatched it away, forcing himself to breathe before taking a drink. He nearly choked, but managed to swallow it before the coughing began again. A hand smacked his back and he nearly fell out of bed. âWhoops,â Dante said. âForgot how⊠uhhâŠâÂ
âFragile this form is?â Vergil said, his voice hoarse.Â
âYour words not mine.â
Vergil glared at him. âWhereâs Roxy?â
âSheâs fine,â Dante said. âWorry about yourself.â
âWhere is she?â
âI told you sheâs fine,â Dante huffed, crossing his arms with an indignant glare. âWould I ever lie to you?â
âYes,â Vergil forced himself to his feet but stumbled the second they touched the ground. Dante reached for him, and it took everything Vergil had to not try pushing him away. His brother was nearly twice his size like this. Heâd be lucky if he didnât knock himself over in the process. âCurse this body,â He muttered, but he didnât quite mean it.
âAt least youâre not a cat.â
#zenni-writes#candence#vergilxoc#vergilxroxy#I'm excited for this one#the pieces start coming together#:D#See ya on Tuesday!
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Cadence Update - 24
Catch up on the story here!
Long lost words whisper slowly to me Still canât find what keeps me here When all this time Iâve been so hollow inside I know your still there Watching meâŠ
Haunted - Evanescence
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That night, the nightmares returned.
Heâd forgotten how miserable each one was; an endless cycle of torture and almost-death that always ended once heâd healed again. Heâd tried to forget them. Heâd thought heâd moved on. But on this particular night, this particular set of dreams, he knew that he failed.Â
Oh NeloâŠ
Mundusâ face hovered in the sky above him, but Vergil didnât dare meet its gaze. He couldnât. Not anymore. Not when that monster was so close to him now. Over and over he chanted: Itâs just a dream. Itâs just a dream. But that only amused Nightmare Mundus, whose booming laugh reverberated in Vergilâs very bones.
You tried so hard to escape.
Vergil hissed as shards of glass shot through him in so many places his brain couldnât process them all. He bit his tongue, drawing blood as another one pierced straight through his chest. His lungs collapsed - heâd felt that enough times to know what was happening - and he gasped as air flooded out of him in a panic.Â
But this is inevitable, Nelo.Â
The shards retreated. His body healed. Air rushed back into his lungs, painfully filling in where the holes had once been. It wouldnât be long until another series of something impaled him. Glass. Swords. Bones. Yamato.Â
Yamato⊠That is an interesting idea. Mundus whispered. I wonder if Iâd be better off discarding your pesky human emotions altogether.Â
Vergil wished he could fight back. He prayed for some kind of snide remark that would prove he was still fighting. But nothing came to him but cold, hard dread. He would not survive a second break. His human form would vanish in an instant. His demon half would follow its new master. He would cease to exist.Â
Vergil!
Mundus growled. That foolish girl interrupts what she does not understand.Â
âLeave her out of this,â Vergil said.Â
Vergil! Wake up!
Mundus chuckled. Iâm afraid thatâs just not possible. But how fun it will be to tear her to pieces in front of you. Maybe Iâll start with the familiarsâŠ
âEnough!â Vergil shouted, stretching against the chains that dug further into his skin. âYou will not have me.â
We shall see.Â
âWake up!â
Vergil snapped upright in a panic. A yelp of surprise caught him off guard as his hand found flesh. A blast of cold smacked him in the chest. He recoiled as his vision finally cleared. Roxy hit the ground, gasping for air as she reached for her neck. A bruise was already forming, and Vergil realized what heâd done.Â
NoâŠ
No. No. No.
âLeave!â He yelled.
âNo!â She snapped back as she dragged herself to her feet.Â
âI saidâŠâ
âIâm not leaving you!â
Silence fell. Kuro retreated, his energy slipping back into Roxy. The bruise vanished, leaving Vergil to stare into her furious gaze instead.Â
No⊠not furious.Â
Terrified.
âI hurt you.âÂ
âIt was my fault,â She said. âI shouldnât have tried to shake you awake like that.â
 âYou didnât have a choice.â
âIt was Mundus, wasnât it?â When Vergil said nothing, she sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. âYou didnât hurt me.â
âYouâŠâ
âDia wonât be back for at least a week. Sheâs working with Nico as we speak and has Dante and Nero watching out for more unusual portals. Our Yamato thief has not reappeared, but the chances of them finding this place are slim to none.â
âThereâs still a chance.â
âThat is why we need to figure out what we have to do,â She said. âThe moment Dia comes back, we have to make the pact or this will all be for nothing. Iâve located some of my fatherâs work, but Iâve only found some information on his transplants.â She paused for a moment then, quietly, she said, âHave you always had nightmares?â
âI assumed you were aware of them.â
Roxy blinked. âWhy? I sleep pretty soundly when I actually fall asleep.â
âWhen you actuallyâŠ?â Vergil trailed off as his gaze hardened. âHow many days?â
She looked away. âSince?â
âYouâve slept a full night.â
Still, she didnât look at him, but her fingers tightened on the blanket. âThree or so.â She mumbled. âIâve gotten about eight hours total. I think. Maybe less.â She shook her head. âThis isnât about me.â
âIf youâve needed helpâŠâ
She snorted. âWith what, sleeping? And how are you going to help with that? Sing me a lullaby?â
âYou need to rest.âÂ
âI canât, Vergil.â There was a hint of anger in her tone, but she clearly didnât have the energy to express it. âAnd I donât appreciate you turning this conversation on me.â When she met his gaze again, it was with a soft, warning glare. âHow would I know about your nightmares?â
âAki,â Vergil said. âHeâs always been there when I have one.â
She stared at him, and Vergil was absolutely positive she had no idea what he was talking about. âBut why?â She muttered, more to herself than him. âHow would that even help?â She went silent for a moment as her eyes closed. Vergil could imagine her reaching deep into her subconscious, searching for Akiâs soul. Maybe she would summon him. Maybe she wouldnât. It didnât matter as long as she got answers. When her eyes opened again, they were Kuroâs pale blue. âAki says he could feel your distress and wanted to comfort you.â She shook her head. âI never considered that my own familiars could help you.âÂ
âHow?â
âKuroâs magic is primarily healing,â She said. âAnd Aki has likely absorbed plenty over the yearsâŠâ Her eyes brightened suddenly as if a literal lightbulb had gone off in her head. âI can help too!â
âWhat?â
âProximity,â She whispered. âMaybe if I sleep in the same roomâŠâ
âAbsolutely not. Iâm not risking your life to make myself feel better.â Vergil said.Â
Her anger flared up again. This time, she had no trouble showing it. âYou didnât hurt me.â
âIâm not an idiot, Roxy.â He said. âI saw the bruise.â
âI bruise very easily,â She said. âAnd, as you can see,â she waved her hand near her neck. âItâs gone.â
âRoxy,â
âPlease, Vergil,â She said. âLet me at least try.âÂ
â... Youâre not going to give this up are you?â
âNope.â
Vergil sighed. âFine.âÂ
--------------
After three days of near-perfect sleep, it was Kuro who woke Vergil up.Â
âCome,â The dragon said, his snout incredibly close to Vergilâs face. âLeave her here.â He hopped off the bed and sauntered away, leaving Vergil to stare at the ceiling. Roxy was asleep beside him, as her heartbeat was a gentle thump that had miraculously kept most of the nightmares away. Heâd had a couple, but sheâd always been there to soothe him back to sleep. In fact, Roxy had barely left his side since her promise, constantly finding ways to distract him when his mind wandered too far. And Vergil didnât mind the constant companionship, though he was very aware that he was much less her caretaker now than she was his. But, considering how quiet the rest of his family had been (which he hoped was a good sign), she was the glue holding him together.Â
Of course, none of this helped him figure out what Kuro could possibly want on a morning like this. The dragon had been rather quiet as of late. After theyâd been forced to give Roxy some of Vergilâs blood to keep her functioning without the extra demons to help, Kuro had all but disappeared. Roxy said he was keeping track of her âfrom withinâ (though she had sounded a bit skeptical about that). The dragon had claimed he was giving them privacy, but the two had both agreed they werenât doing anything that necessarily needed it. Sure, the two had been more open about their feelings toward each other, but they still had a lot to figure out before anything⊠drastic.
Honestly, that was the furthest thing from Vergilâs mind at the moment. Theyâd have plenty of time to figure things out once Mundus was taken care of.Â
Aki appeared on Vergilâs chest and gave a series of chirps as he tilted his head in what Vergil assumed was a âwhat are you waiting for?â. Then, the bird ran up Vergilâs arm and curled up in the small space beside a sleeping Roxy. Vergil sighed as he absentmindedly ran his thumb along her arm. Dia hadnât returned yet, though he had no way of knowing how time worked between her world and theirs. He didnât have the mental energy to stress over that too.Â
A low growl is what finally got him out of bed, and he wasnât surprised to find a very irritated, and rather large Kuro sitting outside. He towered a good few feet over Vergil, tongue flicking in pure frustration.
Vergil was not impressed.Â
âSlow as usual,â Kuro said.
âIf youâre trying to intimidate me, donât bother,â Vergil replied.
âYou are not ready.â
âFor?â
âTo be her familiar.â
Vergilâs eyebrow shot up. âIt is temporary, is it not?â
âYou donât know how long that might be,â Kuro said. âWhat if Mundusâ hold on you does not immediately break? What if his mark remains and he comes after her? What if my power is overused in the process and she needs yours to keep her going?â Kuroâs head rose a bit higher. âYou are wholly unprepared for the possibilities, and I am going to teach you.â
âI know how familiars work,â Vergil said.Â
âSummoning is a lot different than being summoned.â
âIâll be fine.â
Kuro huffed. âHow do you maintain balance between her energy and yours?â
âIâŠâ Vergil trailed off, realizing the ruse was up.
âHow do you keep your thoughts from flowing freely into her mind?â
âIâm sure thatâsâŠâ
âHow do you keep your nightmares from terrorizing her?â
âYouâve made your point.â
âHave I?â Kuro said. âDo you know how to summon yourself in any form she needs you in, regardless of the strain it puts on you? Do you know how to channel your demonic magic where she needs it instead of yourself? Do you even know what itâs like to put someone elseâs safety entirely above your own?â The dragonâs muzzle was uncomfortable close now, and his voice only got louder. âThis isnât some game, Vergil. Itâs her life. And I will not allow you to undo the sacrifices I have made to maintain it.âÂ
âIt isnât my intention to hurt her,â Vergil said. âNor am I so foolish to risk her life.â
âYouâre afraid.â
Vergilâs eyes drifted closed. âNot of her.â
âOf what could happen.â
âI donât have much of a choice.â
âWhich is why I ask that you learn what you can while you have the chance,â Kuro said. âIf something goes wrong, you need to be the one in control, understand?âÂ
Finally, Vergil nodded. âI do.â
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Cadence Update - CH 20
In which Vergil meets Roxyâs mother and makes a promise
Catch up on the story here!
When we are older youâll understand What I meant when I said âNo, I donât think Life is quite that simpleâ
Simple and Clean - Hikaru Utada
 -----------
Forever Horizons was an old, lavish hotel turned into an assisted living facility. Vergil knew from the casual conversation that many of the rooms had been converted to large suites and custom made for whoever needed it. And while she never said it outright, Vergil knew Roxyâs father (and maybe Roxy herself) had poured a large amount of money into it. The red-gray stones on the outside were smooth and clean. The windows were all large and covered by various colored curtains. Vergil saw a few younger folks in some of the open windows. A few grouchy workers here. Some smiling visitors. The gentle sound of laughter echoed in the air, but he heard a few sadder sounds; tears, some yelling, slow heart-beats⊠it all mixed together into one large story heâd never fully understand.Â
âWeâll need a chaperone to visit.â Roxyâs voice was incredibly nervous. She was practically jumping out of her seat, yet looked like she was ready to put the car back in drive and leave without going inside. âTheyâll go in first, check her chart, and let us know if we can go in.â
âYou didnât call in advance?â
âIt doesn't matter,â She said as she rushed to put her hair up in a pony-tail. âHer mood changes on a whim, so it's impossible to know if sheâll be the same person throughout the day.â
âRoxy.â
âI mean she could be fine one momentâŠâ
âRoxy.â
âAnd terrible the next. SoâŠâ
âRoxy!â
She froze mid sentence, but her breaths came out in a frantic rush. âI canât do this,â She whispered. âI canât⊠I canât face her again⊠not so soon. This was a mistake.. We shouldâŠâ
Almost without thinking, Vergil held his hand out to her. Her breath caught in surprise. Her eyes fell to his hand. Her expression flickered with confusion. And, in an attempt to hide his own embarrassment at her sudden silence, Vergil asked, âAre you alright?âÂ
A long moment of silence that just barely balanced the border between âfineâ and âawkwardâ followed. Roxy continued to stare at his hand, as if it held secrets to life, love, and the universe. He kept himself from moving, uncertain what exactly was going on through her head. The last thing he wanted was for the gesture to feel disingenuous.Â
Then, Roxy burst into tear-filled laughter.
Vergil stared at her, uncertain what to say. Did he comfort her? Did he try to laugh with her? Did he pull his hand away and accept that this was her response? And before he could actually decide on a course of action, Roxy put her hand in his and squeezed gently. She was still shaking from what Vergil assumed was actually fear, and not her quieting laughter, but her demeanor seemed to soften.
âThis is why I didnât want to go alone.â
âGas is far too expensive to waste.â Vergil said as unironically as possible.
She laughed again, but it was much more controlled; back to its usual melodic cadence. Then, she took a long, deep breath. She seemed to exhale all of her problems as her fingers almost intertwined with his. âThank you, Vergil.â
The way his name rolled off of her tongue.Â
He wished he could hear it again and again.
âIâll be with you, no matter what happens,â Vergil said as she pulled her hand away.Â
She nodded. âLetâs go.â
Roxyâs mother was on the third floor and as far in the corner as she possibly could be. And, as Roxy warned him, neither of them could enter the room until a third person- a young lady named Charlotte- checked on the woman herself. And while they waited, Roxyâs nerves returned. Twice she tried to walk away, only for Vergil to step in front of her, and halfheartedly threaten to turn her around himself. Then he waited until she took a deep breath, squeezed his hand, and moved back to the door.Â
Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, Charlotte returned with a smile. âSheâs calm today,â She said. âBut Iâll stay with you, just in case.â
Roxy took a deep breath and nodded. As Charlotte walked back into the room, Vergil held his hand out again. âAre you alright?âÂ
She paused a moment before pushing her fingers against his palm. The touch, despite its gentle nature, shot electricity through him, just as it did every other time she held his hand. Now, however, he was used to it, so the confusion no longer showed in his expression. âYes,â she said with a determined nod. Vergil returned it in hopes of encouraging her, and her shoulders relaxed again. âIâm alright.â
âGood,â Vergil nodded towards the door. âLetâs go.â
The room was laid out how he expected it to be. Two hotel rooms brought together which made a space that reminded him of Roxyâs studio. In one half was a modest sized television with a red couch full of black and yellow decorative pillows. The large windows let in a generous amount of light, making the room even more inviting than the pale yellow walls and numerous paintings of flowers already did. In the other was a king-sized bed with a very petite woman wrapped up in blankets. Her hair had been cut short, and was a darker shade of red than Roxyâs natural locks. She looked pale, and much older than Vergil thought she was. Granted, heâd never asked Roxy her motherâs age, but considering how poorly other conversations had goneâŠ
âHey Mom,â Roxy said as she pulled up a chair. Vergil hovered a few feet away. Close enough to watch over her, but far enough away to be respectful. And by the way the womanâs head only slowly turned to meet Roxyâs gaze, and never once wandered towards him, he knew he was in the right place.Â
âRoxanna,â her mother murmured with a small smile. âItâs good to see you again.â
âYou too⊠mom.â
Vergil tilted his head, trying to listen for anything that might give away what her mother was sick from. He assumed it was a mental issue from Roxyâs descriptions, but he wondered if maybe there was something else he was missing. A physical problem that had been exasperated by her stress.Â
But when he didnât hear anything abnormal, he let it go and focused on Roxy instead. She was still shaking, but not enough for a normal human to notice. She didnât reach for her motherâs hand, nor did her mother reach for herâs. They seemed more like awkward strangers than family, and it made Vergil uneasy.Â
âIâm sorry I didnât bring you anything this time,â Roxy said. âAnd it looks like theyâre taking good care of you.â
âOf course they are,â her mother said.
Awkward silence fell after that. Roxy fidgeted, fingers twisting around each other. She was more nervous than Vergil had seen her in a long time, including their time waiting in the car. Once again, she looked ready to bolt. Vergil shifted next to her preemptively. He reached for her shoulder, but paused, uncertain if that crossed whatever line theyâd made between them. But Roxy surprised him when she reached for his hand herself, resting it on her shoulder before her hands fell back into her lap. âMom,â She said. âThis is Vergil.â
âVergil,â her mother repeated, her lips twisting into something between confusion and a frown. âWhat happened to Brady?â
âWe broke up a long time ago.â
Her mother scoffed. âGood. He wasnât any good for you.â
âBut weâre notâŠâ
âIs he taking good care of you?â
Roxy hesitated, glancing at him. Vergil knew they couldnât avoid a misunderstanding. No matter what either of them said, her mother would think they were together. There was no reason to argue over it. Not when things seemed to be going so well. âYes,â Vergil said. âIâm keeping her safe.â
Her mother relaxed back into the pillows, eyes closing. âGood,â she murmured. âThatâs good.âÂ
The second time silence fell over the room, Roxy said, âI'm glad to see you again, but we have to head home.â
âHowâs your father, dear?â
Roxy froze, eyes wide. Even Charlotte flinched and shifted closer to the bed. âMomâŠâ Roxy said. Vergil could hear the panic in her voice as she struggled to find the right words. His grip tightened on her shoulder. His senses snapped to perfect alertness when her motherâs eyes snapped open and her gaze turned murderous.Â
âYou killed him,â she whispered.Â
âNo,â Roxy said. âDonât you remember? He passed away in his sleep. Nobody knowsâŠâ
âYou killed him!âÂ
Vergil grabbed her motherâs wrist seconds before it reached Roxyâs face. Roxy scrambled backwards, nearly tumbling out of the chair. Charlotte hit a button beside the bed as she grabbed the womanâs hand. âCalm down, Melinda,â Charlotte said. âEverything is okay.â
âGet out!â She shrieked, twisting in Vergilâs grip. He let her go before her wrist broke, and reached for Roxy instead. âItâs all your fault, Roxanna!â A pillow hit Vergil in the back as he helped Roxy to her feet. âAlina⊠your father⊠theyâre all dead because of you!â
âItâs time to go,â Charlotte said as two male nurses arrived. âIâm sorry, Roxy.â
Roxy stared past them all, eyes wide in shock. âCome on,â Vergil said, his voice as quiet as possible. Behind them, her mother continued to scream insults, her words shifting between things he could understand and nonsense. âRoxy,â he said again. âWe have to go.â
She jerked away, tears in her eyes as she turned and ran.Â
âPlease,â
Vergil glanced back, surprised. Her mother stared at the ceiling in pure remorse, pinned to the bed by the two other nurses as Charlotte reached for a needle âTake care of her.â
For a moment, he imagined his own mother. What would have happened if sheâd survived? How old would she be now? Would she have lost her mind as well, consumed by trauma and pain? How would he react if he and Dante hadnât been enough?
His stomach twisted at the thought. RoxyâŠ
âI will.â He didnât wait to see her reaction, as there was someone else who needed him by her side.
It didnât take long to catch up to Roxy. But as she rushed for the car, Vergil blinked in front of her, blocking her way. âYouâre not driving like this.â
âYouâre not my father.â She snapped.
âIâm still your caretaker,â Vergil said. âAnd I take my job very seriously.â
She glared at him, but there were tears in her eyes. âI want to go home.â
âWe will. But you need to calm down.â
âCalm down?â She said. âIâm trying Vergil. Iâm trying to be the perfect daughter. The one that pays for everything she needs. Visit as often as I can only to get screamed at until Iâm ushered out. Iâm trying to remind myself that sheâs my mother. That Iâm supposed to love her. Yet I canât escape this feeling. I canât stop myself from wishing that I never had to see her again,â She reached to rub at her face, thought better of it, then tried to turn away. âIâm the worst daughter she could possibly have.â
âYou canât blame yourself,â Vergil said as he shifted back in front of her. She didnât turn away, but she didnât meet his gaze either. âNot for her health. Not for the loss of your father or your sister. None of this is your fault.â Â
Then, once again, he held his hand out. She stared at it before looking back up at him. âNo,â She said. âIâm not alright.â
âIâm not asking you to be,â He said. âBut thatâs not the point of this, right? You always use it to keep me grounded. To remind me that everything will be alright, even if I donât understand when or how. This allows both of us to know that weâre notâŠâ He paused, took a deep breath, and said, âThat weâre not alone.â Â
Tears streamed down Roxyâs face when she took his hand. Then, she barreled straight into him. Vergil barely caught her, stumbling back a few steps as his hands ended up on either side of her. He stared past her into the figurative abyss as she burst into tears against his chest. He couldnât think. He could barely breathe. She was so close. So vulnerable. She needed him now more than ever and he didnât know what to do.Â
Yes you do, Vâs voice whispered in his head. Donât be afraid of your feelings, Vergil.
Finally, he wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her as close as possible. She melted into him when he did so, pressing her face harder into his chest. âYouâre alright,â Vergil said softly. âYouâre going to be alright, Roxy. IâŠâ He took a deep breath. âI will never leave you, for as long as you will have me.â
He didnât know if she heard him, but her tears slowed. After a few minutes, where he held her close and waited in silence, she lifted her head and sniffled. âIâm sorry,â she said. âI justâŠâÂ
Vergil shook his head. âYou did what you needed to do. Never be ashamed of that.â After a moment of hesitation, he pulled one hand to her cheek. He brushed her last tear away with his thumb. She leaned into him, placing her own hand on top of his. And when they stayed like that, it was as if time itself had stopped. It didnât feel like an eternity.Â
No, it felt like a moment he never wanted to end.Â
But, as much as he wanted to stay with her in front of the old hotel forever, he knew people were waiting at home. âCome with me,â Vergil said softly. âJust a short walk. Give yourself some time to breathe, then we can go home.âÂ
#zenni-writes#cadence#update#fan fic#dmc#vergilxoc#vergilxroxy#the feels are gonna keep coming#sorry#kind of#;)c
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Cadence - CH 19
In which Vergil plans to meet Roxyâs mother, but things are not quite that simple.
Catch up on the story here!
Now is the time To step from the dark into the light Cause you canât change what youâve done But you can choose who youâll become
Start Over Again - Addison Road
It took Vergil less than two days to summon his tail.
Kuro was not impressed.
âIs that truly all you can do?â Kuro said as he flicked his own tail in what Vergil assumed was a weird display of dominance. Vergil ignored it, gazing at himself in the mirror. Despite the dragonâs words, Vergil was proud. Not only had he managed to summon the thing - which started between his shoulder blades and curled around his feet- but heâd pulled it off without tearing any clothing or skin. And considering the number of inexpensive t-shirts heâd gone through while practicing, he was satisfied with these results.Â
His beloved coat would survive the transformation.Â
âYou say that as if I am an ancient dragon,â Vergil said.Â
Kuro huffed. âYou are a Son of Sparda. I expected more.â
âYouâre an archdemon,â Vergil countered. âI expect more.â
Vergil swore he heard a chuckle of amusement, but it was difficult to tell through the dragonâs natural voice. âDo you feel it?â Kuro said. âA fifth appendage waiting for your command.â
That was where the problem lay. Beyond the natural weight of the tail itself Vergil didnât feel anything. There was no sensation of a third arm or leg. Nothing connecting his brain to the thing hanging from his back. Yet it moved on its own, swishing occasionally from side to side, or even thumping the ground when Vergil was irritated. But all of it was instinctual. Vergil himself couldnât control it. And that perplexed him more than the logistics of summoning the tail itself.Â
âIf it makes you feel better,â Roxy said. âI think itâs impressive.â She leaned forward from her spot on his bed, eyes wide with happiness. The two were sharing the same space temporarily, with Nico and Nero in Roxyâs place. It had been at Nicoâs request as, after hearing about the potential pact, sheâd deemed it important that the two âget as close as possibleâ. Nero had nearly yelled at her over that, until all of them realized she had said it completely unironically and hadnât at all meant it the way they thought she did. So, Vergil took the bed at Roxyâs request, and she took the couch. The two had continued on with their routine as if everything were normal and they werenât constantly ten or less feet from each other..
Kuro snorted. âOf course you would.â
She blushed, glaring at him. âHe summoned his tail Kuro. In his human form! Is that not fascinating?â She looked almost dreamy in a way, and Vergil cursed the well of pride that he felt at her excitement.Â
âIt wonât do him any good if he canât control it.âÂ
âBut if he learned how to summon it that quickly, then he can learn anything.â
Kuro rolled his eyes. âYou have too much faith in him.â
âOr you donât have enough.âÂ
âHe hasnât shown any promise so far,â Kuro said with a huff. âMove your tail, Sparda-spawn. On purpose.â
Vergil scowled at him. The tail thumped. âSparda-spawn?â
âIt comes off the tongue more easily than Son of Sparda.â
âSure it does.â
âYou can do it though⊠right?â Roxy said. âI mean maybe not right now, but you can learn.â
Vergil stared at her, trying to ignore the way his heart was thudding in his chest. The idea of failing her⊠the thought of not making her expectations⊠He loathed it.Â
Now he was certain that he had well and truly lost it.
âYes,â He said with as much confidence as he could muster. He let the tail go, satisfied when it vanished within a few seconds of him asking it to. He tugged on his gloves to occupy himself, as he was certain he wouldnât be able to stand still otherwise. âBut you want something, yes?â
This time, it was Roxy who stared at him. Vergil wouldnât admit that it had been a lucky guess. Why else would she have come into his room? Surely it hadnât been to admire him.Â
âMaybe I just wanted to see how you were doing?â
⊠Or maybe it had.
âYou look distressed,â Vergil said. It was another shot in the dark, but he liked to think he knew her well enough to tell between her usual, cheerful demeanor and this tense, Iâm pretending to be happy one. âWhat is bothering you?â
Roxy looked away. âI have to visit my mother,â She muttered as if the idea deeply pained her. âI havenât been there in a few⊠months⊠soâŠâ She trailed off with a frustrated sigh. âI was hoping you would go with me.â
Kuro snorted. âI do not think it wise to introduce him to your mother.â
âItâs not about introducing him,â Roxy argued. âItâs about me not wanting to be alone.â
âYou are never alone.âÂ
âI canât exactly show my demon hating mother a demonic dragon, Kuro.â
âBut you are willing to go with a half-demon?â
âItâs not like sheâs going to know.â
âYou need to think with yourâŠâ
âIâll go,â Vergil interrupted. âNero and Nico will be fine for one day.â
After a moment of silence, Kuro sighed. âFine. Do what you will.âÂ
âWe have to drive,â Roxy said. âSince, no Yamato and all.â
Vergil twitched. âHow long?â
âMight want to bring a book,â Roxy said. âOr ten.â
--------------
Three hours into the drive, Vergil was grateful that heâd listened to Roxy, as he was certain he would have lost his mind an hour ago.Â
He couldnât remember the last time heâd been on such a long trip. Heâd spent a few hours here and there with Nico in Fortuna, but that had always been in the city. Theyâd always made numerous stops to keep Nico (and Vergil) from going insane, and there had always been some demons to fight somewhere. This was just⊠a road of nothing to nowhere. All heâd seen since they passed through the city was grass. Endless waves of various shades of green and the occasional cow that reminded him that there was other life in the universe.Â
Youâre being dramatic, He could imagine practically everyone in his life saying. Thatâs why he kept a majority of his thoughts to himself, glancing through his fourth book as he made a conscious effort to read slower. Roxy had mentioned that they probably wouldnât make it home until long after the sun went down, so Vergil hoped his demon eye-sight would come in handy.Â
For now, however, Vergil decided that simple conversation would suffice.
âWhat is your relationship like with your mother?â He said. While he already knew the answer - not very good - he was hoping sheâd elaborate.Â
âPretty terrible,â She said as bluntly as a baseball bat to the skull. âThings fell apart after the accident. She blamed me for it, fought with my dad over it, and gradually lost her mind. While I was away trying to live this new paraplegic life, my father had to put her into assisted living because neither of us were capable of providing for her.â She paused for a moment, fingers tapping the steering wheel. âI try to visit once and awhile, but the chances of finding her as⊠herselfâŠâ She sighed. âI think just seeing me sets her off.â
âDo you know why?â
She was silent for a few minutes, and Vergil wondered if heâd gone too far. âI havenât told you about the accident, have I?âÂ
âYou donât have to.â
She tapped the steering wheel again. âIâd rather you hear it from me than her.â
Vergil glanced out the window. âTake your time.âÂ
It was another half hour before she pulled into a resting spot and spoke again. âI was twenty-two at the time. My sister, Alina, and I were coming home from a concert sheâd been dreaming of for months.â Vergil didnât miss the small smile as her eyes drifted out the window. âAlina was the golden child of the family. She was finishing her doctorate and on her way to working at the biggest hospital in the city. I was the artist. The child that my father loved for the same creativity that my mother loathed.â
âShe wanted you to follow your sister?â
âNot necessarily,â She said as she looked back at him. âShe knew I wasnât cut out to be a surgeon, but she wanted me to do something else. Anything, really. She didnât approve of the time I spent studying demons with my father or my dreams of opening a studio or⊠anything really.â She shrugged. âIt didnât matter. I knew she disapproved, but we had a decent relationship anyway. She loved to cook, and Iâd join her whenever possible. She taught me how to sew and knit and a dozen other âhandy hobbiesâ that I could still stumble my way through if I tried. But Alina was always her favorite.â
Vergilâs heart fell into his stomach. He had a feeling he knew where this was going. âShe didnât make it.â
âDrunk driver,â Roxy whispered. âHe was driving a truck with dozens of metal pipes. When he hit us, they dislodged. And⊠wellâŠâ She looked away as a tear slipped down her cheek. âAlina died on the spot and I⊠â She touched her lower stomach with a wince. âThey told me the pole went straight through, but I donât remember anything before I woke up from the surgery.âÂ
Images of Yamato plunging through his chest made Vergil wince. His fingers twitched as he resisted the urge to reach for the scar that hadnât gone away. The pain had been⊠immense. As were most things that plunged through someoneâs body. But he couldnât imagine being human and experiencing it. He couldnât imagine not knowing if heâd live at the end of it (even if he hadnât truly known the devil he was unleashing). âYou donât remember the accident then.â
She shook her head. âIt hurts sometimes,â She said. âThe scars. But Kuro takes good care of me, and I barely feel them anymore.â Vergil swore he saw her entire body relax. It was as if the weight of the world had finally been lifted from her shoulders. He hadnât even realized how naturally tense she had been. Behind the constant smiles and the laughter and the encouragement⊠How long had she wanted to tell him this? Had she told anyone? Surely Kuro knewâŠ
âThank you,â Vergil said.Â
She blinked in surprise. âFor what?â
âSharing your story with me,â Vergil met her gaze, fully aware that anything else would be disingenuous. âI know how hard it is to share something so personal, and I hope I do not squander the faith you have put in me.â
She smiled as a second tear fell along her cheek. âWeâve got about an hour left to go,â She said as she pulled back onto the road. âIâm happy to talk if you donât want to power through the rest of your books so soon. Iâve got much better memories to share than that.âÂ
Vergil nodded, swallowing the twinge of guilt in his chest. Iâm sorry, Roxy. He thought. I wish I was strong enough to share my past with you.Â
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Cadence Update - 29
Catch up on the story here!
I become one with my demon My dark side keeps me alive Become one with my demon Let the beast outside of my mind There are two sides to everyone I have become one With my demon
My Demon - Stitched Up Heart
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It took a few days before Roxy fully recovered, but Vergil couldnât help but feel proud of himself. He had finally figured it out. He finally located the source of his own energy to provide for her. And she was finally accepting it. She was summoning Aki again. Fighting demons like she was supposed to. She was even laughing from time to time. And while Vergil couldnât say she had moved on - there was still a lot of sadness behind the smiles she gave him- she was moving forward. Which, considering their circumstances, was the best Vergil could have hoped for.
The next step was to summon his full self, something that neither of them was certain about. They both knew it was a priority. Mundus himself could fall out of the sky at any minute and none of them would be prepared. But the more Roxy tried it, the more frustrated she got. And all Vergil had managed to do was slip into what he was calling his âGriffon Formâ. Or, most importantly, the form that could actually speak. He didnât particularly like it much, but desperate times called for desperate measures, and that was all he could manage.Â
At the very least, he could express his discontent with Nico as she tore his jacket to shreds.Â
âWhatâs the point of this?â
âYouâll see.â
His feathers ruffled before he could stop them. âAre you doing something useful at least?â
She clicked her tongue. âMaybe.âÂ
âHelpful.â
âHopefully!â
He rolled his eyes, glancing at Roxy. She had resigned herself to the front seat, staring out the window with a slight frown on her face. He knew she was tired. Theyâd been hunting demons for a few hours now and, unfortunately, it didnât seem to be getting any better. Vergil knew from his limited contact with Dante that demons were seemingly everywhere, but nobody could find the source. The local hunters guild had been reinstated from the Qliphoth days, but their measly forces werenât near enough. Nero had mentioned some demons popping up in Fortuna, but nothing close to the scale of Redgrave.Â
A loud rip almost startled him.âI hope youâre paying me back for that,â Vergil muttered.Â
âNope,â Nico said with a shrug.Â
âAnd why not?â
âIf youâre going to keep bothering me, maybe you should leave,â Nico shot back, throwing her hands in the air. âYouâre almost worse than that stupid bird, V-man.â
Vergil glared at her, but Roxy patted his head with a silent warning. He ruffled his feathers again, looking back to her. âWhat?â
Roxy sighed as she got out of the van, strapping the blade to her back as Aki landed on her shoulder. âThereâs always more demons to kill,â She said. âWeâll be back. Call if you need anything.â She waited for Vergil to slip out the door before she slammed it, flinched, then issued the van a silent apology before walking away.Â
After a few quiet minutes, Vergil pushed his thoughts into her head.âI know youâre upset,â Vergil said as he shifted into Shadowâs form. Roxy said nothing as she kept walking. âBut you canât let it cloud your judgment.â
âIâm not,â She said. âWeâre fighting demons. Thereâs no judgment to be clouded.â She crossed her arms, but Vergil noticed the way she held onto them; uncertain, not stubborn. âIâm fine.â
Vergil raised an eyebrow, waiting. But she kept walking in silence. He could hear murmurs of her thoughts on the edge of his mind, but he had yet to figure out how to pick them apart from his own. But he knew her well, and Roxy rarely kept her thoughts from him for long. He was grateful theyâd established that kind of trust before everything started or her endless stream of consciousness might have driven him mad.Â
Finally, after at least ten minutes of walking, she said, âIâm pathetic, arenât I?â
The harshness of her words caught him off guard. No, he said without hesitation. She glanced back at him in mild disbelief. Why would you think that?
âMundus will likely be here soon,â She said. âThe guy he wants is trapped somewhere between a bird and a cat because his summoner, who has absorbed more than enough energy, is too busy trying not to cry.â She reached for the sword, staring at it with sadness in her eyes. âI canât get over him. Kuroâs death. The lies. The memories taken from me. The friend Iâve lost to it all. Her hand tightened around it as her eyes snapped shut. âIâm⊠a failure.â
No, youâre not, Vergil said as he sat in front of her. She sighed, moving to sit down beside him. He continued once she met his gaze again. Youâre protecting âthat manâ despite the risk to yourself, and you continue to do so despite your grief.
âButâŠâ
But nothing, He said. Your sadness isnât something youâll get over quickly, but you need to accept that if you ever want to move on.
She pulled her knees to her chest, looking away as she drew circles on the ground. âHow did you move past your motherâs death?â
Vergil paused, uncertain. This was probably a question he should have expected, though a part of him wished she had asked Dante. For once, his brother would be a lot better at explaining something than he was. Vergil was certain Dante had accepted it all at some point. Heâd moved on. Made friends. Built a life for himself. Vergil had done none of that. Not before he met her. Even then, his life was a continuous string of failures, most of them stemming from mistakes of the past. âIâm sorry,â She said quietly. âI shouldnât haveâŠâ
Some would argue I havenât, He said finally. Even now.
She stared at him, lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but couldnât think of what. But before she figured her thought out, the ground rumbled. She shot to her feet, eyes darting in all directions. The smell of demons rose in the air, so suddenly that it caught even Vergil off guard. âThatâs not right,â He said, ears flattening against his head. âThey shouldnât have come on that sudden.â
âA portal?â Roxy said.Â
Must be.
She swore under her breath. âWe need to get back to Nico. I canât..â She spun around, then froze, eyes darting up to the sky. On the rooftop of the closest building was a small army of bugs. Not Empusas like Vergil was used to, but much larger, purple praying mantises. Their skin looked like rocks crammed together, and their beady red eyes glowed as they all stared down at them. Vergil growled, moving to intercept them, but Roxy stopped him short. âLook,â She said. His breath caught when he realized that all the roofs were covered in the same bugs; rows and rows of identical creatures surrounding them. And, as much as it pained him to hear it, Vergil wasnât surprised when Roxy muttered, âWe canât fight them all.â Â
But the bugs didnât move beyond a gentle sway. Their eyes were clearly locked on the pair, though they didnât make any kind of noise or any effort to do⊠anything. What are they waiting for? Vergil thought as his heart fell into the pit of his stomach. A commander was his first guess, but who that might beâŠ
A low whistle echoed through the streets. In a split second, both he and Roxy thought the same thing.Â
Run.Â
He lashed out at the closest set of bugs, swiping his tail across them before they hit the ground. Roxy shot them just as quickly, and the two took off through the only open hole. It was too late when he realized they were running away from the van instead of toward it. âThatâs a good thing,â Roxy said. â Whatâs Nico going to do with this mess.Â
What are we going to do with this mess?
If she had an answer to that, she didnât say it. The demons spilled through the streets, chasing after them with loud clicks and buzzes. They were far too fast for Vergilâs liking. And while he would have no problem outrunning them, Roxy didnât stand a chance. And if Roxy got caught, he was as good as dead. For a brief moment, he loathed this useless form. But he felt her sorrow a split second later and shoved it away. There were much bigger things to worry about. So, they kept running, with Vergil doing everything he could to keep her pace. But the bugs seemed to only get faster, and he knew Roxy was running out of breath. Finally, Vergil spun around, skidded a few feet backward, ignored her cries of surprise, and prepared to do⊠something.Â
What happens if I die?
He didnât have time to ponder that question before the bugs were on him. He fought off what he could, trying to channel everything he could remember about his former familiar. But it wasnât much use. The demons just kept coming, stumbling over each other as they all tried to get to him. Time seemed to slow down as a particularly large one leaped for him. He tried to smack it down, but it wasnât any use.
âVergil!â
Her arms wrapped around him just before the bug collided. Vergilâs eyes widened. The bug raised its bladed arm.Â
A wall of ice sprung from the ground, smacking the bug and all of its followers clean out of the sky. Roxy gasped, and Vergil could feel her skin turn clammy against his own. She looked up, shocked as they realized that wall was actually a thin pyramid, surrounding them both with only a small hole looking out toward the sky. The bugs slammed themselves against it, but they didnât crack it. Soon, they were surrounded again, but nothing broke through. They tried to climb the walls, only to tumble back into the heap beneath them.Â
âKuro,â Roxy whispered. âBut⊠How?â
He probably should have been equally astonished. But all Vergil felt was anger. Are you crazy? He snapped, nearly knocking her over as he lifted his head. What was your plan?Â
She gawked at him. âYou think this is a time to be arguing?â
You nearly got yourself killed.Â
âI was trying to save your life.â
What good was that going to do?
âMaybe if you had kept running!â
You werenât going to get much further!
Her eyes softened as she sat back. âI⊠I didnât have a plan,â she admitted softly. âI just⊠I couldnât let you just⊠I donât know.â She sighed eyes glistening with tears. âI donât know how long this ice will hold⊠or where it even came from. I doubt these creatures are going to give up. And whoever called them is probably coming for us.â She tried to smile, but Vergil could feel her fear as she reached out to pat his head. âMaybe Nico will call your brother.â
But as her hand touched his head, an explosion of pain shot through his body. He bit back a cry and tried to pull away, but she only came with him, her hand stuck against his skin. Let go!
âIâm trying!â She said, desperately tugging on her arm. Light blue light shot from her hand into him, pulsing through his veins with a coldness he didnât think he could survive. His body twisted, trying to fight it off. He clawed at the ground, searching for any chance to pull away. Everything went blurry. Finally, her hand pulled away and her crumbled in a heap. A shiver wracked through his body, and he found himself reaching for his knees, desperate to curl up for any sort of heat he could find.
Wait.
His eyes shot open, only to find Roxy staring at him. âVergil?â She asked as she shed her coat. âIs thatâŠ?â She shook her head as she lay the coat on top of him. âItâs okay,â She said as she pulled him closer. The ease at which she moved him was astounding, but his human form had always been agonizingly frail.Â
Finally, she hugged him tightly, her warmth gently soothing the cold ache in his body. But he didnât miss the ice along her neck and wrists. âYour freezing,â He said quietly. She didnât respond, only held him tighter. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to push the dizziness away. âItâs progress,â He said as calmly as he could before another shiver nearly knocked him out. She hummed in something close to an agreement but didnât move. A loud whoop of delight in the distance made Vergil shake his head as his body relaxed with relief. âItâs okay,â He whispered. âEverythings⊠okay.â He sagged against her as his eyes forced themselves back closed and he drifted off to sleep.Â
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Cadence - CH 17
In which Vergil learns what might be wrong with him, with help from his friends and family.
Catch up on the story here!
Donât say Iâm out of touch With this rampant chaos your reality I know well what lies beyond my slipping refuge The nightmare I built my own world to escape.
Imaginary - Evanescence
It took less than ten minutes for Vergil to have an existential crisis.Â
Why did I call Nero?
Why didnât I call Dante?
What is wrong with me?
Why will you not leave me alone?
And the questions went on and on; a never-ending wave of increasingly dark and impossible to answer things. Vergil tried to stop them. He tried not to think about the possibilities or the mark on his chest. He tried to convince himself that the voice in his head was no more than a nightmare. That the portal he would have opened would have led to nowhere, and heâd just looked like a fool in front of Kuro.Â
That sword no longer belongs to you. Kuro had said.Â
What does he know?
A knock on the door startled him. âVerge?â Danteâs voice echoed inside.Â
Go away, Vergil tried to say, but nothing happened.Â
âNero said you might need some help.â
Vergil held back a swear as he forced himself to his feet. Heâd barely started zipping his vest up before he heard. âOh hey Kuro! Didnât know you could open the door.âÂ
âAre you calling me a fool, mortal?â
â... Why do you have Yamato?â
âYour brother almost returned to his master.â
Vergil took a single step and hit the floor before he could stop himself.Â
When he opened his eyes again, he saw nothing but pure darkness. He tried to sit up, but a pair of burly hands pushed him back down. Panicked, Vergil fought back. Something cold slipped from his head as he yanked on the arms. They pushed harder, fingernails digging into his skin. Voices echoed in from all directions- a rabble of nothingness. âLet me go!â He snapped. âI will notâŠâ
Nelo.Â
âIâm not...â
Come back to me, Nelo.
âIâm not hisâŠâ
âDad!â
He froze as a single word broke through the chaos. Dad? No one had ever called him that. No one should call him that. He wasnât a father. He was barely a man. Just some pawn in Mundusâ endless game. Vergil thought he could escape. He thought this was over. Was two decades of his life not enough? Would the consequences of his mistakes never end?
âI wouldnât do that, Sunshine,â another voice said. âHeâs not exactly in his right mind.â
âItâs alright,â A woman said. Vergil recognized them both, but couldnât place their names. Everything was dark. So dark. So cold. He was trapped again. Paralyzed and lost in the suit heâd been shoved into.Â
Then a soft hand brushed his cheek. âVergil,â The womanâs voice whispered again. âYouâre alright. Weâre all here for you.â
His eyes snapped open as he gasped for air. Danteâs hand tightened on his shoulder, but it was Roxyâs eyes he met first. Behind her was Nero with a look of pure relief as his shoulders sagged forward and he shook his head. Even further away was Nico with Aki in her hand and a smaller Kuro on her shoulder. âLet go,â Vergil said. This time, his voice was calm enough that Dante listened. Yet, Vergil didnât sit up. Instead, he let his eyes drift back to her. âYouâre awake.â
âThanks to you,â Roxy said with a nod. Her hand had yet to leave his cheek. âKuro didnât have to do much this time.â
âHow long has it been.â
âA little over a day Iâve been told.â
âA day,â Vergil said, his voice hollow. âIâve been out for a day?â
âI found you unconscious in the bathroom,â Dante said. âDonât worry though! I cleaned ya up and the kid only found ya sleeping,â He gave Vergil a lazy grin, but he heard the truth behind his brotherâs oddly peppy words, nobody saw the mark but me. Vergil nodded, hoping to convey his gratitude. If Dante understood or not, he didnât respond. Â
âWhat happened?â Nero said.Â
Vergilâs eyes closed for another moment. What did he say to that? The truth seemed more unbelievable than anything else he could say. But he had called Nero here for⊠something.Â
Why had he thought that this was the right call again?
Yamato.Â
And, as painful as it was to admit it, Vergil said. âI need one of you to take Yamato.â
Nero, Nico, and Dante all exchanged glances. âWho are you and what have you done to my brother?â Dante said.Â
That time, Roxy pulled away as Vergil practically shot upright. âDo you honestly think Iâd joke about such a thing?â
Dante threw his hands up between them. âI mean the things practically your security blanket, Verge. Iâm shocked youâre not holding it right now.â
He wasnât wrong necessarily, but Vergil really thought his brother could word that entire sentence differently. Instead, he explained what was happening. Or, at the very least, what he assumed was happening. It was difficult to know for certain what was in his head or not. Heâd recognize Mundusâ voice from anywhere, as it had permeated all of his nightmares since even before heâd escaped hell. But whether or not he was actually calling to himâŠ
He stopped short and glared at Kuro. âYou knew.â
Kuro snorted. âI used to be one of Mundusâ pets myself a long time ago. I remember you.â
Vergilâs eyes widened. âI donâtâŠâ
âI escaped just after he promoted you,â The dragon said. âAs did my brother. But my story isnât important.â
âPromoted?â Nero said. âSo you were, what, working for this⊠Mundus guy?â
That time, it was Dante and Vergil who exchanged glances. âListen, kid,â Dante said slowly, looking to Vergil for permission. When Vergil said nothing, Dante continued. âDid you ever wonder why your dad was gone for so long? Why he never sought you out or all that jazz?â
Nero frowned. âI just assumedâŠâ He trailed off.
âThat I wanted nothing to do with you?â Vergil said.
A slight red tinged Neroâs cheeks. âWell I know now that you didnât know about me. But still⊠figured you were an asshole for just abandoning whoever my mom was too.â
âHe abandoned everyone,â Dante muttered. Vergil glared at him, but his brother didnât meet it. âHe was trapped in hell, Nero. Twenty years of his life, gone to this âMundus guyâ.âÂ
âIâve heard of him,â Roxy whispered. âBut I never imaginedâŠâ She closed her eyes and shook her head before meeting his gaze again. âKuro explained what happened, and we have a theory as to whatâs going on. Iâve already called Dia on the matter butâŠâ She trailed off as her eyes flickered away.Â
âWhat?â Vergil asked.
âYouâre probably not gonna like it.â
 âJust get on with it,â Vergil snapped. She flinched before he caught himself, but an apology didnât come. If she expected one, she didnât show it. âWhatâs your theory?â Vergil said, his voice much quieter than before. A part of him already knew what she was going to say , but hearing it was much better than assumptions.
âKuro believes that Mundus forced you to make a pact with him,â Roxy said. âNow that youâre free, heâs trying to call you back.â
The room went dead silent. Even the younger devil hunters, who had learned Mundusâ name all of five minutes ago, went slack-jawed as their eyes snapped to him. Vergil couldnât read anyoneâs expressions. Danteâs lips were pressed together, and his gaze had hardened to the point that even his eyes didnât give anything away. Nero looked somewhere between horrified, confused, and trying to find the right words to say. Nico looked like she was pondering something beyond Vergilâs comprehension. Only Roxyâs expression was soft as she placed her fingers on the back of his hand. âItâs alright,â She said. âWe can fix this.â
âHow?â Vergil said. âHow can you fix this, Roxy?â
It was Nico who snorted. âWho knows more about pacts than our resident summoner, V-man?â
âDia, technically,â Roxy said. âBut yes, I know a good amount.â She pushed herself to her feet and took a small step back. âCan the rest of you leave for a bit? I need to speak to Vergil.â
âAre you sure about that?â Dante said. âHeâs nearly lost it twice.â
âKeep that sword away,â Kuro growled as he crawled onto Roxyâs shoulder. âAnd sheâll have nothing to fear.â
âNo offense,â Nero said. âBut Iâm with Dante on this one.â
âIâm not a wild animal,â Vergil said.Â
âBut are you in control?â Dante said.
Vergil glared at his brother. âYes.â
Dante shrugged. âAlright then,â He beckoned to the other two. âIâll grab Yamato. Youâll have to take Nico back to the van.â He waved his hand in front of her face to make a point. She didnât even blink. âSheâs far, far away in a galaxy I like to call the Nico-veerse.â He disappeared into the kitchen before returning with Yamato. âWeâll be nearby, sunshine. Holler if you need us,â He glanced at Vergil one last time. But, when Vergil nodded, his brother smiled and left.Â
âWe hadnât planned on leaving for a few days,â Nero said. âSoâŠâ
âWe wonât be long,â Roxy said. âPromise.â
Nero hesitated, but he soon followed after Dante, dragging a very distracted Nico behind him. Aki chirped his goodbye as he hopped off Nicoâs shoulder and found his way onto Vergilâs lap where he curled up and promptly fell asleep. And while Vergil thought he should have found this annoying in any other situation, the creatureâs soft purrs against his legs was oddly soothing. All he could remember was Shadow sleeping beside him on the few nights his human self got any rest. He recalled how heâd wake up in the morning with the oversized kitten lying right on top of him, only a few pounds shy of crushing him outright.Â
Heâd found that comforting too.
âDiaâs going to visit tomorrow,â Roxy said. âBut I need to know what weâre dealing with.â She hesitated, followed by a sigh. âI know youâre probably not comfortable with the idea, but Dante mentioned a mark?â
â... It appeared yesterday.â
âI donât doubt it.â
âHow could you possibly know any of this?â Vergil said.Â
âI know how pact making works,â She countered. âEvery demon can be made into a familiar, Vergil. Half-demon or otherwise. My father and Dia studied the effects of half-demon familiars for years before he died. I donât know everything, but I know enough.â She shook her head. âHumans are able to escape it. Demons canât. The two halves of your mind are fighting with each other. HoweverâŠâ
âHowever?â
âHalf-demons need a powerful item to bind them to another soul,â Kuro said. âMarks can manifest, yes. But they are not enough. Not when the host wishes to control the other.â
âWe think Mundus may have used Yamato,â Roxy said. âIf he knew of its portal capabilities, then itâs likely he assumed he could bring you back whenever he wanted, so losing you wasnât an issue.â
âHe likely did not expect you to resist.â
âHow can you be certain of any of this?â Vergil asked.
âIâm not,â She said. âWith everything I and Dia know, itâs still a shot in the dark. But itâs all weâve got right now, Vergil.â
âLuckily for you,â Kuro said as he hopped down to the couch. âWe may already have a solution.â
âWhich is?â Vergil said.Â
âDia thinks that we may be able to break your connection with him by creating a new one with me.â
Vergil didnât understand why his body clenched at the thought. He didnât know why he suddenly felt light headed, or why the world was spinning. And he certainly didnât know why he recoiled at the sheer idea of making a pact with her. But there it was. An uncertain and terrible fear that burned in his veins and pulsed in his head. But, as if noticing his distress (was it really that obvious?) Roxy quickly sat across from him. âI would never force you to do anything you donât want to do,â She said. âAnd Dia thinks I can break it the second you are free from Mundusâ control.â
That didnât make him feel any better. âYouâre asking me to riskâŠâ He trailed off, self-conscious. Servitude was the word on his tongue, but was that even fair? He wanted to believe that he trusted Roxy. They had gotten to know each other over the last nine or so months. Almost a year now as friends, and at least three months as close companions.
But did that mean he trusted her with his life?
And if not⊠Did he trust anyone?
âIf it would make you more comfortable,â She said. âThen I can show you my own marks as well.â
âYou would do that?â Vergil said. âFor me?â
âIâm asking you to give me something very personal,â She said. âItâs only fair that I do the same for you.â
âBesides,â Kuro said with a flick of his tongue. âIf making a pact is the only way to protect you, then youâll have to trust each other, or it will never work.â
Vergil was starting to think that the dragon might be reading his thoughts, but he didnât dare mention it less he gave himself away. But his heart stilled as Roxy held her hand out. âAre you alright?â She whispered; the silly, special phrase that had quickly become their own. Slowly, Vergil met her fingers with his own and nodded. And in that moment, as she squeezed his hand with a quiet reassurance and returned his gaze with a confident smile, Vergil decided that he would trust her. Her, his brother, his son, Nico⊠all of them.Â
Because if there was one thing Vergil had finally learned over all these years, it was that he couldnât fight a war on his own.Â
âIâll go first,â She said. âIf thatâs alright.â She pulled away from him and shed her sweatshirt, revealing a tight fitting tank top beneath. And it was at that moment that Vergil fully realized just how small the woman before him was. Heâd known this already, as her head only came to his chest even in shoes, but she looked even more petite than before. The thought of hurting her⊠of crushing her with a single handâŠÂ
He squeezed his eyes shut when she wasnât looking, and pulled his thoughts back to reality. He wouldnât hurt her. He couldnât hurt her. Not Roxy. Not the woman heâ d grown to care so deeply for.Â
Care deeply for.Â
He really was a fool.
And Vergil might have blushed once she removed her shirt, but his eyes drifted to the ice blue swirls on her stomach. Her marks were much lighter than his had been, but Vergil could still see the exquisite details of every small snowflake. The lines continued around her waist, and when she turned, Vergil saw that both sides connected to a dragon-wing. Vergil could feel the demonic magic pulsing from the lines themselves, and he realized that this was the power he'd been feeling. Kuro's power, yes, but mixed with her own humanity. But behind the marks were scars; long, jagged scars that Vergil was certain would never truly fade. Momentos of the accident, he assumed. But they were worse than he thought. But right now, as she shared a piece of herself with him, he didn't dare ask for more.Â
He had a feeling he'd know soon enough.Â
When she turned back to face him, there was a playfulness to her tone. It was almost as if this was all completely normal and she wasn't sitting before him in a rather lacy and debatably risque blue bra. And it was that thought, of all things, that finally brought the heat to his cheeks. But only a little. No more than was necessary. (He'd have to ponder the strange buzzing energy that pulsed through the rest of him later). "Your turn," She said. And when he did unzip his vest, she waited for a nod before pressing her fingers against his mark.Â
Her touch made him shiver. This was wildly intimate. More so than any hand holding. But if she felt any discomfort, she didn't show it. Professional, Vergil thought. And if she could manage that, so could he.Â
âThe good news,â She said as her fingers traced the lines. âIs that this isnât a very strong mark, meaning heâs aware that you can fight him off if given enough time.âÂ
âWhy would it appear now?â
âCould be to scare you,â she said. âHe might want you to think that you donât have a choice, or that returning to him is an inevitability. But do you see how faded the lines are?â Vergil nodded before she continued. âHis link to you is tenuous at best, and I think Kuro was right about Yamato.â
The dragon huffed. âOf course I was.â
âRegardless,â she said with a soft glare in the familarâs direction. âDia will be able to tell us more tomorrow.â Her gaze shifted back to his chest and she frowned.
âWhat is it?â
âThis one in the middle,â She said. â Itâs not a mark, persay. Itâs more of a scar. But you heal everything⊠right?"Â
Vergil reached for the zipper of his vest. "I guess some wounds never heal⊠even mine."
Then their eyes met, and it took everything Vergil had to keep his gaze on hers. Roxy was close now. SoâŠ. very close. If he turned just right and leaned forward just enoughâŠÂ
âAre you alright?â She whispered, but there was something else to her tone. Something else Vergil couldnât quite pick out of the chaos raging in his mind. He found himself reaching for her cheek, and his knuckles gently caressed the skin as he stared into her beautiful emerald eyes. She tilted her head and nuzzled against him, eyes never leaving his own. The hand on his chest drifted to the side as she shifted closer. Her breath was cool on his lips and smelled of mint. He tilted his head and leaned inâŠ
âIf you were planning this,â Diaâs voice echoed in disapproval. âThen you probably shouldnât have called me.â
Roxy jumped at the same time as Vergil. And, in an uncharacteristic show of clumsiness, his forehead knocked straight into hers. The resounding thud made his ears ring. She groaned as she pulled away, rubbing the side of her forehead as she fumbled around for her jacket. âIt wasnât like that,â She muttered. âAnd you said you were coming tomorrow.â
âTomorrow. Today. Itâs all the same.â She waved her off. âNow lets see if we can fix our little Mundus problem, shall we?â
Ko-fi â Master List â AO3
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Cadence 23 - Update
In which Vergil and Roxy discuss their options.
Catch up on the story here!
âCause Iâve been shaking Iâve been bending backwards till Iâm broke Watching all these dreams go up in smoke
Ashes - CĂ©line Dion
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For a long moment, Vergil was silent. He thought he should be furious. How could Dante lose Yamato at a time like this? Vergil had entrusted it to him because he assumed nothing, not even Mundus, could steal it from him. But when he tried to pull on that expected anger, he found nothing but fear; an all-consuming terror that gnawed at his chest and pulsed through his blood. It threatened to consume him with every breath he took as the world closed in.Â
Youâre mine, Nelo.Â
He didnât know if that was his paranoia or Mundus himself.Â
âVergil?â Roxy said.Â
âHow did it happen?â Vergil shook his head as he instinctively caressed her cheek to calm his nerves. He didnât know why that was his go-to. Heâd never tried it before. But it seemed to work, despite the storm that threatened to overtake him.Â
The panic in Danteâs voice didnât help. âI donât know for sure,â He said. âNico wanted to look it over. She thought she might be able to use another demon to replicate a portion of its power or something. She was trying to make a new sword for your guyâs temporary pact.â
âClever,â Vergil said, his voice hollow.
âShe had it in this container thing to analyze it when a portal appeared outside. It took me seconds to take the demons out, but by the time I got back, Nico was in a panic saying a portal opened or some shit. A hand broke through the project and grabbed it right from under her.â
Mundus. That was the only name he could think of. Mundus. Mundus Mundus. Who else would go looking for Yamato? Who else would be able to track it so well? Maybe there were other demons that knew about it. And there were probably a few that wanted it. But surely none of them were stupid enough (or maybe clever enouigh) to try stealing it from Dante.Â
âIâm sorry, Vergil,â Dante said. âI really⊠I shouldnât have let it out of my sight.â
Vergil took a deep, shaky breath. Roxyâs head tilted into his hand as he relayed what Dante had said. âIf Mundus has Yamato, then he can call you back,â She said.Â
He didnât think it was possible for his heart to sink any lower. âHow easily?â
âI donât know.â
âThe pact,â Dante said. âCan you make it now?â
Roxy grimaced. âDia was still looking into it, and we donât have something strong enough to contain his level of power, even for a few seconds.â
âSo weâre fucked?â
Vergil didnât repeat that. âCall Dia,â He murmured. âSheâll know what to do.â It was difficult speaking like this. He felt like he was in a haze of nothingness, going through the expected motions with none of the effort. But what else could he do? He could feel something pulling at him, but was it him thinking of all the ways this could go wrong? Was it Mundus making a move? Was he losing his mind?
âBreathe, Vergil,â Roxy said, reaching for his own cheek. âI need you here, okay? Or none of this will work.â
He nodded, but it was as empty as his words. âCan you get back here, Dante?â
âDo you want me to leave the kid and his family here alone?â
Vergil closed his eyes. Why hadnât he thought of that? Neroâs safety should be his top priority, yet all he could think about was himself. âNo,â he said. âRoxy and I will deal with this. ProtectâŠâ His voice broke. âProtect Nero.â
âYouâre going to be alright, Verge,â Dante said. âI promise.â
Vergil wanted to believe it. But, as he hung up, he realized just how broken he felt inside. He didnât hear Roxy speaking. He didnât realize it when she hung up, and barely felt her tugging on his arm. âWeâre going to Diaâs home,â She said. âBut we have to hurry.â
Vergil let her drag him away, trying to escape that one, single name⊠and the voice that accompanied it.
Soon, Nelo.
Youâll be all mine.Â
Vergil had no idea how they reached Diaâs home. One minute, they were in Roxyâs apartment, her going through her bookshelves as he watched her from the bed. The next, she had grabbed a book, shouted, âahaâ then he blinked and the room was gone. Instead, he was sitting on a stump in the middle of a forest that just happened to be as tall as her bed, and she was staring at an evergreen tree. To their right was a cottage with a thatched roof, cream panelling, wooden beams around the windows, and an old oak door that looked like it was seconds from falling off. The door slammed open before Vergil could react. Dia stormed toward them, yelling,. âMore warning would have sufficed!â
âI could have said the same thing about you,â Roxy snapped.Â
Dia glared at her. âI know youâre upset, but donât you dare start taking it out on me.â
âPlease tell me you have a plan.âÂ
âBarely,â Dia said. âBut you are safe here.â
âSafe?â Vergil said. âHow can you guarantee that?â
âMy home exists between worlds,â Dia said, almost offended. As if Vergil was supposed to magically know such a thing. âIt is very difficult to find if youâve never been here before. Even those capable of making portals like our mysterious Yamato thief would need years or significant luck to make it here. â She hobbled over to Roxy. âNow you mentioned this Nico girl may have an idea.â
âIâm not sure the specifics,â Roxy said. âBut it sounds like she was making a false Yamato of sorts. Something we could use to make the temporary pact. But Iâm not sure how far she got before it was stolen.â
âThat is an interesting solution,â Dia said. âTheoretically if you imbue it with the power of an unrelated demon it could work.â
âMaybe Kuro?â
âAbsolutely not.â
âButâŠâ
âHe needs to be as strong as possible to keep you alive,â Dia said. âIf something were to happen to Kuroâs power, then either you would die, or Vergil would have to take his place.â There was a long pause. âPermanently.âÂ
Permanently.
Vergil was only vaguely surprised that that word barely bothered him now. Considering the alternativeâŠ
Wait.Â
âIs it because of her paralysis?â Vergil said. âI can work with her if the stasis becomes more severe.â
The hesitation on Diaâs face gave Vergil pause. Even Roxy looked a bit confused, glancing between them. âHeâs⊠not wrong⊠right?â She said. âThere has to be a way around it.â
âItâs not that simple,â The demoness said. âBoth of you stay here. I am going to see if I can get your friend to my world without too much of a fuss.â
âYou think she can help?â
âI think sheâs on the right track,â Dia said as she sauntered away. âThe cottage is all yours for the next few days, but please try not to destroy anything. I only have one.â She paused for a moment, and glanced at Vergil. âYou should probably tell her the truth. Sooner rather than later. That fruit is the reason this is such a problem.âÂ
And as her words hit him like a ton of bricks, Dia vanished into thin air.Â
âTruth?â Roxy said. âVergil?â
Vergil closed his eyes. Which truth did she want? There were so many mistakes. So many failures. Which truth would Dia even know? He was too exhausted to think. TooâŠÂ
Broken.
âVergil,â Roxy whispered as she stepped up beside him. He hated how weary she looked. Hated the way she approached him like some kind of wild animal. Like he would snap at any moment. But could he really blame her? Who knew how close Mundus was to his mind now. And who would stop the demon king if he appeared right now, or pulled Vergil away? Or, even worse, what would she do if Mundus forced Vergil to fight her?Â
What would he do if he lost someone else?
âLeave, Roxy,â Vergil said. âYou canâtâŠâ
âIâm not going anywhere.â
Rage coursed through him so fast he couldnât stop it. âDonât you get it?â He snapped. âIâm nothing but a monster, and thatâs all Iâm destined to be.â He rose from the log, his mind racing. Words spilled out before he could stop them. âIâm the one who rose the Qliphoth Tree. Iâm the monster who wanted power so badly that I destroyed the entire city for the power of the demon king. I tore myself in half, discarded my human form, killed hundreds of thousands of people,â He choked on his words. Something pricked the corner of his eyes; a feeling he hadnât felt in decades. âSo go, Roxy. Leave me to this fate. Itâs what I deserve.â
Silence fell. Her eyes were as wide as they could go. And even though she had taken a long step back. Even though she had postured herself to run as far away as possible, Vergil didnât see fear in her eyes. He didnât see the hurt or betrayal he expected. And, as she took a long and deep breath, she stood up straight, closed her eyes for a moment, and tightened her lips into a thin line.Â
âMundus did that to you, didnât he?â
Vergil stared at her. âWhat?â
âHe tortured you,â She said as she took a step toward him. âDid he not?â
âThat doesnâtâŠâ
âKuro told me all the stories,â She whispered. âHow the demon king tore demons apart, just so they could put themselves back together again. How he manipulated and murdered whoever he wanted. How he made people forget who they were, took away their names, and enslaved them.â She stopped right in front of him, her eyes steely with determination. âYou escaped, and your broken mind did what you thought was right.â
âYou donât understand.â
âThen keep going,â She said. âTell me everything. Talk until you canât think anymore. Until everything is off your chest and you can move on.âÂ
Vergil froze, dumbfounded. How could she talk like she was forgiving him? Did she not hear what heâd said? Did she not understand the pain heâd caused? The destruction heâd wrought because he hadnât believed in his human self?
Then, her hand touched his chest. âThat scar,â she murmured. âThe marks⊠they represent the day you broke yourself in two, donât they.â
âYamato separates man from devil,â Vergil said, his voice hollow.Â
âYou stabbed yourself?â
Slowly, he nodded. âMy body was crumbling⊠every step I took was pure agony. I couldnât remember anything. All I knew was that I had to fight my brother. I had to win. I had to prove I could⊠but my demon half did more than I ever expected him too. He was⊠pure evil incarnate. A creature that ate the Qliphoth fruit because power was more important than life.â
âAnd your human half?â
That was the moment Vergil realized that her voice was soothing. His anger and fear had all but evaporated. His thoughts had slowed. His mind was clinging to the memories she wanted to hear, desperate to prove that he deserved a second chance. âHe regretted everything,â Vergil said. âHe realized his mistakes, and fought desperately to fix them. ButâŠâ He took a deep breath. âHe also wanted to live. He wanted to reunite with that demon⊠that monster⊠and keep fighting. He wanted to prove that he was worth something, despite the endless pool of regret and failures.â Despite his deep breath, his next words were spoken in a whisper. âHe wanted to be protected... and loved.â
She brushed his cheek. âMaybe thatâs why your demon changed.â
âWhat?â
âYou said this demon form of yours is a new one, right?â
Once again, Vergil was baffled. âHe changed because I ate the fruit.â
She shook her head. âI think he changed because you did.â Her hand pressed harder against his chest, as if attempting to reach his very soul. âCan you ever atone for what happened? I donât know. But I believe this you is different from the demon that you unleashed. This you cares about this world. This you has a purpose. A family. A future.â She looked up at him. âA reason to be a better person, and keep fighting for a better world.â
If he were any other person, Vergil would have crumbled right then and there. But as her arms slowly wrapped around him, and as she whispered over and over about how everything would be okay, Vergil found himself humbled by it all. And when she gently pushed him back to sit on the log to meet her gaze, he didnât stop her. He watched her eyes as she ran her hands up onto his shoulders and kissed his forehead.Â
âI donât know how yet,â Roxy whispered. âBut I will protect you, Vergil. As long as I breathe, he will not take you from me.â
In that moment, he believed her.Â
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