//------------------------------// // S1E4 Bloodline // Story: Sunset's Journey // by Alphajeager1 //------------------------------// “Do either of you remember this place?” asked Vergil as he lead his two siblings into an old park. “Yeah I remember coming here,” replied Dante. “Wasn’t it mom that used to bring us here?” asked Sunset. “Correct,” replied Vergil. “Tell us everything,” ordered Dante as the three siblings walked towards a set of swings. “Are you aware of the multiverse theory?” asked Vergil. “I’ve heard of it before,” replied Dante. “Never heard of it,” was Sunset’s confused answer. “The theory is that there is an infinite number of earths, all in the same place in space, but they all vibrate at different speeds so they cannot see or interact with each other. What if I told you it was true?” asked Vergil. “Makes sense,” Replied Dante. Sunset nodded. Vergil raised an eyebrow in surprise. Both of them pointed to their Drivers. Vergil nodded. “The story starts in one dimension, virtually identical to our own. A corporation was creating an armoured suit as part of a new line of armoured fighters. For some reason, they started with the female model. Only over the course of the day, that first volunteer noticed that the suit was getting tighter as it fused to her skin. Instead of helping her the scientists restrained her. Her mind then started to get reprogrammed by the suit and just before she turned into a living robot she swore revenge.” “Let me guess,” started Sunset dully. “The general in charge of the project then went power hungry and started to convert every female on the base before using them to start converting the surrounding towns and cities,” she guessed. “How did you-?!” demanded Vergil in shock and surprise. Dante started laughing. “In case you forgot Vergil, sis here used to read a lot of comic books.” Vergil facepalmed. “Anyway. He would have succeeded if the first female didn’t get her mind back, overcame the programming and then made a hive connected with the rest of the converted females, with her as the queen,” he explained. “Then they converted the world, killed all of the males, got world jumping tech and encountered a race of creatures that had gone through a similar process, only this race was completely male and it had been magic that turned them from human to world conquer,” guessed Sunset. “Hence the Phantom’s,” realised Dante. Vergil stared at her for several seconds. “I am never going to be surprised by you again, sister.” “So she was right?” asked Dante. “Yes,” replied Vergil. “The Phantoms were created on another earth when a Witch converted a group of males into them by using a ritual the forced males with magical potential into despair, where they thought it would be better to curl up and die than continue living. Only for one of them to regain his free will and form a hive connection with the others. They rose up and killed the Witch before spreading across the earth like a plague, killing any female they found and forcing any male they found into despair making them transform into a new Phantom, before finding a spell that let them jump between worlds.” “Where they met the females,” stated Sunset. “Yes, the two species are old. Old enough that when they came into being, our earth was still a volcano rock that was blazing from its creation.” Dante gave a whistle. “That’s old!” “Indeed. They have always been at war,” the three siblings walked past a wall that displayed an army of white female angel like being fighting red flesh and blood creatures that were clearly Phantoms. “Nine, just going on ten millennia ago the original Queen and King of the Iron Maidens and Phantom races killed it each in battle. While the Iron Maidens had a successor who took over, it was a mad scramble for power among the Phantoms. One of them rose to take control, the strongest and cruellest of them all: Wiseman.” Sunset sat down on a swing while Dante leaned against the bar as Vergil continued his tale. “But Wiseman did not rise alone. At his right hand was his most trusted lieutenant, his blood brother and one of the few Phantom’s to keep his free will when Wiseman took over the hive mind.” “Sparda?” asked Dante. Even though he already knew. Vergil nodded. “But Sparda betrayed Mundus. He fell in love with an Iron Maiden: Eva,” the wall behind the swings showed a Phantom and an Iron Maiden kissing each other. “The union between Phantom and Iron Maiden was inconceivable,” explained Vergil as he sat down on a bench. “But it happened and with it came new lift. Twin boys, you and I,” he nodded to Dante, “A hybrid of the flesh and armoured races, Kamen Riders.” “And me?” asked Sunset. Vergil hesitated. “I don’t know any more of how your able to transform into a Kamen Rider or where you come from than you do. It always baffled both Mother and Father as they could find no Iron Maiden or Phantom blood in you. For what it is worth, I’m sorry about having to say that.” Sunset just sighed. “It’s not your fault. I’m just disappointed that I was so close and now I’m so far again,” she looked at Vergil. “Continue b-b-b-bro-” Vergil just chuckled. “You don’t have to acknowledge the sibling bond between us just yet,” he continued his tale. “Sparda and Eva used their powers to set up a barrier around the earth that would stop their kind from reaching it. When Wiseman learned of Sparda’s betrayal his fury knew no bounds. He was able to tear a small hole in the barrier and he hunted the lovers down with what little amount of his force that he’d been able to bring to earth with him.” “I’m starting to see where this is going,” muttered Sunset sadly. “Wiseman was that bald man that I remember fighting, wasn’t he?” Vergil nodded then his head whipped back to Sunset so fast that both she and Dante could have sworn they heard something go crack. “You fought Wiseman and lived?!” he demanded. “Yeah but I barely scratched him,” came the mopping reply. Vergil stared at his sister for a few seconds before snapping himself out of it. “Anyway, Eva was murdered by his own hand, as for Sparda he demanded a more brutal fate. Endless punishment and pain,” the wall behind them showed a purple haired man with his head split open crushing a bleeding red-haired lady. Along with a black man screaming in pain as he was wrapped in chains. Vergil got up off the bench and started walking with Dante and Sunset following. “But even as Eva was destroyed and Sparda was imprisoned for eternity, each knew that the seeds for their revenge had already been sown,” Vergil stopped and turned to his family. “Because according to legend the other thing that can slay a Phantom King is a Kamen Rider. Which is an armoured shaped shifting being.” Dante and Sunset’s eyes widened. “Those Kamen Rider’s now exist, the three of us,” the wall to the left displayed a red background that had black Phantoms on it and a light blue background that had white Iron Maidens. In the centre was a black and white being with one Iron Maiden wing and one Phantom wing: A Kamen Rider. Vergil took them into the tunnel. “Wiseman believe that only a single child had been born and that the human Kamen Rider had been destroyed. But he was wrong, for there two Kamen Rider’s born and the human Kamen Rider was simply lost. Each of the birthed Kamen Rider’s had been hidden well and the human Kamen Rider was out of his reach. Sparda Armed his sons. The Rebellion for Dante and the Yamato for Vergil. Had it not been for these sword’s then you and I would have been killed when the Phantom’s first found his Dante. The only reason he did not arm you, Sunset, was because you were older, had a better grasp of your powers, had developed said powers more and had much more practice than Dante or I. Also, you had four weapons that could keep up with both of his swords that now belong to Dante and I.” “At least now we know what your sword is called,” commented Sunset. “Rebellion turned into a scythe and an axe, does the Yamato do that?” asked Dante. “No,” chuckled Vergil. “Yamato is more of a simple and deliberate weapon than the flashy Rebellion. Changing the energy in it just changes how I fight with it.” “Cool!” Sunset had stars in her eyes. “So Wiseman killed our mom and imprisoned our dad?” asked Dante. “Yes,” replied Vergil. “And we’re the offspring of two races that hate each other?” “Iron Maiden mother and Phantom father?” asked Sunset. “That is correct,” replied Vergil. “We are Kamen Rider’s. We are the only ones that can slay the Phantom King.” “Good, how?” asked Dante. Vergil opened his mouth to explain, but was cut off by a moaning voice: “DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEE!!!!” “SSSSSSSSSSSSUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTT!!!!!” Three heads snapped around towards the source of the voice. A man was staggering down the alley, his eyes were completely black and black blood was leaking out of them. “A spotter!” snarled Vergil. “Fucking Phantom collaborators!” he pulled out a throwing knife and a flick of his wrist buried it into the man’s forehead. Sunset jumped away from the wall that she was leaning on as if it were on fire as the world started to shift. Vergil turned back to his siblings. “Your both being dragged into the Slip Dimension! I’ll find Kate, she’ll get you both out! Stand strong!” Dante cracked his neck as Vergil ran off. Sunset placed her Driver On Ring over her belt buckle. [DRIVER ON! PLEASE!] A magic circle appeared in front of the buckle as it grew out into the Wizard Driver. Sunset pressed the left Shift Lever making the Hand Author turn to the left. [MAGICAL TOUCH HENSHIN!] As the Driver started to chant Sunset placed her left hand with the Active Ring in front of the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [ACTIVE PLEASE!] She held her left hand out to the side and the active magic circle appeared. [LET’S GO!] It started to pass through her. “HENSHIN!” shouted Sunset as the active magic circle passed over her head, transforming her into Kamen Rider Symbol. Dante held his own Driver On Ring over his belt buckle. [DRIVER ON!] A magic circle appeared in front of the buckle as it grew out into his Driver. Dante then punched the Nephilim Ring into the Driver’s left slot. [SET!] He twisted the Nephilim Ring forwards making his Driver’s gate spring open. [OPEN!] The nephilim magic circle appeared in front of him [N-E-P-H-I-L-I-M!] Then started to move back towards him. “HENSHIN!” shouted Dante as the nephilim magic circle passed over him, transforming him into Kamen Rider Dante. A pair of Shielded Valkyrie Phantom’s appeared and each threw a bomb at the two Kamen Riders. Who rolled out of the way of the explosions. Dante pulled out Ebony and Ivory before spinning them, then opening fire on the Shielded Valkyrie Phantoms. Only for the bullets to bounce off in random directions. “Dante! I thought that we already figured out that bullets don’t work on the shields!” shouted Symbol as she was forced to use the Active Blade to block several bullets as they bounced around randomly. “Sorry!” shouted Dante as he switched the Nephilim Ring for the Demon Ring. [SET!] He punched it into the left slot. [OPEN!] Then the demon magic circle appeared in front of him. [A-R-B-I-T-E-R!] It passed through Dante, transforming him into the Demon Style. He reached around to his back and pulled Arbiter off his backplate before turning the handle. [GRAPPLE MODE!] Arbiter shifted into the Demon Pull. Dante used it twice, the first time he ripped the Shielded Valkyrie Phantom’s shield from its grasp and the second time pulled the Phantom itself into axe range. Dante then turned the handle again. [AXE MODE!] The Demon Pull transformed back into Arbiter as Dante punched the Demon Ring into the back of it. [THREE!] The blade opened to reveal a trio of red circles. [DEMON AXE STRIKE!] Dante then slammed the axe down three times as red energy gathered around it, making the Valkyrie Phantom explode. Symbol slid the Ice and Bind Rings onto her right index and ring fingers before pressing down on the right Shift Lever. [MAGIC TOUCHIE HENSHIN!] Then she scanned her right hand across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [ICE BIND PLEASE!] Symbol held her right hand out to the side and the two magic circles appeared before moving through her. Symbol then pressed the right Shift Lever twice. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] She scanned the Ice and Bind Rings across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [BIND MAGIC PLEASE!] Orange energy gathered around the grapple gauntlet as Symbol fired a chain made of orange energy. The spike on the end of it speared through the shielded of a Shielded Valkyrie Phantom and a harsh tug robbed the Phantom of its defence. Symbol then fired several shots from the Active Rifle. Then Symbol pressed the right shift Lever four times. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] The Wizard Driver’s Hand Author reset. [VERY NICE!] She scanned the Ice and Bind Rings across her Driver. [ICE BIND MAGIC!] Orange mana started to gather around the Bind Ring. [THE BEST!] Symbol held up her right hand. “Ice Chain Surround!” several orange energy chains shot out of the Bind Ring and surrounded the Valkyrie Phantom before spearing it from all sides and making it explode. The Symbol saw a Death Knight Phantom pull itself from the ground and charge at her. She swapped the Active Ring for the Giga Ring and pressed the left Shift Lever. [MAGICAL TOUCH HENSHIN!] Symbol scanned her left hand across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [GIGA PLEASE!] Then she held her left hand towards the ground. [BREAK THROUGH!] The giga magic circle appeared under her boots and rose up through her, sending the Death Knight Phantom flying backwards as it was hit by the circle. She brought the Giga Axe around and cracked the Phantom’s shield before pressing down on the left Shift Lever three times. [MAGICAL TOUCH SPELL!] She scanned her right hand across the Wizard Driver. [GIGA A RANK SPELL!] Green mana covered her body. “Giga Embodiment!” shouted Symbol as she blocked the attack with her forearm. She then punched the shield with enough force for it to shatter before pulling out the Giga Spear and pulled open its Hand Author. [COME ON A STAB SHAKE HANDS!] Then scanned the Giga Ring. [GIGA! STAB STRIKE!] Symbol spun the Giga Spear around as energy gathered around it before stabbing forwards. “Piercing Giga!” the energy shot off the spear as a lance and slammed into the Death Knight Phantom causing it to explode in a giant fireball. Dante punched the Demon Ring into the back of Arbiter’s blade. [ONE!] Red energy started to gather around the blade. [DEMON AXE STRIKE!] Dante spun it around and then slashed downwards firing a spinning energy blade that smashed into the shield of the Death Knight Phantom, making it lose balance. Dante then punched the Demon Ring into the left slot of his Driver. [GO! KICK STRIKE!] Red energy gathered around his boot as he jumped into the air. “Aerial Flush!” shouted Dante as he spun around and threw a spin kick. The energy around his boot turned into a spinning energy axe blade that slammed into the Death Knight Phantom, cutting a red line down the centre of it. It sparked for a few seconds before the Death Knight Phantom exploded. “Please don’t let there be any more!” whined Symbol. “Don’t say that!” shouted Dante. Too late! A wall was torn down by a chainsaw and a Phantom that looked like a Lesser Blade Phantom with a chainsaw instead of a tanto sawed its way out of the wall in a mighty spray of sparks. Dante glared at Symbol in anger. “You just had to say that! Didn’t you?!” he demanded of her. Symbol shrugged. “Sorry,” she replied sheepishly. Dante rolled his visors as he pulled Arbiter off his back and ran forwards, punching the Demon Ring into the back of it as he did so. [FOUR!] The blade opened to reveal three red circles. [DEMON AXE STRIKE!] Dante brought the axe around as three pulses of red energy were pulled into it. Dante then swung the axe down and the Ravager Phantom swung its chainsaw up. The two met and a spray of sparks was unleashed as the two weapons met. To Dante’s shock, he was overpowered and sent flying backwards with sparks spraying from his chest plate as the chainsaw cut across it. “DANTE!” shouted Symbol as her brother went flying past her and smashed into a wall before being buried under a pile of rubble. “Your gonna pay for that!” She snarled as she grabbed the Giga Axe and pulled open its Hand Author. [COME ON A SMASH SHAKE HANDS!] Then she scanned the Giga Ring across it. [GIGA SMASH STRIKE!] Green mana was pulled into the Giga Axe as Symbol dashed forwards at high speed. “Giga Down!” shouted Symbol as she brought the Giga Axe down. The chainsaw and axe clashed but the Ravage was able to force Symbol’s weapon to the side and slash her across the chest plate throwing up a spray of sparks. “ARGH!” shouted Symbol as she stumbled backwards and was slashed a second time. Trying to get some breathing room she swapped the Giga Ring for the Burst Ring and pressed the left Shift Lever. [MAGICAL TOUCH HENSHIN!] Then scanned the Burst Ring. [BURST PLEASE!] The burst magic circle appeared behind her and passed through her. [CAST THE SPELL!] The Ravager was forced back by the magic circle for a second as Symbol pressed the left Shift Lever three times. [MAGICAL TOUCH GO!] Then she scanned the Burst Ring. [BURST! A RANK SPELL!] The Ravager Phantom ran at her but a wall of earth burst out of the ground in front of it, blocking its path. As the Ravager Phantom started to saw through the wall, Symbol switched the Burst Ring for the Active Ring and pressed the left Shift Lever. [MAGICAL TOUCH HENSHIN!] Then scanned the Active Ring. [ACTIVE PLEASE!] The active magic circle appeared to her left and moved through her. [LET’S GO!] She then slide the Boost and Defend Rings onto her right index and ring fingers before pressing the right Shift Lever. [MAGIC TOUCHIE HENSHIN!] She scanned her right hand. [BOOST DEFEND PLEASE!] The boost and the defend magic circles appeared to her right and moved through her. Symbol then pressed the right Shift Lever twice. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] Then scanned her right hand. [DEFEND MAGIC PLEASE!] Grey mana covered the Defend Shield. At that moment the Ravager Phantom cut through the wall and slashed her across the shield, sparks flew as the two of them clashed with shield and chainsaw. They were even but it was only a matter of time until the spell ran out of mana. [ONE!] [NEPHILIM SABER STRIKE!] [GO! KICK STRIKE!] “REVENGE!” shouted Dante as he charged the Rebellion with red and blue energy before slashing upwards. This cut a line into the Ravager Phantom and then sent it shooting into the air. It quickly fell back towards the ground. “My turn!” Dante jumped into the air as he pressed the Nephilim Ring into the back of Rebellion’s handle. [SIX!] The mouth opened to reveal six red and blue circles. [NEPHILIM SABER STRIKE!] Dante jumped into the air as he punched the Nephilim Ring into the left slot of his Driver. [GO! KICK STRIKE!] The red and blue energy blazed around his right boot. Just as the Ravager Phantom got back to its feet it was assaulted by a barrage of right kicks that made sparks explode from each of the impact points as if it was bleeding from the amount of damage. “It’s still alive?!” demanded Dante, having thought that attack would have finished it off. “Are you kidding me!?” he punched the Nephilim Ring into the back of the Rebellion. [FIVE!] Opening the mouth and revealing one less red and blue circle than the last time it opened. [NEPHILIM SABER STRIKE!] Then he punched the Nephilim Ring into the left slot of his Driver. [GO! KICK STRIKE!] He threw the sword forwards, making it spear the Phantom before Dante dashed forwards, kicking the hilt, driving the sword deeper into the Phantom and causing the Ravager Phantom to explode. Dante held out his hand and Rebellion came shooting out of the smoke, hilt first and back into his hand. Suddenly he was hit in the back of the helmet. “OW!” he shouted turning to Symbol. “What the fuck was that for?!” he demanded angrily. “Using me as bait! Don’t think that I didn’t see you waiting longer than you need to charge up!” shouted Symbol. At that moment another pair of Ravager Phantoms burst through the ground, having sawed their way out with their chainsaws. “This conversation is not over!” snarled Symbol as stepped away from Dante, one of the Ravager Phantom’s was following her with its eyes. “Yeah, sure, whatever,” replied Dante. “At least this time you won’t be able to pull a stunt like that again,” if her helmet was in its human head form, then Symbol would be smirking. “Woo is me,” Dante fake moaned. “Whatever will I do!?” “Use your own skills for once,” deadpanned Symbol as she took off running, dodging around the Ravager Phantom’s chainsaw as it tried for a swipe. “Oh! That’s right!” replied Dante. Dante sidestepped a downwards slash and jumped over an across slash before landing back on the ground and being attacked by the Ravager Phantom. “Let’s give this a go!” Dante switched the Nephilim Ring for the Angel Ring and punched it into his Driver’s left slot. [SET!] He turned the ring backwards making the gate close then turned it forward making the Driver’s gate open. [OPEN!] The angel magic circle shot out of the Driver’s gate. [O-S-I-R-I-S!] Then back through Dante transforming him into the Angel Style. Then Dante punched the Angel Ring into the back of Osiris’ blade. [FIVE!] The scythe’s blade opened to reveal five light blue circles. [ANGEL SCYTHE STRIKE!] He spun the scythe vertically left, then vertically right when the Ravager made to block. Sparks flew as the Ravager Phantom swung the chainsaw to the right, but Dante jumped over it and slashed down with Osiris, making even more sparks fly. “So it can’t block attacks from multiple directions with the oversized garden blade,” muttered Dante. “I heard that!” shouted Symbol from where she was fighting her Ravager Phantom in a new substyle for the Burst Style. “What the-?! I was talking about this thing! Not you!” shouted Dante. “Oh, sorry!” replied Symbol. “You don’t even have anything that looks like a chainsaw or a scythe! Why did you think I was talking about you?!” demanded Dante. Symbol paused after kicking the Ravager Phantom back “That is a good point,” she allowed after a moment of thought. Before she had to start fighting once more. Dante switched the Angel Ring for the Demon Ring and punched it into the left slot of his Driver. [SET!] He turned his wrist back making his Driver’s gate close, before turning his wrist forwards to make his Driver’s gate open. [OPEN!] The demon magic circle appeared from his Driver. [A-R-B-I-T-E-R!] The demon magic circle then went back through him and transformed Dante into the Demon Style. Then Dante punched his Demon Ring into the back of Arbiter’s blade. [ONE!] The axe blade opened to reveal a single red circle. [DEMON AXE STRIKE!] As red energy gathered around Arbiter’s blade, Dante swung it around and fired a spinning energy construct of the axe head at the Ravager Phantom. It had set itself on fire and charge, only to be forced to stop as it blocked the construct with the side of its chainsaw. The Ravager Phantom was able to quickly shatter the construct, but it had given Dante all the time he needed. While the Ravager Phantom had been blocking the construct he had punched the Demon Ring into the left slot of his Driver. [GO! KICK STRIKE!] Dante took up a kicking stance as red energy was pulled from Arbiter and into his boot. “Flush!” He flipped backwards and from his boot came a spinning energy construct of an axe head, but this one was much more powerful. The Ravager Phantom saw the attack coming and set itself on fire before cutting upwards with its chainsaw. But this time the construct exploded the second it made contact with the chainsaw. The force and heat from the explosion sent the Ravager Phantom flying backwards with sparks coming from its body as it landed on the ground painfully. For a second Dante thought it was over. Then the Ravager Phantom came charging through the smoke and slashed him across the chest plate making sparks fly in all directions. “Oh come on!” shouted Dante in anger as he rolled across the ground from the force of the attack. Dante got back up and punched the Demon Ring into the bottom of Arbiter’s hilt. [FOUR!] The axe’s blade opened to reveal four red circles. [DEMON AXE STRIKE!] Red energy started to gather around the axe blade as Dante punched the Demon Ring into the left slot of his Driver. [GO! KICK STRIKE!] He took up a kicking stance. “You might have been able to overpower three pulses, but what about nine?!” the energy was pulled from Arbiter into his right boot. “Trinity Smash!” Dante ran forwards and lashed out with a sidekick. The Ravage Phantom blocked by swinging its chainsaw down onto the boot. Only for said limb to release nine pulses of red energy, the Phantom had no problem with cutting through the first three, the next three started to force it back and the last three overpowered the Ravager Phantom then sent it flying backwards with sparks and micro explosions coming off its body. For a minute Dante thought that was the end of it, but then the Ravager Phantom got back up. “You have got to be kidding me!” he screamed as he swapped the Demon Ring for the Nephilim Ring and punched it into the left slot on his Driver. [SET!] He turned his wrist back, then forwards, making the Driver’s gate close and then open [OPEN!] The nephilim magic circle appeared from the Driver. [N-E-P-H-I-L-I-M!] It shot forwards, sending the charging Ravager Phantom flying backwards before slamming into Dante, transforming him into the Nephilim Style. He held down the Rebellion Blade’s Trigger. [NEPHILIM SABER STRIKE!] The eyes flashed as red and blue energy was charged into the Rebellion Blade. Then he slashed forwards. “Drive!” a crescent of red and blue energy was fired from the Rebellion Blade and slammed into chainsaw of the Ravager Phantom as it held it up to block. After a few seconds, the crescent exploded, this made the Ravager Phantom fall to its knees with sparks coming out of its body from the amount of damage that had been done to it as micro explosions went off around it. “Almost there,” muttered Dante as he punched the Nephilim Ring into the back of the Rebellion Blade’s handle. [SIX!] The mouth of the skull on the sword opened to reveal six circles that were coloured both red and blue. [NEPHILIM SABER STRIKE!] Dante then held down the trigger that was hidden behind the Rebellion Blade’s skull. [NEPHILIM SABER STRIKE!] The eyes blazed as the red and blue power around the Rebellion Blade raged with even greater intensity. “One more,” Dante punched the Nephilim Ring into the left slot on his Driver. [GO! KICK STRIKE!] The energy around the Rebellion blade was pulled into Dante’s legs and grew even more powerful. “Six Drive Kicks!” Shouted Dante, he backflipped and firing a pair of red and blue crescents from his legs. Then he flipped forwards, firing another two red and blue crescents. Finally, he gave a pair of cross kicks that fired another pair of red and blue crescents. The Ravager Phantom’s eyes went wide with horror as that attacks impacted its body and exploded when the smoke from the six massive explosions cleared it was still standing. But then fell over and exploded. Symbol jumped back as the spell around the Defend Shield finally ran out. [BURST PLEASE!] All of a sudden the burst magic circle appeared behind her and moved through her. [CAST THE SPELL!] Symbol looked down at her body in shock. “What the-?!” she had transformed with even touching the Wizard Driver let alone the Shift Levers! “The last time this happened was when- GAH!” Symbol saw the Ravager Phantom had set itself on fire and charge with its chainsaw. She held up her right arm, forgetting that she was not in the Active Boost Defend style nor did she have the Defend Shield on her arm to block the blow. She remembered that rather little or rather important fact too late and braced for the pain that was to come from the chainsaw making impact with her arm. At least it would be quick and give her a chance to counter-attack. It was not to be. A burst of white and brown light came from Symbol’s right hand that threw the Ravager Phantom backwards. When Symbol finished blinking the spots from her visors she looked down and saw a pair of new rings on her right index and ring fingers. The ring on her ring finger was purple with a white gem in the centre of it that had a silver mirror etched into it. The other ring was purple with a brown gem that had black dust particles etched into it. “Just in time!” Symbol pressed the right Shift Lever. [MAGIC TOUCHIE HENSHIN!] Then she scanned the rings on her right hand across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [DUST MIRROR PLEASE!] The sound of a mirror cracking and a broom sweeping came from the Driver. Two new magic circles appeared behind Symbol. The first was a brown dust logo, inside of a brown diamond, inside a brown eight-pointed star that was inside a brown two layered diamond that had brown text between the two layers. The second magic circle was a silver mirror logo, inside a silver diamond, inside a silver eight-pointed star that was inside a silver two layered diamond that had silver runic text between the two layers. These are the dust and mirror magic circles. The two of them moved through her and transformed Symbol into her new Burst Substyle. Her gloves gained silver mirror like armour on the back of her hands and knuckles. Silver mirror like armoured appeared on the back of Symbol’s elbows. Symbol’s shoulder and knee armour gained a silver reflective sheen. Silver armour that looked like it was made of mirrors appeared on the top and sides of her boots. Segmented brown armour that looked to be made from thousands of hexagons appeared on Symbol’s shins and around her upper legs. Brown armour that was segmented appeared around Symbol’s upper arms and on her forearms, it looked to be made of hundreds of brown octagons. Finally, the bronze hexagon on Symbol’s chest plate turned into a pair of logos, the first was a brown broom logo and the other was a silver mirror logo. This is Kamen Rider Symbol in her Burst Dust Mirror Style. Symbol looked down at herself. “Dust and a mirror against a chainsaw? This is either going to end really good or really badly for me,” suddenly the Ravager Phantom set itself on fire and ran at her. Symbol pressed the right Shift Lever twice. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] Then Symbol scanned the rings on her right hand over the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [MIRROR MAGIC PLEASE!] She held out her right hand a wall made of mirror crystal appeared between her and the Ravager Phantom. Which continue its charge, only for its reflection to jump out of the mirror and charge at it! The Ravager Phantom’s eyes went wide right before they slammed into each other and both of them went up in an explosion! “Hey!” shouted Dante as he ran over. “How is that fair?! I struggle like crazy and you beat your’s in one move?!” Symbol shrugged, just goes to show how much stronger I am than you,” came her blunt reply. Dante seethed. At that moment the barrier that was keeping them trapped vanished and at the other end of the street was Kate painting a magic circle on the ground. “Dante! Sunset! The Gateway's ready! Come on!” she called out. “Couldn't you have put it closer?!” demanded Symbol as the two Kamen Rider’s ran towards Kate. “Why?” asked Kate. As if to answer her question the road rose up and then dropped down revealing a giant hole. Then the Slip Dimension made the street stretched! “THAT’S WHY!” bellow Symbol in fury. “Sorry!” shouted Kate. “Can you get across?” “WHAT DO YOU THINK?!” demanded Dante. Symbol had calmed herself down by this point. “We’ll find another way around to you!” she shouted across the gap. They turned and ran back the way they came. “How are we going to- WOAH!” Dante was cut off as the Slip Dimension reacted once more. Lampposts broke as parts of the road rose up and slammed back down. The two giant slabs on concrete rose up and started to orbit a pillar, that appeared in the centre of the square they were in while rotating. Dante stared for a second before turning back to Symbol. “So back to my question,” he began. Symbol just pointed to the top of the pillar. Dante turned back to it, then back to Symbol. “What am I supposed to be seeing?” he asked his sister. “There, at the top of the pillar,” replied Symbol. Dante looked. “I still don't see it,” he replied in confusion. “There’s a slight blue glow, meaning that there must be an Iron Maiden power up there!” hissed out Symbol. “Oh!” Dante’s visors went wide in realization. “Lets try and find a way up there!” “What do you think I’ve been doing?!” demanded Symbol “Not looking hard enough,” was Dante’s swift reply. “What?!” demanded Symbol. “Look,” pointed Dante. “There’s a grapple point over there!” “Symbol looked and saw that her brother was correct. “Oh, your right.” Dante puffed up in pride. “For once,” finished Symbol. Dante deflated. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?!” he demanded. “You know,” replied Symbol as she swapped the Burst Ring for the Active Ring and pressed the left Shift Lever. [MAGICAL TOUCH HENSHIN!] Then she scanned the Active Ring. [ACTIVE PLEASE!] The active magic circle appeared to her left and moved through her. [LET’S GO!] Transforming Symbol into her Active Style. Then she slide the Boost and Defend Rings onto her right index and ring fingers before pressing the right Shift Lever. [MAGIC TOUCHIE HENSHIN!] Then she scanned her right hand across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [BOOST DEFEND PLEASE!] She held her right hand out to the side, the boost and defend magic circles appeared and passed through her as Symbol pressed the right Shift Lever again. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] Purple energy ran through the Boost Grieves as Symbol scanned her right hand. [BOOST MAGIC PLEASE!] Symbol then jumped and made it onto the upper pathway with ease. “Show off,” muttered Dante. “LIKE YOUR ONE TO TALK!” Symbol shouted back down. Dante swapped the Nephilim Ring for the Angel Ring and punched it into his Driver’s left slot. [SET!] He turned his wrist backwards, making the Driver’s gate close before turning his wrist forwards, forcing the Driver’s gate to open. [OPEN!] The angel magic circle was shot out of the Driver. [O-S-I-R-I-S!] It backed into Dante, transforming him into the Angel Style as it passed over him. Dante turned the handle of Osiris. [HOOK MODE!] Transforming the scythe into the Angel Lift. He hooked it into the grapple point and pulled himself up to the path with Symbol. They both ran along it until they reached a pair of closed gates and saw a number of floating rocks with grapple points on the underside of them. “Let’s go!” Dante used the Angel Lift to jump to all four of the rocks before landing on a ledge that was coming from a wall. Symbol jumped from rock to rock before falling down and landing on the ledge with her brother. She switched the Boost and Defend Rings for the Ice and Bind Rings before pressing the right Shift Lever. [MAGIC TOUCHIE HENSHIN!] Then she scanned the Ice and Bind Rings. [ICE BIND PLEASE!] She held her right hand out to the side, making the two magic circles appear and pass over her. Then Symbol pressed the right Shift Lever twice. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] She swiped her right hand across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [BIND MAGIC PLEASE!] Out of the Grapple Gauntlet shot a chain of orange energy that Symbol used to pull another ledge out from a wall. Both of the Kamen Riders jumped to a pair of ledges and then to another pair of floating island. “Another blue rose?” asked Dante when he saw what was on top of the pillar. “Looks like it,” replied Symbol. Dante jumped to one of the ledges that were floating around the island, but he miss judged his jump and landed on it just as it had started to flip over! “DANTE!” shouted Symbol as she switched the Ice and Bind Rings for the Boost and Defend Rings. [MAGIC TOUCHIE HENSHIN!] Then she scanned right her hand across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [BOOST DEFEND PLEASE!] Before the transformation was even halfway complete, Symbol pressed the right Shift Lever. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] Then she scanned her right hand across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [BOOST MAGIC PLEASE!] Purple energy ran down the Boost Grieves as she ran forwards and jumped. Her body was moving at such speed that she left red, grey and purple energy lines behind it as she grabbed Dante. She jumped off the platform right before it could flip and landed on the top of the pillar. “Thanks-” Dante began. *WHAM!* Before being punched in the face plate. “What the hell was that for?!” he demanded when he recovered. “Leaping before looking,” replied Symbol as she picked up the blue rose. Suddenly, they found themselves in the mindscape once more. “Let’s hope this is the last time,” muttered Dante. “Doubtful,” snarked Symbol. “Why?!” demanded Dante. “There were four chains when we first got in here, we’ve broken two of them. We’ll likely have to break a third to get out of here. That leaves one more chain to break,” explained Symbol as she walked on ahead. “Just great!” groaned Dante as he ran after his sister. The two Kamen Rider’s quickly reached the edge of the ledge and saw that the gap was too long for them to jump across and that it was too unstable for the Angel Lift or the Demon Pull. “You can likely make that jump but I can’t,” stated Dante. “No,” replied Symbol. “It’s too far for my Boost Grieves to make.” “So we just stand here and do nothing?!” demanded Dante. “No, now we get another power up,” replied Symbol. “Now that’s just-” Suddenly, the swift magic circle appeared above Symbol. [SWIFT PLEASE!] Then it fell through her. [DASH AWAY!] Once more she had transformed without touching the Wizard Driver. “-stupid,” finished Dante lamely, right before clutching his helmet as new knowledge forced its way in. Symbol was smart enough to offline her visors as a bright light shone from around her right hand. When it cleared she was wearing a pair of new rings on her right index and right rings fingers. The ring on her index finger was yellow with a grey gem in the centre of it that had a pair of red dragon wings engraved into it. The other ring was yellow with the gem being blue and a dark blue crosshair engraved into the centre of it. These are the Wing and Sniper Rings. Symbol then pressed down on the right Shift Lever. [MAGIC TOUCHIE HENSHIN!] Before she scanned the Wing and Sniper Rings over the Wizard Driver’s hand Author. [WING SNIPER PLEASE!] Symbol held her right hand out to the side and a pair of magical circles appeared. The first was a pair of silver wings, inside a silver inverted triangle, within a silver eight-pointed star inside a silver two layered upside down triangle with silver runic text between the two layers. The second magic circle was a dark blue crosshair inside a dark blue inverted triangle, inside a dark blue eight-pointed star within a dark blue two layered upside down triangle that had dark blue runic text between the two layers. The two magic circles moved through Symbol, transforming her into her new Swift substyle as the sound of wings flapping followed by a sniper rifle firing and reloading came from the Wizard Driver. The bronze inverted triangle in the centre of her chest plate turned into a pair of logos, the first was of a pair of silver wings and the other was a dark blue crosshair logo. Her left shoulder guard transformed into a silver orb with a silver blade in front of it, while her right shoulder pauldron turned dark blue and curved downwards. Her right forearm turned dark blue with a dark blue forearm guard while the wristlet on that wrist into a black ammo band. Coming from her back was a pair of silver bird wings with red feathers called the Flight Wings. Symbol held out her right hand and a dark blue sniper rifle appeared in it with black accents, this is the Sniper Shooter. “Not. One. Word!” grumbled Dante as the information dump finished. “I didn’t say anything,” replied Symbol. Although it was easy to tell that she was smirking if her helmet had been in its human face form. Dante grumbled a large variety of swear words as he punched his Angel Ring into his Driver’s left slot. [KICK STRIKE GO!] He jumped into the air and kicked back. Physics acted as if he had kicked a solid surface as he zoomed forwards through the air with his arms out to the side. He left glowing blue trails of wind as he landed on the next island. Symbol pressed the right Shift Lever. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] She jumped into the air as she scanned her right hand across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [WING MAGIC PLEASE!] Her Flight Wings gave a mighty flap that shot her forwards and let her land on the island next to her brother. “Nice work, let’s keep it up!” instructed Dante as he jumped into the air and punched the Angel Ring into the left slot of his Driver. [KICK STRIKE GO!] Dante kicked the air and zoomed forwards, landing on the next island that had a tree to one side. Symbol ran forwards and pressed the right Shift Lever. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] She jumped off the island and scanned her hand across the Hand Author. [WING MAGIC PLEASE!] The Flight Wings gave a mighty flap as she shot into the air and landed on the island next to Dante. She crouched for a few seconds and absorbed the impact before standing back up. “That was fun.” “On that, we agree,” replied Dante as he punched the Angel Ring into his Driver’s left slot again. [KICK STRIKE GO!] He ran forwards and jumped, landing on the next island with ease after kicking the air behind him. Symbol took a few paces backwards and then dashed forwards, just before she reached the edge of the island she pressed the right Shift Lever. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] Then as one of her boots left the island she scanned her right hand across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [WING MAGIC PLEASE!] Her Flight Wings gave several mighty flaps as she jumped, propelling her across the gap and letting her land on the next island. “This has been a bit too easy,” muttered Dante even as he jumped again. Symbol shot him a glare. “Why did you have to say that?!” she demanded in anger as they got to the next island. Dante looked at her strangely for a second before his visors when wide as he realised what he had just done. “Sorry!” Cause and effect. They arrived at a jump that would require the use of the Angel Lift or Boost Style, then use of the Kick Strike or the Wing Style. Symbol glared at Dante as she switched the Swift Ring for the Active Ring. She pressed the left Shift Lever. “Congratulations!” [MAGICAL TOUCH HENSHIN!] She scanned her left hand across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [ACTIVE PLEASE!] She held her left hand out to the side. [LET’S GO!] The active magic circle appeared to her left and moved through her. “You have just made-” Symbol slide the Boost and Defend Rings onto her right index and ring fingers then pressed the right Shift Lever. [MAGIC TOUCHIE HENSHIN!] Then she scanned her right hand across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [BOOST DEFEND PLEASE!] She held her right hand out to the side and the two magic circles appeared before moving through her. “-my life-” Then she pressed the right Shift Lever once. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] Before scanning her right hand. [BOOST MAGIC PLEASE!] Purple magical energy charged the Boost Grieves. “-much harder!” snarled Symbol as she jumped up towards the rock with the grapple point on it. Symbol landed on the rock and swapped the Active Ring for the Swift Ring then pressed the left Shift Lever. [MAGICAL TOUCH HENSHIN!] Then scanned the Swift Ring across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [SWIFT PLEASE!] The Swift magical circle appeared below her, because she was upside down, then moved up through her. [DASH AWAY!] Symbol started falling as the Boost Grieves vanished. She slid the Wing and Sniper Rings onto her right index and ring fingers before pressing the right Shift Lever. [MAGIC TOUCHIE HENSHIN!] Then she scanned her right hand across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [WING SNIPER PLEASE!] The two magic circle appeared to her right and moved through her. Before the transformation was even complete Symbol pressed the right Shift Lever once. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] Then scanned her right hand. [WING MAGIC PLEASE!] The Flight Wings gave a mighty flame and she was only just able to grab onto the ledge and pull herself up. Dante winced as Symbol jumped off. “I really don’t think this was a case of cause and effect!” he shouted as he turned the handle of Osiris. [HOOK MODE!] He latched into onto the grapple point and pulled himself into the air before punching the Angel Ring into the left slot on his Driver. [KICK STRIKE GO!] He kicked the air and went zooming down onto the ledge. Only to find Symbol staring. “What are you looking at. FUCKING HELL!” he followed her line of sight and what he saw made him scream in shock. In front of them were three grapple points that were spaced far enough apart to each need use of the Angel Boost or the Wing Style to reach. “There’s no way I can reach that. I mean you could given you don’t have to change forms. But I barely made that one!” “Well, find a way,” replied Dante. “We always do.” A light went off in Symbol’s helmet. “And I just have!” she stated as she got up and walked forwards. “That was fast,” commented Dante in surprise. Symbol removed the Active Ring and replaced it with the Burst Ring before pressing down on the Wizard Driver’s left Shift Lever. [MAGICAL TOUCH HENSHIN!] Then she scanned the Burst Ring across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [BURST PLEASE!] She pointed her left hand behind her and the burst magic circle appeared. [CAST THE SPELL!] It passed through her, transforming Symbol into the Burst Style. “I see where this is going,” Dante realised. Symbol pressed the left Shift Lever four times. [MAGICAL TOUCH GO!] The Wizard Driver’s Hand Author turned to the left. [VERY NICE!] Symbol scanned the Burst Ring across it. [BURST! S RANK SPELL!] She was then covered in purple energy. [THE BEST!] Before she grabbed Dante and they vanished, appearing on the island. “Good work, we’re getting the hang of this,” complemented Dante. Symbol fell to one knee. “Are you ok?” asked Dante. “Yeah, teleporting us both took a lot out of me,” replied Symbol as she got back to her boots and they were able to run up a staircase. Although Symbol had to use a railing to support herself. Then they came to a section that needed an Angel Boost followed by a Demon Pull. “What now?!” demanded Symbol. “Now we work together,” replied Dante. Symbol looked at him in confusion, then at the jump before looking back at Dante. “That just might work,” she swapped the Burst Ring for the Swift Ring and pressed the left Shift Lever. [MAGICAL TOUCH HENSHIN!] Then she scanned her left hand. [SWIFT PLEASE!] She held her left hand up to the sky, making the swift magic circle appear. [DASH AWAY!] It fell through her, transforming Symbol into the Swift Style. She then dawned the Wing and Sniper Rings before pressing the right Shift Lever. [MAGIC TOUCHIE HENSHIN!] Then she scanned her right hand. [WING SNIPER PLEASE!] Symbol held her right glove up to the sky, the two magic circles appeared and fell through her, transforming her into the Swift Wing Sniper Style. Dante nodded as he switched the Angel and Demon Rings before punching the Demon Ring into his Driver’s left slot. [SET!] He turned his wrist back and then forwards, making his Driver’s gate close before opening it. [OPEN!] The demon magic circle shot out of the Driver. [A-R-B-I-T-E-R!] Then it moved back through him, transforming Dante into the Demon Style. He pulled Arbiter off his back and turned the handle. [GRAPPLE MODE!] It transformed into the Demon Pull. Symbol pressed the right Shift Lever once. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] Then scanned her right glove across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [WING MAGIC PLEASE!] She locked her arms around Dante’s waist as she jumped. Her Flight Wings gave a mighty flap, propelling them far enough that Dante could use the Demon Pull to get the rock under them so that they dropped down onto it. “Good work!” called Dante as they hoped to the flight of stairs and ran up them. The two Kamen Rider’s reached the rock that held the third chain. Dante looked at his sister. She shook her helmet. “It’s all yours.” Dante turned the Demon Pull’s handle. [AXE MODE!] Making the grapple transform back into Arbiter. He punched the Demon Ring into the back of Arbiter’s blade. [FOUR!] Three pulses of red energy gathered around Arbiter. [DEMON AXE STRIKE!] With a roar Dante brought the axe down, unleashing all three pulses of energy into the rock and causing it to shatter. The stone hand’s dropped the chains and the statue’s head started to turn towards the siblings as its eyes began to glow. “What are you hiding in there?” asked Dante as he and Symbol suddenly found themselves back in the Slip Dimension. All of a sudden an Icarus Phantom appeared and started to fire crossbow bolts at them. “Woah!” shouted Dante as he and Symbol dodged the attacks. Being on top of a pillar they didn’t have much room to do so. “Watch it you flying rat!” he shouted in anger. Symbol burst out laughing. Once she had gotten it under control she spoke up. “I’ll take care of the ‘flying rats’ you deal with the Phantom’s on the ground,” she managed to get out through her giggling. Dante sighed. “I’m never going to live that down, am I?” he questioned rhetorically. “Nope,” replied Symbol cheerfully as she took to the air. That strange place had been affecting her Flight Wings as now they could move without the added power of a spell. Now that spell could be used to attack! “I need to watch what I say around you!” shouted Dante as he dropped down to the ground. He was attacked by a Lesser Blade Phantom and had to roll forwards, leaping over the horizontal blade slash as he did so. Dante jumped into the air and punched the Demon Ring into the back of Arbiter’s blade. [ONE!] The blade opened to reveal a single red circle. [DEMON AXE STRIKE!] Dante swung the axe down as red energy gathered around its blade. A red construct of spinning energy spun off the axe blade. It spun through the air and formed into the shape of an axe blade before slamming into the Lesser Blade Phantom making it stagger backwards before it exploded. Dante landed on the ground and took advantage of Arbiter’s setting as he punched the Demon Ring into the left slot on his Driver. [GO! KICK STRIKE!] Red energy collected around his right boot as Dante backflipped with his leg out. “Flush!” he yelled as the red energy formed into a blazing construct of a spinning axe blade that slammed into and through a Lesser Blade Phantom. Causing it and the other Lesser Blade Phantom behind it to explode. Dante then punched his Demon Ring into the back of Arbiter’s blade once more. [FIVE!] The axe blade opened to reveal five red circles. [DEMON AXE STRIKE!] Dante jumped into the air and came down swinging Arbiter over its head. It impacted the quickly raised shield of a Death Knight Phantom and caused the shield to explode from the force behind the swing. Symbol dodge around a crossbow bolt from the Icarus Phantom and pressed the right Shift Lever once. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] Then scanned her right glove across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [WING MAGIC PLEASE!] She pulled back her wings as they were covered in silver light and swooped down. Her left wing made contact with the Icarus Phantom and cut straight through it making both halves explode. Symbol then pressed the right Shift Lever four times as she saw another two Icarus Phantoms appear in the air. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] The Wizard Driver’s Hand Author turned to the right as Symbol gave her Flight Wings and flap to avoid a pair of crossbow bolts. [VERY NICE!] Symbol scanned her right hand across the Hand Author. [WING SNIPER MAGIC!] She then had to rise sharply, letting another pair of crossbow bolts pass under her as silver light started to gather around her wings. [THE BEST!] The silver light around Symbol’s Flight Wings blazed as she shot downwards towards the Icarus Phantoms. “Wing Cutter!” the tips of her Flight Wings left behind trails of silver mana as she cut through the down Icarus Phantoms. A glowing silver line was carved across the stomachs of each of them which then sparked before the two Phantom’s exploded. “That was quick,” stated Dante. *Thud* “Did you have to open your mouth then?” asked as resigned looking Symbol. “I did it again, didn’t I?” muttered Dante. “Yes,” replied Symbol. They both turned around and saw an Alpha Phantom walking towards them. It was humanoid and covered in bronze feathers with four golden wings coming from its back. Each of its hands was made of three brown claws that were tipped with silver talons. Its head was covered in white feathers with golden beady eyes peering at the two Kamen Rider’s from either side of a massive beak that would have been funny looking if it didn’t look sharp enough to skewer them. This is the Aethon Phantom. “Here we go again!” shouted Symbol as she pulled the Sniper Shooter off her back and pressed the right Shift Lever once. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] Then she scanned her right glove across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [SNIPER MAGIC PLEASE!] Symbol pulled the trigger and fired a single bolt from the Sniper Shooter that roared through the air towards the Aethon Phantom. Only for her to miss as the Phantom dodged to the side and close the distance in a split second. Symbol tried to hit it in the chin with the back of the Sniper Shooter. But the Aethon Phantom got out of the way and kicked her in the chest, making sparks fly as it raked its talons up and down her chest plate. Symbol shouted in pain as she stumbled backwards from the blow. “Sunset!” shouted Dante as he watched his sister get attacked. He punched the Demon Ring into the back of Arbiter’s blade. [TWO!] The axe’s head opened to reveal a pair of red circles. [DEMON AXE STRIKE!] Dante pulled back Arbiter and slammed it into the ground, sending a pair of red energy waves that threw the Phantom into the air. But instead of falling back down, it merely spread its wings and hovered. Dante faceplate palmed. “It has wings, Dante! How is throwing it into the air going to help?!” he shouted at himself as he pulled out Ebony and Ivory before punching the Demon Ring into the back of their hammers. [EBONY AND IVORY STRIKE!] Black energy charged around Ebony’s barrel while white energy gathered around Ivory’s barrel. “Ricoshot!” shouted Dante he pulled the triggers. A pair of bullets that spiralled around each other roared out of the twin hand cannons. The Aethon Phantom merely air-dashed to the side, avoiding the attack with ease. Symbol saw her opening and took it. She pressed the right Shift Lever four times. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] The Wizard Driver’s Hand Author turned to the right. [VERY NICE!] Then Symbol scanned her right glove. [WING SNIPER MAGIC!] Blue energy started to gather around the Sniper Shooter’s barrel. [THE BEST!] Then as it reached critical Symbol pulled the trigger. “Sniper Beam!” a column sized beam of blue energy roared out of the Sniper Shooter towards the Aethon Phantom. It slammed into the Phantom and send it flying down into the road as a smoking heap. “Nice one sis!” shouted Dante. “Keep your guard up!” shouted Symbol. “If that thing is anything like the last Alpha Phantom we fought, then it won’t go down easy!” “Got it- WOAH!” in the second Dante had turned his attention away from the Aethon Phantom it had come rocketing out of the smoke cloud and raked both of its hand talons down his chest armour drawing six lines of sparks. Dante stumbled back as he swapped the Demon Ring for the Angel Ring and punched it into the left slot of his Driver. [SET!] Dante turned his hand back and then forwards, making his Driver’s gate close before opening. [OPEN!] The angel magic circle was shot out from the Driver and back through him. [O-S-I-R-I-S!] Dante pulled out Osiris and spun around, using the scythe to deflect a slash from the Aethon Phantom as it came around from behind. “It’s not going to be that easy bastard!” snarled Dante. He let go with one glove and punched the Angel Ring into his Driver’s left slot. [KICK STRIKE GO!] Light blue energy covered his boots as he jumped forwards with enough force to send the Aethon Phantom stumbling backwards and into scythe range. Since Osiris was a polearm it had a mid-range but was not good at close range, for that Dante needed a bit of distance. He punched Angel Ring into the back of Osiris’ blade. [TWO!] The scythe’s blade opened to reveal a pair of light blue circles. [ANGEL SCYTHE STRIKE!] Light blue energy started to gather around the scythe as Symbol punched the Angel Ring into his Driver’s left slot. [KICK STRIKE GO!] The energy started to get pulled off the scythe and towards Dante’s boot but with a mental command it was forced back into Osiris as Dante waited for the Aethon Phantom. It took to the air and started to fly around Dante in a circle, picking up more and more speed until it came at him from behind! “So predictable,” muttered Dante as he spun around and spun Osiris like a vertical propeller. “Prop!” shouted Dante as the Aethon Phantom was caught by the scythe and spun around, being smashed into the ground again and again as the scythe cut into it, making sparks come from the wounds that were quickly piling up. Then Dante threw the Phantom high into the air. Symbol saw what her brother wanted her to do and agreed. She pressed the right Shift Lever three times. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] Then she scanned her right glove across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [WING SNIPER MAGIC PLEASE!] Symbol flared the Flight Wings and fired three waves of blue energy from them that made sparks fly off the Aethon’s Phantom’s body even as it fell back down. Dante then completed the other half of his attack as he spun Osiris around in the other direction. “Shredder!” cutting into the Aethon Phantom several times and making sparks fly from its body. As he did so, Dante hooked the scythe around the Aethon Phantom’s body and started to pound it into the ground over and over as the scythe spun at speeds which made it nothing but a blur. However the second Dante stopped his attack, the Phantom leapt back to its feet and kicked him with a sidekick. “GAH!” shouted Dante in pain as sparks exploded out of his chest plate. It hurt a lot more than the last time the Aethon Phantom had kicked him as he had thinner armour than then. “DANTE!” shouted Symbol before glaring at the Aethon Phantom in utter rage and hatred. She pressed the right Shift Lever down four times. [MAGIC TOUCHIE GO!] The Wizard Driver’s Hand Author turned to the right. [VERY NICE!] Symbol scanned her right glove across it. [WING SNIPER MAGIC!] Then she shot at the Aethon Phantom with the Flight Wings flapping. [THE BEST!] The Aethon Phantom flapped its wings and shot into at her and the two of them impacted unleashing a shockwave. Symbol shot into the air with the Phantom following as the to of them spiralled around each other. Dante watched as the two of them separated before looping back and clashing with one another again. To any human, they would have been invisible, but Dante was able to see them clearly. Suddenly, Symbol changed tactics, she twisted around in the middle of a clash and pulled out the Swift Dagger, slashing upwards. The Aethon Phantom’s eyes went wide as it realised what she was doing and pulled in its wings, fully intending to free fall through the air if it meant Symbol would miss her target. But it was too late. The Swift Dagger bit into one of its wings and quickly carved through the flesh. It cut upwards, stopping just short of the bone, but the damage had been done. The flight muscles in that wing had been severed, leaving the Phantom to drop like a stone through the air. Spinning wildly as it flapped its remaining wing to try and stay airborne, but only succeeded in making itself spin over and over through the air. Dante saw an opening as he ran towards the point where the Phantom would impact the ground. He swapped the Angel Ring for the Nephilim Ring and punched it into the left slot of his Driver. [SET!] Dante turned his wrist back, making the Driver’s gate close. Then he turned his wrist forwards to have the Driver open its gate. [OPEN!] The nephilim magic circle appeared in front of him and he ran through it. [N-E-P-H-I-L-I-M!] Dante pulled the Rebellion Sword off his back and punched the Nephilim Ring into the bottom of the blade’s handle. [TWO!] The mouth opened to reveal a pair of red and blue circles. [NEPHILIM SABER STRIKE!] Dante then held down the trigger on the Rebellion Sword’s handle. [NEPHILIM SABER STRIKE!] Red and blue energy covered Rebellion as Dante then spun around several times, slashing the Aethon Phantom at least twenty times before lashing out with a kick that sent it flying backwards. Symbol flew down towards the ground as she switched the Swift Ring for the Giga Ring and pressed the left Shift Lever. [MAGICAL TOUCH HENSHIN!] Then she scanned her left glove across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [GIGA PLEASE!] The giga magic circle appeared under her and she passed through it. [BREAK THROUGH!] Emerging in the Giga Style, before flipped over to land on her boots, rather than her helmet. “That was a sneaking move that you pulled up there,” commented Dante mildly as Symbol landed several paces to his right. “Dante, you know as full well as I do that fighting a Phantom with anything that even comes close to honour is just another way of saying suicide!” shouted Symbol as she pulled out the Giga Spear. She pulled open its Hand Author. [COME ON A STAB SHAKE HANDS!] Then she scanned the Giga Ring across it. [GIGA! STAB STRIKE!] Symbol spun the Giga Spear for a few seconds as green magical energy gathered around it. “Piercing Giga!” she thrust the spear forwards and fired a beam of green magical energy at the Aethon Phantom. Only for it to slash with its claws, cutting the beam into six pieces as it ran forwards. Symbol cut off her technique and switched the Giga Spear for the Giga axe then pulled open its Hand Author. [COME ON A SMASH SHAKE HANDS!] Before scanning the Giga Ring across it. [GIGA SMASH STRIKE!] Green mana covered the blade of the Giga Axe. “Falling Strike!” shouted Symbol as she brought the Giga Axe down, making to cut the Aethon Phantom down the middle. Only for it to vanish into thin air! Symbol’s visors went wide. She didn’t even have enough time to do anything before being kicked in the back of the helmet by the Aethon Phantom that had appeared behind her from thin air. [FIVE!] Unfortunately it had forgotten that it no longer had the ability to fly and left itself valuable. [NEPHILIM SABER STRIKE!] Dante stabbed it in the gut with the Rebellion Sword. Sending the Phantom flying backwards with sparks coming from the impact point. Dante swapped the Nephilim Ring for the Angel Ring and punched it into his Driver’s left slot. [SET!] He turned his wrist back and then forwards, making his Driver’s gate open and close. [OPEN!] The angel magic circle appeared in front of him and moved through him. [O-S-I-R-I-S!] Dante ran through it and accelerated so fast that he left speed lines. “I’ll send it your way!” he yelled. The Aethon Phantom got back to its feet and slashed at Dante, who punched the Angel Ring into the back of Osiris’s blade. [ONE!] The blade opened to reveal a single light blue circle. [ANGEL SCYTHE STRIKE!] Dante spun around slashing with the scythe, making sparks fly and stunning the Phantom. Dante ran back several paces and punched the Angel Ring into the left slot of his Driver as he took up a running stance. [KICK STRIKE GO!] Dante was covered in light blue magic as he turned the handle of Osiris. [HOOK MODE!] Osiris transformed into the Angel Lift and Dante hooked it onto the Aethon Phantom, pulling himself at it. “Angel Boost!” He kicked the Phantom in the chest with both feet, sending out a light blue shockwave that sent it flying. “Thank you for the gift!” shouted Symbol as she pressed the left Shift Lever once. [MAGICAL TOUCH SPELL!] Then she scanned the Giga Ring. [GIGA C RANK SPELL!] Green mana gathered around her right hand as she pressed the left Shift Lever down four more times. [MAGICAL TOUCH GO!] The Wizard Driver’s Hand Author reset. [VERY NICE!] Symbol scanned the Giga Ring. [GIGA! S RANK SPELL!] The mana around her right fist blazed with power. [THE BEST!] Symbol pulled back her fist. “Giga Fist!” then she punched forwards. He fist impacted the head of the Aethon Phantom and made sparks explode from it as its momentum as stopped and it's course reserved. Dante sidestepped as it went flying past and smashed down the barrier. Kate looked confused when it went flying back her and was embedded into the side of a car with green lightning cracking over the Aethon Phantom’s body before it exploded in a giant fireball that caused the whole street to shake. Symbol changed the Giga Ring for the Swift Ring and pressed the left Shift Lever. [MAGICAL TOUCH HENSHIN!] Then she scanned it across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [SWIFT PLEASE!] Before holding her left hand up to the air. [DASH AWAY!] The swift magic circle appeared and fell through her, transforming her into the Swift Style. Symbol then placed the Wing and Sniper Rings onto her right index and ring fingers before pressing down on the right Shift Lever. [MAGIC TOUCHIE HENSHIN!] Then she scanned both of them across the Wizard Driver’s Hand Author. [WING SNIPER PLEASE!] Symbol held her right glove into the air, making the two magic circles appear and fall through her. “Hey! Wait for me!” shouted Dante as his sister jumped the gap. He punched the Angel Ring into the left slot of his Driver. [KICK STRIKE GO!] He jumped after Symbol as they both landed on the magic circle that Kate had painted onto the ground and were teleported back to the real world. Later in the Order HQ A screen displayed a large building in the shape of a spiral. “Silver Stacks towers,” explained Vergil, now back in his human form. “The world’s most powerful investment bank and who runs it?” he pressed a button and the screen displayed a man in a business suit. Symbol, now back in her human form of Sunset Shimmer, snorted. “Sorry, she said when Vergil and Dante, who was also back in his human form, turned to look at her. “He’s bald.” “That’s very funny, deadpanned Vergil while Dante chuckled. “He’s the CEO Kyle Ryder. A human vessel; the physical manifestation of Wiseman the Phantom King,” another image came up. “Through debt, he controls everything,” Vergil looked more and more disgusted as he explained. “To Wiseman, the Earth is a factory farm for human souls. He likes to keep his animals monitored and docile,” the images of security cameras came up. “The monitoring is done by the Raptor News Corporation. A global network of CCTV cameras, satellites and spies,” an image of newsman and a tower appeared. Dante seemed to recognize the newsman. A fact that Symbol noticed. “You know him?” she asked. “He’s called Bob Barbas and bashes me every. Single. Day. On his TV show!” hissed out Dante. “Can’t wait to meet him-” Dante looked at Sunset in shock. “-so I can introduce him to my friend the Active Blade!” snarled Sunset. “You two done?” asked Vergil with a raised eyebrow. “Yeah / Sorry,” came the replies from male and female. Vergil continued his explanation. “The way he keeps us docile is a little more insidious,” he explained. “What is it?” asked Dante as he took a sip from a drink can. Suddenly, it was knocked out of his hand. “SUNSET! What the hell?!” he demanded. “Sorry,” apologised Sunset, even though she did not sound sorry at all, just defensive. “Something about that thing just screamed wrong to be!” “Sunset’s right,” but in Vergil. “The way Wiseman keeps us docile was just in your hand,” he explained. At the confused looks he got, Vergil continued. “Planet Earth’s most popular soft drink; Virility. The Phantom’s have spiked it.” Dante hurled and spat into a trash can. Vergil chuckled. “Don’t worry, it has no effect on us, only humans.” Dante still got his revenge by kicking the soft drink can into the same trash can he had spit into. “It’s lobotomy in a can,” finished Vergil. Sunset raised an eyebrow. “You planned that,” she stated simply. “I have no idea what you're talking about,” denied Vergil. “You waited until Dante had a drink before explaining what it was,” explained Sunset. “Yes, I did as revenge for that last prank Dante pulled on me a day before the Phantom’s came,” explained Vergil. After Sunset had got through convincing Dante that yes they did need Vergil alive and no strangling him barehanded would not be a good idea he asked. “So what’s the plan?” Vergil brought up an image of a giant man and several smaller people. Above them was a giant spiral of energy that projected power into the giant man. “That’s the Gate Portal. It’s a conduit from what Wiseman draws his power. While he’s connected to the Gate Portal, he’s immortal,” explained Vergil. “I’m not liking the sound of this,” muttered Sunset. “It’s how he beat Sparda and Eva, without its power boost or the immortality he gets from the Gate Portal either could have beaten him in their sleep. But if we can get him away from the Gate Portal then our Driver’s will do the rest,” finished Vergil. “So how do we do that?” asked Dante. “We get his attention. Despite his name, Wiseman is impulsive and petty. If we hit him where it hurts, let his anger rule him, I believe that we can draw him out,” Vergil explained his plan to his siblings. “So we have to get a being that could kill the strongest Arc Iron Maiden and banish the most powerful Phantom mad at us? How is that a good plan?!” demanded Sunset in shock at what Vergil thought was a good plan. “If you have a better idea that is more likely to work then I would love to hear it!” retorted Vergil. This time it was Dante that stopped the fight before it could start. “Ok, so to drag Wiseman away from the Gate Portal we need to draw him out. We do that by pissing him off?” he clarified. “Yes,” clarified Vergil. “And we piss him off by taking out the Raptor News Network and Virility” Dante further prodded. “That’s not how I’d put it be roughly speaking yes,” replied Vergil. “I thought it was a great summary,” chirped Sunset. Vergil glowered at her. “So, which one do you want to do first?” was Dante’s simple question that Sunset agreed with.