Authors Notice: Why am I so use to having two Authors Notices? Dang it old habits die hard lol. Oh well time to earn that Blue Orb fellow Bronies. MISSION START!
Canterlot
The center of Canterlot was desolate as flames died down to nothing but a smoldering pile of burnt wood and ash covered stone. Blood were on the cobblestone path, most of it smeared from the royal guard pulling their comrades away from the scene hoping that most could get healed from their wounds so they can either get back in the fight or leave. Some bodies were strewn across the littered scenery from those who tried to save them but could not, all of them royal guard. At the center of the plaza that graced the center of the city, a bright dome of white light lit up the buildings and the blood on the street as it dissipated to reveal the Devil Hunter with Rebellion sheathed and surveying his surroundings.
“Yup, I missed the party." Upon seeing the bodies, he felt monotonous and bad for the fallen ponies that lay in the smoldering embers of the buildings that once stood. As he wandered through the missing rubble, he met a familiar sight that plagued his mind from about a couple months ago, mainly almost the whole year. He remembered the rising into the rip in the sky, remembering the light feeling and the somewhat sudden responsibility he had, and he did not mind it, he somehow knew it would come to this and he knew that the responsibility would fall on him to do so as a Son of Sparda, to protect the human world like he did.
Now for Dante it seemed he had two worlds to protect, one was too far from his reach, and the other needed him and his brother more than the other did. One that he knew needed both of them; he wouldn't be surprised if Vergil went in; he always preferred to go solo in this.
“Dammit Pops you’re killing me, I gotta clean up this mess for a second time in a row." Dante said as he traversed to the castle, where the rip in the sky was gazing down upon.
Ready to enter the demon world a second time in a row.
Canterlot Castle.
Thirty minutes after Vergil's departure.
Whatever was left of the Royal Guard that remained in Canterlot, were now patrolling the outer edge of the portal to the demonic domain, all of them giving a few uneasy gazes up at the portal and nerved to know what would come charging out of the portal next. But so far from Dreadwing's opening the portal, now was pretty desolate, but this didn't stop them from getting shivers from the sight of the portal. Just the despair and carnage it leaked, the feeling of nothing but destruction and intuitive corruption was still leaving an air of hopelessness and fear.
As the guards took their daily shifts and some of them being relieved of their duty each one of them looked uneasily at the portal behind them, even after they were relieved, their guard wasn't even down for a second. On the edge of the opening of the portal's entry, the sun goddess could only worry about what was going to happen next if the demons would attack right now, later, when they were asleep; or have they really attacked right now? They at least managed to successfully keep it contained in Catnerlot...But...Celestia shook it off only worsening the situation in her mind.
To only worsen her thoughts, Vergil was in the demon world along with the Elements of Harmony when she went back into the castle to check if any demons snuck in or were lingering inside the castle, Luna was gone and the only thing that could be found in her bedroom was an empty room with an empty bed when she went to check on her. The haunting suspicion was that she snuck out of her bedroom and went into the Demon World to follow Vergil and see if she could at least be of some assistance to him and the Elements.
Her feelings for him were now starting to burden Celestia, it seemed Vergil didn't seem to feel the same way for her, but in the end he actually cared for her, not as a lover, never as lover, but as the one thing he needed throughout his life... The one thing he never had judging from his demeanor.
And his life from what she could sense in his mind... It was not what anypony should live through, not even she could deal with. The sorrow that happened when he was eight, Celestia felt only guilty knowing it was wrong to look through his mind when they were conversing, but come to think of it, she could only pick his past... But barely. The only thing that was revealed to her was a pair of three orbs in a domain with stone pillars, statues and the liquid surface beneath it. But beyond that, she could hear a scream going through her head as it seemed to get closer to the three red orbs in the sky.
But still, out of all the sentences and pictures running through her mind, one thing stood out.
A name.
Sparda.
But that mystery would come later as Twilight seemed to have gotten some information from Dante, and maybe about that name too as she arrived to Luna's room, her hoof brushing the marble door to her bedroom and gently pushing open the doors. All that was left was an empty bedroom with a thrown comforter off to the side of her bed. She could only piece what happened in this room with her and Vergil. The worst possible thing was that harm would come to her and that the loss of her sister could only burden her even more, the one tied with that outcome was that she knew that Vergil would never do to Luna... Period, it seemed he would be disgusted if she even told him about it.
But she didn't want to even imagine it right now as to worriment that plagued her was if Luna was safe. But why Luna is suddenly infatuated with Vergil in this short amount of time? Why was this the thing she fathom right now, but still her sister's safety was still piercing through the why's ringing through her head.
But also their was one matter , trivial in a sense but at the complications at hoof, she knew Luna was hiding something from her, even after she told her about the Dream Cell.
“What were you hiding from me, Lulu..." Celestia queried a little about this, so far her talk with Luna was... At an impasse.
After their First encounter with Dreadwing .
"Luna... Let's start from the beginning." Celestia asked as the throne room doors shut with a boom, leaving Dante and Vergil with the mane six.
“I...I...” Luna could not think of what to say nor could she could accept what was to come.
“Sister you must tell me, this could complicate things more than it should." Celestia stated, “This situation can turn into a cataclysmic in a second if you don't tell me who he is."
Luna shuffled with her forehooves a bit, tracing a small circle in the marble floor, Celestia felt like this can grow out of proportion, “Luna, is that Dante's brother?" Luna stopped and looked shocked, so that other human was Dante, Vergil's brother? Luna nodded “Yes his name is Vergil." Though Pinkie pretty much answered it for all of them in a heartbeat.
Celestia sighed, "I see, how did you bring him here?"
"..." Luna froze at the question and Celestia knew from a glance that Luna was hiding something even more as she took a few steps forward, "Luna, the future of Equestria is at stake and any bit of information can be of great assistance and to start, is how he was brought here so please tell-"
“I used a spell..." Luna squeaked a bit but could be heard by Celestia.
Celestia pushed the question a bit further “What was the spell called?" Celestia knew every single spell like the back of her hoof and she was ready for any spell Luna was about to say.
“Penance Draw." Luna said, now Celestia was dumbfounded at this for two reasons, one, she never heard of Penance Draw nor its effects, “The effect was: For the lonely soul, a second chance." Luna recited it for her sister seeing the confusion spread out across her face. Celestia still went on with pushing the questions on her, not aggressively but enough to know if Vergil was volatile in any other way.
“So... It drew Vergil here?" Luna nodded. “Did you check if he had any intent on destruction?"
“Just one."
“And how did you approach him?" Celestia was starting to get into more detail with her questions.
“He was stubborn, but then, I had no choice and had to go into my Dream Cell with him."
Celestia knew that was coming and the one thing she did not like to do was force a pony or a being into the Dream Cell against their will, but for Luna's case, she was fifty/fifty on her quick decision.
“And what did you two talked about?" Now, this is where Luna halted on her answer as sweat dripped down the side of her cheek, Celestia could see it was a sensitive subject as she asked again, "Luna....what did you two talk about? Is he hostile?"
“No, he isn't hostile." Luna answered hastily.
“You didn't answer my other question Luna," Celestia said, “What did you two talk about?"
“I...I...” The sun goddess could see Luna's lips quivering a bit as she started to blush a dark crimson color, waiting for an answer Celestia was prepared when her sister inhaled and exhaled still blushing.
“I am sorry sister, I cannot break my vow." Luna stated, Celestia raised one of her eyebrows up as she asked another, “How long were you in the Dream Cell?"
“One hundred years."
“So, two seconds?" Celestia remarked, piecing still was a task in its own.
"Yes."
"And what did you discuss during the rest of the years?" Celestia asked, Luna blushed a bit and staggered back a bit; Celestia knew that Vergil was young and didn't have enough years to even tell one such as Luna that much... Just then it hit her.
"You told him about yourself, didn't you?" Luna's further blush give Celestia the answer. The princess of the Night had told the Dark Slayer himself a bit about her past, ranging from her childhood up to when Twilight and the elements purged Nightmare Moon from her... But only to find out that it only pushed her out of the boundaries of Nightmare controlling Luna. She could hear a bit of what she discussed with him ringing in her head and she would gladly tell her everything he told him. But she kept her word to never speak a word of Vergil's past, some of the bits he had told her, could only rival the stories of Celestia and herself combined.
"Yes, I have." Luna said, the princess of the day could only nod at her answer as silence flooded the room. Celestia could tell that she wouldn't relinquish Vergil's secrets, but from what she answered and the fact he wasn't attacking all of a sudden or bursting through the throne room doors to attack them in the hall. She could only hope that he would remain calm, but she turned to the throne room door as she gestured Luna to come.
Right now there were more important matters to deal with.
"Your majesty!" Celestia was knocked out of her train of thought as a Royal guard came sliding into Luna's room, from the looks of the guard he had just searched every inch of the castle for her. The sweat from his face was raining down from his cheek. Celestia turned to the guard and allowed him to take a deep breath and let him compose himself as he inhaled and vented it all in a single hasty sentence.
"Somethingiscomingneartheportal!!!" Celestia galloped to the balcony knowing from his tone that it involved the portal as the guard followed the princess to the balcony as well. The sight of what she saw sent a grin across her face, even in the distance, he could tell as a small circle of gold and purple circled the outer regions of the portal to the Demon Realm, in the portal, she could see something red starting to lift off from the ground, a patch of white hair atop of him and a broadsword with a skull. But what pretty much sent the grin skyrocketing was the voice.
"Well you guys tell Flocky I said hi, because I got a date with Hell!" As the figure reached the mouth of the portal, some of the Royal guard were flying up with the red figure outside of the portal. As soon as the figure disappeared, she flew to the castle grounds as the guards that were around the circle pretty soon were about to inform her about what happened, but held up a hoof instead as she was beaming at this news.
But one question was added to her list.
What took Dante so long?
Demon World.
Dante jumped out from the portal and he was greeted by a familiar sight. Waving his hand, he chuckled, "Man, the smell is either worse or better that the last time I was here."
Dante then look around at the Demon World, "Well this is different." Again as in Vergil's case, this wasn't the path he took in the demon world, nor was his hunch right that he would head to the same spot where he fought the Arkham, 'The Split Personality Nut' as he liked to call him at times when the mess was over back in his world. He got the price for trying to take his father's power, he got nothing more than a one-way first class ticket to getting his ass kicked out of the demon world and a bullet to the brain courtesy of Lady. Dante sighted, an already completed path and something he did not expect to see, right on the path, was a dark blue alicorn kneeling down but having hard time getting up, black sparks were emitting among her body and her starry mane.
Her teeth gritted down and her eyes closed, the alicorn was using every inch to get back up on her hooves, but the sparks seemed to be holding her back, but on closer inspection she seemed to be wrestling with something else. He then finally recognized her as the Princess of the Night, Luna. The demon hunter walked up to her and kneeled right in front of her, Dante had a cocky grin as Luna opened her eyes a bit; but he wasn't heartless to know that he would try to help her any way he can.
"You know the exit's that way, right?" The demon hunter said as he gestured the whirlpool he just came out of.
" Y... Y... You’re... D.. .D... Dante" Luna knew who he was and what Vergil told of him, but had trouble trying to piece two words together due to pain and submission she was receiving on her end.
Dante nodded, "Seems to me that you’re in a bit of a jam."
"P... P... Pain." Luna managed to squeeze out as she let out a yell as she felt something yank at her stomach, something starting to crawl over her very soul as she was doing everything she could to keep it back.
"Ah I see." Dante remarked a serious look appearing, he surveyed her then the sparks.
"Let her loose." Luna managed to have enough strength to look up into Dante's eyes.
"Are...Y... Y-"
"Crazy, yes, but if you want the pain and corruption to stop, let her loose." Dante could sense Nightmare trying to come out, literally clawing at her sanity and control. Luna wasn't sure... She didn't want to release Nightmare Moon because of what happened last time. But she felt a hand on her head as Dante looked deep into Luna's eyes, she could see that he wanted to help, despite the cocky nature, "Don't worry, I'll give her a nice little chat." Luna had no choice, a dark mist started to swirl around her as it completely covered her whole body and grow twice her size.
Dante stood up and waited for the mist to disperse, he could see a shadowy outline morph to around his height as a swipe of a hoof revealed a black Alicorn with a light blue helmet and horseshoes with a longer starry mane and tail that Luna, he could also see a purple splotch with a white quarter moon in the center of the splotch. Her eyes seemed to have remained the same color, but with more sinister intentions. The Alicorn was in her hind hooves laughing into the endless realm of the Demon World, excited she was free.
"At last, I am free! Nightmare Moon shall rule once again!" She continued laughing at this, oblivious to the fact that the Son of Sparda was right in front of her. Nightmare Moon stopped as she laid eyes on a smirking Dante clearing his throat, the fact his eyes were gleaming for a fight was something she didn't expect, but she seemed to ignore the eyes as she giggled, "And who are you supposed to be? Why are you laughing in the face of a goddess?"
"Me... Well, I just wanna have a nice little chat with you."
"You wish to negotiate with me? I can destroy you, worm, you do not want to make demands to me!" Nightmare proclaimed. But that didn't faze Dante as his smirk only got a bit wider.
"Now why would I make demands? Besides, if my bro kicked your ass, I can do it easily as well besides I need a warm up for what's coming up." Nightmare froze at this.
"Y-You?"
"Yup." Dante nodded as Nightmare stammered a bit more.
" Y-Y-You’re the brother of the one t-that d-d-defeated me?" Dante nodded again.
"Twin brother, but eh, does it matter?" This managed to silence Nightmare as she stood silent for Dante.
"Well, now that that’s settled, let’s talk shall we?"
Chapter proofreaded by LyonAzakura.