"Wow..."
The three stood in the clearing. The floor was paved with mossy stone that looked to have been placed there many a century ago. The head-wind blew softly into their faces and the smell of pollen whisped into their noses. A slate path lead all the way through the clearing and stone block pillars rose up 10 feet or so into the air at either side at 20 meter intervals, ending in intricately carved gargoyles that looked down upon the midnight path. Their red painted eyes observing their own section with an un-dying loyalty, never watching anything else other than their plot.
"... Just, wow." Dante gaped in awe at the monolith that towered above them, looming over the tree-edged clearing with menacing presence. At it's base there was a hole, a key slot that glowed a fiery orange to show that it had been recently activated. And a pedestal stood not far away, empty of it's prize. Golden symbols ran up the entire length, swirling in a majestic twirl that elegantly traveled to the top. "No matter where I go, there always seems to be hell gates just lying around and waiting to be stumbled across. Not that I'm complaining, but it is kinda strange."
"You do seem to be a magnet for them." Lady removed her red tinted sun glasses and gestured to the large black structure. "As well as several other things. Such as debts, to name only one example. And the fact that we've found a hell-gate implies a few things about where we are."
"But this isn't Earth." Dante rested his chin on a hand in thought. "So are we must be in another world or some shit like that." Trish nodded at the idea.
"It's entirely likely. Considering some of the crap you've seen Dante, would it really be that surprising?" She asked.
"At least I don't have to pay off all those debts I owe you two." Dante did a small victory fist pump.
"And why would that be?" Lady asked him, intrigued to hear his reasoning
"Because it's unlikely that there are any sentient creatures from what we've already. And even if there is then they probably don't use dollars, so anything I could pay you in would be obsolete."
"I don't care what the local sentient life-forms use as currency, you're paying us back one way or another." Lady pointed at him accusingly.
"Well maybe if you stopped sending me your over-priced bills then I could start paying you back." He defended, not once taking his eyes from the hell gate.
"You are paying me back at least..." Trish patted him on his shoulder. "... With the hilarity of your flustered anger. I've never seen a guy who is as cute as you when they're angry."
"Agreed." Lady held up her hand for a high five and Trish met it with her own.
"I swear you buy the most expensive clothes you can just to spite me. Before you two came along, I had no idea that there was clothes that were anywhere near close to being that expensive." He looked over to Lady who was cleaning the glasses on her jacket.
"So which demon d'ya think is gonna' come through this thing?" She finished the wiping and flipped them back onto her head.
"I have a hunch. And if it's correct then we've gotta' be prepared. Not that he's incredibly powerful or anything, but I wouldn't want him to catch me with my guard down." He reached behind his shoulder to get at an itch. "Anyway the guy's massive, getting surprised by him is almost impossible."
"So he's a big guy then? This'll be payment for Nero stealing my job." Trish started walking towards the pedestal and the other two followed suit.
"Not sure that he'll be too happy to see me, I kicked his ass the last time we met." Dante explained with a smile. "If I poke some fun at him it would be pretty funny."
"You would play the jester anyway." Lady chuckled behind her sentence. Dante just shrugged and returned his gaze to the approaching pedestal. It was roughly 4 feet tall and fire crackled behind the outermost layers of it's structure, casting a warm aura around the area. As it neared, he could feel it's link with the gate in the ground, streaming under his feet and through the ground. Every foot fall got him closer to the powerful signal. The feeling excited Dante. It was something similar to seeing an old friend again after years of being apart, he couldn't wait to get back to fighting to bigger and more challenging opponents.
They stopped in front of it and the fire responded to the presence of demonic energy by burning brighter than before. The bowl on the top began to glow softly with a faint red light.
"Welp, let's release a devil." Dante took one of Trish's knives and held it to the back of an un-gloved hand above the bowl. He ran the blade across the skin and sliced it open, clenching it shut to encourage blood to leak out. And leak out it did. Crimson red liquid dripped quickly from the wound and into the sacrificial bowl. The layer of blood got higher with every second, and continued to raise until the flow of blood was stopped and the wound started to heal back up. So are the pro's of being half demon.
He retracted his hand and let it fall to his side. The glowing hot bowl started to boil the liquid and bubbles escaped to the surface. The flames underneath the bowl began to rage, growing higher and greater and forcing the three to take a step back. After a few moments the entire pedestal was consumed in flames and the ground began to rumble.
The pedestal crumbled under the intense heat, leaving a pile of black ruble to simmer away in the bonfire. The swirling gold symbols on the gate began to glow brighter and brighter. Cracks started emerging from them and spread toward the center of the structure, causing pieces to fall away, revealing the flames of hell burning through a portal and flickering through into their realm.
Once all of the cracks met in the center, the entire thing shook and began to crumble revealing a black ebony frame hidden inside. The flames turned into an out-right inferno, almost exploding from the depths of hell itself. The fire was suddenly thrown outwards in a blaze of expanding heat, and inside could be seen the shape of the demon in question. Dirt and dust erupted from the ground as the demon landed with grace that was strange for a being of it's size. The fire that roared over it's head retreated back into the portal, letting the eyes of the demon hunters see who had emerged from it's prison.
The demon had a dark coloured rock for flesh and skin, with the magma lying inside releasing flames from the spaces in-between the plates of stone armour. At the base of each leg was a set of huge claws that burned with an intense flame, and atop the legs was the body of the demon. At the front, it rose into it's mighty chest and further back it was shaped like a wolf that ended in a long tail, similar to that of a centaur. Wings of fire extend from the shoulders and rose well above the head, 40 feet into the air. And at the top of it's chest sat it's skeletal head and two massive arms, with a large sword being held in it's left hand. Fire burned underneath the eyes and was let out at the end of two horns that protruded from the back of the skull.
There it stood, breathing the thick and crisp air heavily through it's nostrils. It started an excited laugh and spun around to look at it's location, each paw-fall creating a heavy smashing sound against the floor. Looking at the forest that he was about to burn down, he thrust his mighty sword into the air.
"BERIAL LIVES AGAIN!"
Berial chuckled to himself.
"It's been too long since I've had a good killing spree..."
Nero and the ponies where still following the tracks, the tension growing as the prints got fresher and fresher. But as they walked they were stopped by an almighty roar. The ponies just looked at Nero and he drew Red Queen, running forward to the source of a gentle orange glow.
Berial looked out over the forest with a satisfied smile. Finally a world to burn and no humans to hinder him, he would play havoc on these woods and destroy anything that lay in his path.
"That the guy?" Lady looked over to Dante who was smiling devilishly.
"Eeyup. That's the guy." He started walking towards the giant, anxious to get started. "HEY!" He shouted with his hands cupped around his mouth. Berial heard him and started to slowly swivel on the spot. "HEY, I'M TALKING TO YOU!" When Berial finally turned to face him head on, he grunted and groaned at the sight of the one who nearly killed him last.
"Dante, the last remaining son of Sparda." He took a few steps towards the small red clad figure. "It seems that fate has brought us together for another battle."
"I've been waiting for another go at you. Last time you ran away like a pussy before I could finish you off!"
"Say what you will about my retreat. But when it comes to the re-match, I could say the same as you. I learned from my mistakes and this time there will be only death for you, Dante."
"Oh really? Well this time I brought some friends to the party." He gestured to the women behind him. "I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all. I'll be sure to give our extra 'guests' a nice and warm welcome. Besides, it's not every day I have the joy of fighting three at once."
"Considering how badly I kicked yer' ass last time, one versus three seems a little un-fair. I'm actually considering telling them to stand back."
"Hmm, but that would just be rude. Or would you be willing to give up your advantage in numbers just for a challenge?"
"Well if that's the way you feel about it..." Lady and Trish walked up to his side and drew their weapons, creating the sound of metal being drawn that added to the crackling of flames. Rebellion was pulled from Dante's back and was held with the tip pointing up to Berial's face. "...Then I guess it's high time you step up your game. Cause' you're about to get your balls planted 6 feet under." Berial smiled and his own sword was risen to a combat stance.
Dante started running at Berial and reeled back his arm, ready for a strike. Berial swung his sword into the ground with earth shattering force, and a large crack expanded away from the contact and towards Dante, magma erupting from the depths below. Dante quickly rolled to the side and launched Rebellion through the air and into one of Berial's ankle joints.
The demon flared his fiery wings and used them to throw him self into a barrel roll, using his sword to create a fire-storm as he span round and round. Dante dodged and weaved around the streams of flame, jumping up underneath Berial and grabbing onto his sword.
He pushed the blade as far as it could go into the ankle and tore it out sideways to create a massive wound that bled magma profusely. Leaping from Berials torn open ankle, he landed underneath his rolling body again. Berials lashed his flaming tail at him in an attempt to strike him off guard, but Dante back-flipped out of the way.
When Berial landed and came to rest, he was faced with a new enemy and a painful ankle. Lady stood in-front of him, toting a rocket launcher that she was pointing at his face. It fired with a blast of smoke and Berial covered his face with his free arm, exploding on impact and creating a smokescreen. He wafted the smoke away in time to see a large grapple blade being launched into the tip of his nose, locking on a not budging a bit.
Trish was already long gone from the front of the demon and had joined up with Dante, who was running back into the fray. Berial tossed and turned in an attempt to dislodge the grapple attatched to him. But Lady held on tight to her launcher, and when she got into the right position she dis-connected the grapple and fell until she landed on his back.
Trish and Dante took up their pistols and fired a wall of lead into Berial, chipping away at the side of his head and neck. He whipped around to face them and Lunged forward with his sword ready to perform a back-hand swipe at the two. As the sword was about to collide with them, they both leaped up into the air to dodge the attack.
Trish landed on his sword arm and Dante used Rebellion as a DIY ledge, flinging it into his chest and landing with one foot on what blade was not embedded in the demon, and the other on the handle.
Berial was now unsure of what to do as he had one foe directly below his chin, one currently running up his arm, and another hanging on for life on his back. He figured that the one on his back was the weakest and posed less of a threat to him that the one on his arm posed the biggest threat. He used his right hand to crush the attacker, but it simply jumped from one arm to the other.
In an attempt to make the fight less difficult for him, Berial breathed a giant cloud of fire and jumped through it, twisting and flailing as he soared through the air. Lady's grip failed and she was flung from Berial's back, barely managing to avoid breaking her legs as she did her best safety roll.
Trish too had to bail on her attack and instead opted to back out before she was crushed between two parts of the demon's body. Dante however jumped from his sword-ledge and grabbed hold of Berial's bottom jaw. He clambered up onto to end of his snout, stumbling around as Berial landed.
The two looked into each-others eyes for a few seconds, trying to judge the others next move.