A/N: It has come to my attention, thanks to some attentive fans, that this fic is once again being plagiarized and that, once again, it is by the same individual from before. While I am not outraged, I am concerned over the fact that said individual feels that he needs to copy my work instead of trying to write his own. I urge said individual to either rewrite the story. Thank You.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor

Chapter 39: Dogs of War

Douglas' Sanctuary

Russia

Saturday-11:42 p.m.

Dante was getting sick of Bolverk's little game of switch-oroo, dogs to keep him off balance while the big guy takes a shot at him every now and then. Tedious if anything else.

Dante rolled on the ground and leaped into the air in one fluid motion with Freki and Geri nipping at his heels. The demon hunter fired his handguns, pelting the demon dogs with rounds, slowing their advance. Bolverk hovered in the corner, watching the fight, looking for an opening.

When Dante landed, Freki moved in for the attack while Geri slipped around, a flanking maneuver. Dante spun on his heel, slicing into Freki while firing at Geri. Freki tumbled away, the wound a shallow one. Dante's barrage peppered Geri's face, causing it to slow down and squeeze its eyes shut to protect itself from the bullets. Bolverk rushed in, its spear aimed for Dante's heart.

Dante smiled. Almost like clockwork. Dante, still spinning, seized Geri by the scruff of its neck and hoisted it into the air, directly into Bolverk's spear. The dog yelped when the demon blade skewered it.

-NO!- Bolverk cried out. The lights within its body flared for a moment.

"Whoopsie daisy." Dante smugly sang.

Geri flopped to the floor, dark demon blood pouring out of its wound, staining the pure white hide. Bolverk stood over its body and reached for Geri, its armored-like claws brushed the wolf's fur. Ferki whined and prodded Geri with its nose, trying to get its partner on its feet. Geri remained still.

"Do you want a moment?" Dante pretended to examine his handguns. "Maybe say a few words? Personally I think you should just chuck the thing into the river and get a puppy. Maybe go for something different like a Chihuahua. You know, carry it around in a little purse or something?"

Geri's body erupted into light and dimmed into a ball that shot into Bolverk's chest.

"Or you could do that." Dante said, surprised. "Whatever, it's…was you're dog."

-You show no respect for anything, enemy or ally.- Bolverk stood straighter.

"It's my schtick, ya know? My thing." Dante shrugged. "Besides you got some bad habits yourself, stuffin' the souls of your old war buddies into dogs, turnin' them into your pets? Not very respectful."

-I see now, you mock things to belittle their value, so they won't matter. You hide from what could affect you by making it a spectacle. Very…cowardly.-

"I'm sorry, at what point in time did you think I gave two shits about your opinions?"

-You prove my point. But right now, the point is moot for again my comrade fell. But I will make sure you keep him company in hell as his chew toy.- The light from Bolverk's body pulsed red. –You will pay for this, mongrel.-

"I'm standing right here." Dante raised his arms in a 'so-what' pose. "Do something."

Ferki snarled and leaped at Dante. The demon hunter slid out of the way and rocketed toward Bolverk, the Stinger maneuver. Bolverk held up its spear like a shield, absorbing the blow. The Dark Knight whipped its spear around, pushing Dante back into Ferki who lunged at him. Dante back flipped over the dog and drove his sword down upon the wolf, skewering it like a campfire hotdog. Dante completed the flip and used to momentum to snap Rebellion behind him, ejecting the corpse.

"Wow, take one down and the other is easy to deal with." Dante flicked the blood off Rebellion. "Now that the doggies have been put down, I wonder if you'll fall just as quickly."

-Cocky. A mask to hide your insecurities.- The voice in Dante's mind teetered on the brink of pure rage. –Ferki and Geri may have been valued comrades, but they were, as you said, just animals. Let's see you pull your little antics with a real warrior.-

"And you call me cocky." Dante twirled Rebellion.

Bolverk slashed its spear, the scar racing along the wall toward Dante who effortlessly leaped over the invisible assault, Bolverk squeezed off the slash, it suddenly raced forward like a runaway locomotive. Dante's feet barely touched the ground when Bolverk seized the demon hunter and spiked him into the floor like a quarterback. Bolverk raised its blade to cleave the demons head in two. Dante held Rebellion with both hands, intercepting the spear.

Holding Dante in check with his spear, Bolverk backhanded Rebellion out of his grasp. Wasting no time, Dante pushed away from the large demon and righted himself.

-A real warrior would not lose his weapon so easily.- Bolverk said and brought its spear down again.

Dante raised his arms up and crossed his forearms that now had been encased in Apophis. The spear clanged against the gauntlets, causing a shower of crimson sparks.

"Then I guess I'll just pull out another." Dante quipped and pushed the spear back.

Dante slugged Bolverk in the closest place he considered a jaw. He let loose a barrage of punches that mimicked a piston in an engine that crackled with bloody electricity. He completed his attack with a hook the sent Bolverk to the ground. From a prone position, Bolverk slashed its spear to unleash another invisible attack. Dante evaded the scar by turning into a human buzz saw, stretching out a grieved powered leg and spinning in the air at speeds that would have made normal men spew out their stomach contents. Bolverk struggled to get up and was hammered by Dante's attack.

"What's wrong, tough guy?" Dante watched Bolverk stand back up. "Don't tell me you haven't fought a guy hand to hand, have ya?"

-Congratulations. You've landed a blow.- Bolverk said. –You can boast when you actually hurt me.-

Red energy gathered around Dante, swirling around him like a blood tornado. It tightened around him like an anaconda before exploding in light, revealing a more demonic form of the devil hunter. The Devil Trigger. He had to amp things up if he wanted to win.

Dante answered back with his pistols, peppering Bolverk with fire. The skeletal demon shrugged off the bullets and spun its spear about like it was caught in a twister, sending out the scar circling around the room. Dante rushed the demon, the Apophis metal leaving deep imprints in the ground. He leaped between the slices, rolling as he did, and placed the heel of his boot on the top of Bolverk's skull.

Bolverk slid back a few feet and lashed out with a fist that was more like a solid metal gauntlet than a hand. Dante intercepted the fist with his own causing a gust of air to tear through the room and unearthly energy to crackle around the two combatants. Bolverk brought its spear up, aiming to lob off a limb. Dante used his free hand and locked it with the spear. He kicked off the demon's chest and flipped back, raining lead from Ebony and Ivory while in the air. Bolverk raised its arm to absorb the shots. Once Dante landed, Bolverk stabbed its spear at him, sending out the cutting wave that pierced the Devil Hunter in the belly. Staggering from the attack, Bolverk rushed in and jammed its sword into the wound, nailing Dante to the wall.

-And with this, our feud ends.- Bolverk growled and raised its fist, aiming it for Dante's head.

Again, Dante's fist intercepted Bolverk's, locking it in place. With a smirk, Dante brought up the grenade launcher and tipped the barrel to Bolverk's head. Crimson demonic energy crackled around the gun.

"And Kaboom!" Dante sang and pulled the trigger.

The grenade launcher itself would have made a decent sized explosion, but add a demon-power charge enhancement and the detonation equaled to a missile strike. Flames engulfed the fighters and sent out a bone crunching pressure wave.

Once his ears stopped ringing and his vision un-blurred itself, Dante noticed that the spear was still in him though not in Bolverk's grasp. His Devil Trigger had worn off, making him have his usual dashing appearance. Apophis vanished in a soft crimson glow. Dante used both hands to pull the blade out and tossed it off to the side.

Now free from concentrating on the eight foot weapon jammed in his gut, Dante noticed Bolverk struggling to stand. A chunk from the crown of its head was missing, the light from the center of his body glowing from the wound. Something that sounded like an ill buffalo entered Dante's head, no doubt from Bolverk.

Dante dumped the spend grenade casing and jammed a new one in. "So? What now? Are we gonna keep doing this dance or are ya gonna cut your loses, chalk this defeat up as a learning experience, and you take your army of corpses and head out the door?"

-You offer a peaceful end?- Bolverk said genuinely confused. –Why?-

"Because, to be honest, I got more important things to do than go twenty rounds with dad's old fightin' buddy. Got some girls to wrangle up and demon flunkies to flatten. You know, typical Saturday night."

-Foolishness.- Bolverk stood straighter. –You can't focus on the important. On the fight before you. Your mind is everywhere, scattered, broken. A real warrior faces what's in front of him now, nothing else matters.-

"And yet, real warrior, you're losing." Dante shrugged. "Looks like you need to reevaluate your whole 'I'm a warrior' deal because it looks to me that it's not really working out for-"

Bolverk suddenly charged, sliding across the ground like a shark cutting through water. His hand aimed for the Dante's throat. The red wearing man snapped the launcher up, charged it with his remaining power, and fired. It struck Bolverk dead center. Dante's coat flared when the pressure wave hit him.

The smoke cleared and Bolverk lay crippled on the floor. Pieces from its torso had scattered around it. Its left leg lay broken and useless. The light inside its body flickered like a dying candle desperately trying to stay lit.

"Really? Between swallowing your pride and a grenade induced headache you chose the grenade?" Dante snapped his fingers and Rebellion came whirring to his hand.

-Do you take anything seriously?- Bolverk's voice lost its intensity. Instead the rumbling in Dante's head sounded like the wheezing breaths of an old man. –Is everything a joke in your eyes?-

"Most things are." Dante stood over the crumbling body. "It just isn't always funny."

Dante took the next odd noise echoing in his head as laughter that was just as weak as his words. –It almost isn't fair. The Dark Knight Sparda. My greatest rival who shook the worlds not just with his power but his convictions could have such…dim children.-

"I like to think myself as more street smart than book smart." Dante slung Rebellion onto his back. "But I'm sure my brother has a bachelor degree in douchebag-ary."

-Sparda fought for something larger than himself. He fought for an ideal. But his sons…one fights for power. And you…just what is it you fight for? Money? Petty revenge? Do you even have a reason?-

Dante folded his arms. "I ain't here to have a heart to heart with a demon who tried to kill me on two nonconsecutive occasions, alright? And why would you care about what I fight for? You're goin' back to your condo in hell."

Another laugh, this one a bit stronger. –That is why you and your brother will never be warriors. A warrior is honest with himself and his beliefs. He does not hide his fear and insecurities with jokes and facades and grabs for power.-

"I am not my father, bonehead." Dante planted a boot on the Bolverk's half dissolved head. "I ain't wearing a cape and savin' the day. I'm here to put as many of you demon fucktards into the ground as possible. The world's already a shit hole; it doesn't need you guys making it worse."

-A warrior doesn't despise himself either.- Bolverk said.

"I'm not a fuckin' warrior, dipshit, do I have to get a sledgehammer and bash that fact into your petrified brain?" Dante yelled. "I'm a devil hunter. I track you guys down and send ya back to the pit with my shoe imprint on your ass."

-Your anger maybe your mask. But I see right through it. You may have bested me, but you still have yet to conquer your greatest foe. Yourself.-

Dante could only look at the dying demon.

-Finish it.-

Dante pointed Ivory at Bolverk and fired, shattering its skull like crystal glass.

The remains of Bolverk's body collapsed on itself, breaking down like dirt in a rain storm, leaving the white light that had shinned from its ribcage. The light slowly rose off the ground and shot into Dante's chest, causing him to stumble back. He blinked a few times, flexed his arms, and looked around before shrugging his shoulders.

The infection that twisted the room died and reality returned. Dante jammed his gun back in its holster and turned on his heel.

"Better find the gals. Probably poopin' their pants without me." He looked around, taking notice of the different doorways that lead to God only knew where. "As soon as I figure out where the hell I am."

Empty groans and growls echoed down the hallways along with the clanging of armor. Glowing eyes punctured the darkness and the shuffling demon bodies came closer.

"Super." Dante muttered. "Back to clean up detail."

"In case you didn't get the memo, your boss just got sent back to the big frying pan." Dante called out. "So that means you have to go back too. Pretty sure it's in the manual you all got."

The demons did not react. The problem with dealing with the Army of the Fallen was their unbiased nature. Everything was fair game to them. With a leader, they were organized. Ironically, it made them less destructive with focus. Now that Bolverk out of the picture, they would go back to killing anything they came across. Dante wondered if he made things worse.

A Ravager suddenly broke from the group and made a rush for him. Dante sighed, un-slung Rebellion, and prepared to resume work. With both battle axes cocked back, the demon leaped into the air…and was promptly ripped in half by two white streaks.

Dante blinked. The other demons froze. Two very familiar looking white wolves walked calmly up to Dante, each with one half of the Ravager in its mouth, bringing it to him like a Frisbee. The dropped the now dead demon and looked at him intently.

"Well…" Dante cocked an eyebrow. "This is certainly new."

Nothing changed in Ferki and Geri. Then something came to Dante, something he needed to try.

"Sit." Dante commanded.

The dogs obeyed.

"Speak."

Together they barked once.

Dante eyed the remaining Army of the Fallen with a gleam in his eye that caused them to step back. Dante raised a hand and pointed.

"Sick 'em."

The dogs turned, snarled, and leaped at the skeletons.

"Not bad." Dante crossed his arms and watched Freki and Geri tear apart the demon army like they were poorly made chew toys. "Wonder if they're house broken?"

Eliot's residence

Great Britain

Saturday-11:49 p.m.

The sound of feet pounding against the wooden steps thundered through the house as its occupants headed for the door. Margaret, frayed and wild eyed, took the lead, gentle pushed forward by Ayame with Miyako coming behind her and Robert taking the rear. Once Margaret hit the door she fumbled with the knob and heard the clicks of the lock. She switched the lock and tried again. The door refused to budge.

"Robert!" Margaret called out. "Did you dead-bolt the door?"

"Of course." Robert reached out and unbolted the lock over the knob. "Try it now."

She did and still met resistance. Robert gentle pushed his wife aside and attempted to open the door himself. He twisted and yanked on the metal, but it did not give.

"I don't understand." Robert said frantically and put a foot on the door frame and pulled as hard as he could. "Those were the only locks. Why won't this bloody thing open?"

"Because I didn't give you permission to leave."

Everyone turned to Marller who stood in the living room, hand on hip…and Eliot tossed over her shoulder like a bag of feed. The demonic looking cats were back in larger numbers. A few lingered around Marller. Another lay on the sofa, its tail flicking lazily about, the bladed tip cutting up the carpet. Robert turned behind him to see two more demon cats in the kitchen, watching with interest. Another stood at the sat at the top of the stairs.

"Eliot!" Margaret cried out. Ayame and Miyako had to restrain her as she lunged for her boy. "What did you do to him?"

"Him?" She swatted his behind. "Nothing. For the moment. Just taking a little nap. It's past his bedtime, you know."

"Don't you touch him!" Spit flew from Margaret's mouth, her hands futile reaching for the demoness throat. "Give me back my baby!"

"I will, if you give me what I want." She stretched out a hand, palm up. "The Jewel of the Forsaken please."

"What are you blathering about?" Robert yelled. "Are you robbing us? Do you want my wife's jewelry?"

"Those who don't have a clue on what I'm talking about should shut their yaps before I carve out their tongues." Marller sang.

"Give it to her." Miyako said to Ayame.

Every non demon in the room turned to Miyako.

"What?" Ayame face had gone white.

Miyako did not give a response; instead she lunged for the woman, tearing at her clothing. Robert and Margaret were paralyzed by the absurdity of the situation.

"What are you doing?" She yelled in Japanese, trying to fend off the other woman. "Let go!"

Miyako pulled back, with something in her hand. A hair ornament.

"No." Ayame made a grab for the ornament. "Give it back, please!"

"I can't." Miyako panted. "I won't."

"You have no idea what you have in your hand." Ayame pleaded. "I beg you, do not give her that."

"I have to." Miyako's voice wavered. "For my daughter."

Ayame was taken off guard, unable to stop Miyako from tossing the ornament to Marller who caught it between two fingers.

"Ah, perfect." Marller twirled the ornament with her fingers until it settled into the palm of her hand "This will make Vergil very happy."

"No." Ayame's moaned.

"There, you have your bobble." Margaret spat. "Now return my son."

"Oh, right, that." Marller purred. "I lied. Spoils of war and all that."

"But you promised-" Margaret protested venomously.

"I know, and I feel awful." Marller's smile opposed her statement. "So, instead I'm going to allow you all to live. Sounds fair to me."

"Give me my son!" Margaret roared. "You gave us your word!"

"Let me rephrase my statement. I have your son and there isn't anything you can do about it." Marller said, getting annoyed. "Savy?"

Eliot's mother was stunned into utter silence.

"Good. Now that our business here is concluded…bye bye." Marller waved as black mist sprung from her feet and coiled around her like a snake.

"No!" Margaret broke free from the Japanese women's grasp and rushed toward the mist, breaking through it like smoke. When the mist evaporated, the woman and Eliot were gone as were the demon cats.

Margaret collapsed. Her husband came to her side in an instant, trying to get her back on her feet. His wife, unfortunately, was beyond standing. Miyako stood inert, her back to Ayame.

"Why?" Ayame said, her anger appearing. "Why? What was all that for?" Miyako sank to her knees, but did not respond. "Answer me!"

"I…" Miyako began, but let her words die off.

"Do you have any idea what you have just done?" Ayame's voice crackled with rage. "That jewel has the potential to cause death and suffering beyond scale and you just handed to a demon."

"That…thing took my boy and all you care about is a bloody jewel?" Margaret's rage returned in full. "I just lost my son! Do you know what that feels like?"

"Yes." Ayame turned to Margaret. "I have. And it hurts, greatly. But there's something else."

"Oh, yes, there is always something else." A nearly squeaky voice came from nowhere. "Because everything has a price."

A figure appeared in the living room, a being clad in an ancient green suit with a grin plastered on his face that made Ayame's skin crawl. Everyone in the room instinctively moved back into a group.

"Right, who the bloody hell are you?" Robert stepped in front of his wife.

"I am Gentleman." The man removed his hat and bowed, showing a shiny bald head. "Do not be afraid. I mean you no harm."

"Well see about that." Robert bared his teeth. "What do you want?"

"I am here to honor a debt." The man returned his hat to his head. "Unlike the fine lady who took her leave, I keep my promises."

"You're with…that beastly woman?" Margaret said from behind her husband. "You have my son!"

"I and Lady Marller have an…arrangement between our two parties, but I do not have possession of your son nor, sadly, do I have the pull to have him released. Apologies."

"What promise are you talking about?" Robert asked.

"A promise with me." Miyako said. "I give them the jewel and my family is safe."

"And I am a man of my word." Gentleman extended his hand to Miyako. "Let us depart, good lady. You're little slice of heaven waits."

Miyako took a cautious step forward and was tackled from behind by Ayame, causing the first woman to let out a shriek.

"Is that what you betrayed us for?" Ayame seized Miyako's wrists. "Your own safety? You sold us out all because you were afraid? You coward!"

"Not for me! It was never for me!" Miyako said through tears. "I did this for my family, my daughter. She's…" She choked down a sob. "All I have left. I can't let her die."

"She wouldn't." Ayame said softly. "I know what it's like to have children in harm's way, but what you have done is…"

"What is done is done." Gentleman interrupted. "Tragic as this all is, this event has been sent into motion long, long ago by those far beyond you. But let me reassure you all, this world will burn."

"What are you gabbing about?" Robert asked.

"The end of the world, Armageddon, Judgment Day." Gentleman sang. "Any of those ringing a bell?"

"Daft. You're all off daft." Margaret shook her head. "This is a nightmare."

"Not yet." Gentleman giggled. "But soon it will."

"I've had enough of this." Robert growled. "I want to know what the blazes is going-"

"This…thing…is trying to unleash a very potent evil on this world." Ayame stood and found her courage. "But he's going to fail." The demon continued to smile his empty smile. "Because there are those working to stop him."

"Humans. Always so full of hope. Even when there is none." Gentleman said, his voice losing its cheeriness. "Besides, there are those going against you. In fact, Miyako fingers went a bit deeper than you had thought."

"No." Miyako cried out. "Don't."

"She enlisted the help of the dear young man, Eliot. He was going to be her little accomplice. Pity Marller took him before he could make his move, that would have been…a rather interesting sight."

"You…" Margaret pointed an accusing finger at the Japanese woman. "You…" She repeated, too choked with anger to form a sentence before she broke down again.

Miyako remained crumbled on the ground, the tears flowing.

"My son." Margaret moaned. "What's going to happen to him?"

"Oh, I'm sure he will be well taken care of by Marller. As a pet, of course." Gentleman cupped his chin. "Well, until she tires of him. Women can be so hard to understand."

The British woman sank into her husband's arms.

"But onto current events." Gentleman offered his hand again. "Let us gather your daughter and be away."

No one said anything as Miyako took the offered hand and vanished.

Douglas' Sanctuary

Russia

Sunday-1:06 a.m.

"As much as I don't want to jinx it," Kokoro carefully said, "has anyone else noticed that things have gotten…quiet?"

"Now that you mention it." Christie clutched her gun tighter. "And that makes me nervous."

The trio of women had moved through the corridors of the underground complex with a destination of Dante's last known whereabouts. They had come across a few demons; most likely stragglers from the initial assault, but recently all they had encountered were dead bodies that Helena took excruciating measures to avert her sister's eyes from.

"Lovely ladies like yourselves shouldn't worry so much. It'll give you wrinkles."

Everyone snapped around to see a man in green.

"Who in the bloody hell are…" Christie fumed. "Alright, next person who just pops in here, I'm shooting."

"Be not afraid, I come in peace." The green clad demon said. "In fact, I have with me someone who wants to meet you."

A second person appeared in a flash of light. Thankfully, Christie did not make good on her promise as everyone recognized the woman.

"Mother!" Kokoro said in Japanese and ran into her mother's arms.

"Oh, my child." Miyako replied in their native language and enveloped her daughter. "Are you alright?"

"What is this?" Helena stepped forward. "We lost you at the tower and now you magically appear with…him." The French woman pointed a finger at the smiling man. "Would you be so kind as to fill us in on what you've been up to?"

"I've…" Miyako started out in English. "I wish I could tell you. It's just so…far fetched."

"We've just survived an assault by walking skeletons." Christie kept her gun trained on the man. "I think we can give you some leeway in the realm of 'far fetched'."

"Perhaps I can explain better." The man chimed in. "As you may no doubt have witnessed, the world you live in is slowly unraveling. Demons, things you all thought of as make believe, are here. And soon, very soon, a being beyond your comprehension will be unleashed upon your world. And with it, the end of your era."

"You know," Christie said. "I'm getting rightly irritated by all this death and demon blabbering."

"Bear with me for a few more moments, my lady, I'm getting to the tantalizing part." The man said. "Lady Miyako here has made some…arrangements with me."

"My dear," Miyako whispered. "You need to come with me. We're going to go somewhere far away. Someplace safe."

"What are you talking about, mother?" Kokoro was on the verge of tears. "Where are we going?"

"A place untouched by the coming storm." The man answered for her.

"I'm going to take a leap of faith here and say you're a demon." Christie replied. "So why would you offer your help if your kind is trying to take over?"

"Just like humans, we demons can be…divided on certain issues." The demon replied. "And please, call me Gentleman."

"You don't want to know what I want to call you." Christie hissed. "Kokoro, take your mother away from him."

The Japanese teen looked back to her sister and the British woman with concern and doubt in her eyes. Miyako refused to let her daughter go. "But…my mother…she…" Kokoro tried to talk but her thoughts were jumbled.

"Listen to her, sister." Helena said. "Dante said these things are not to be trusted. They lie and cheat to get what they want."

"Like you humans are so honest." Gentleman replied. "Besides, your vaunted Dante is part demon himself, how do you know that he isn't the one who's lying?"

"Nice try, knob." Christie smirked. "But I already know who Dante is and I know that Helena isn't going to go against the man she gave her virginity to."

The French woman choked, reddened, and glared laser beams at Christie. Kokoro could not help put on a goofy grin.

A humoring laugh came from the demon. "How…amusing that the son of Sparda would start his own harem. But no matter. Not even he can stop what is coming."

A noise punctured the conversation like an arrow, a deathly groan. The clanking of metal soon followed. The skeleton demons shambled into the area like zombies.

"Ah, looks like the remainder of Bolverk's forces still walk amongst us." Gentleman said. "I believe Lady Miyako and Lady Kokoro that we must take our leave."

"Kokoro!" Helena reached out to her sister as she and her mother vanished with the demon. "Damn it!"

"Stay focused, Lady Helena." Christie called out as she pointed her gun at the new enemies. "We have more immediate problems at hand."

Christie fired, breaking apart two of the demons like fine china. The third demon behind them was one of the heavily armored ones. Bullets pinged off its metal. Helena intercepted one of the demons with a crossbow, disarming it and knocking its head off with a clean kick. Christie chucked her gun once it ran out of ammo and brought up a pump shotgun. Before she fired, she noticed more demons pouring into the room. The fight must have attracted the rest of the horde.

A shot took the head off one of the demons, a shot that did not come from Christie.

"So this is where the party's at?" Dante grabbed the attention of everyone, human and demon. "Figures everyone hangs around the girls and here I am feeling all lonesome since I sent your boss hightailing it back to the pit."

The demons had frozen, surprised perhaps. It did not last long as one of the demons, a Pillager, brought up its crossbow. Two white flashes tackled the demons and ripped it to shreds. Once the shock wore off, the women realized that the flashes were two ridiculous sized white wolves with pieces of Pillager in their mouths. A Ravager roared and raised an axe, preparing to avenge its brother by striking down the animals. Christie blew it apart with her shotgun.

A Carnager moved in, stepping up to Helena. The blonde danced around the demon's gigantic axe.

The other demons rushed in, forcing Christie to turn from spectator to participant. She blew off a Ravager's head, but its comrades bashed aside the body, furiously clawing after the British assassin. She pumped in a new round. Dante barreled into the horde, Rebellion singing through the air, the dogs joining him in dismantling the threat. Christie provided support fire, picking off stragglers and demons that were trying to take a cheap shot at Dante.

In no time the remaining demons were dust on the floor. Christie swung around to Helena, one part hoping her nemesis was still alive and another part playing around with the idea of a tragic end. Instead she found Helena dusting off her hands over a fallen Carnager.

"How did you…?" Christie asked, remembering her taxing time fighting a Carnager even with weapons.

The French soprano smiled and shrugged.

Dante walked up to the two women, the wolves sprung beside the demon hunter. Christie, surprised, turned her weapons to the wolves.

"Easy, babe." Dante said. "They're with me."

"Who…what are they?" Helena asked.

"Long story." Dante said. "I'll regal you later. Where's the kid?"

"Long story." Christie mimicked. "We'll regal you later. Come on. We need to leave."

Location Unknown

Sunday-1:17 a.m.

His mind was jumbled as he awoke. Bits and pieces of past events slowly came to him; fighting the demon cat and its demon woman master. Claws across his back. The surge of emotions that made him want to violate the woman. The pain of focus from the knife. Than the swirling embrace of sleep. He cracked open his eyes and saw a ceiling draped with sheets and fabrics. He noticed that he was surrounded by pillows, small ones the size of his head to ones the size of mattresses.

He felt drossy, unfocused. His belly ached for food and his head throbbed.

"Good, you're awake." A voice flowed into his ears.

He pushed himself up. Pain jolted down his back. He gnashed his teeth.

"Now, now, sweetness." A hand pushed on his chest. "You haven't healed yet and I'd hate for you to tear open your wounds."

"Where am…" Eliot let the hand push him on his back. "Where am I?"

"Oh, just a little hole in the wall I use." The hand caressed his stomach. "Somewhere nice and quiet and private."

A face came into view. Marller. His muscles tensed as years of training honed intuition automatically readied his body for battle. The pain returned, sharper than before, causing him to grunt and moan.

"Easy there, boy." Marller purred. "Don't be trying anything brave. You're not in a place where the public buses can reach, if you catch my drift. So escaping is rather pointless."

Eliot got a better read on his surroundings. They were in some sort of bedroom except the bed was the entire floor. He saw no door and only a single candle lit lantern hanging from the ceiling in black chains.

"Where's my family?" Eliot tried to growl. "And Ayame and Miyako? Did you hurt them?"

"Safe as kittens. A little shaken up, but fine." She traced circles on his chest with her nails.

"What do you want from me?" Eliot's eyes felt sticky, a sign of dehydration.

"Hmmm. I can think of a few things. But right now let's concentrate on getting you back at tip top form." She took his chin. He fidgeted, but her strength was surprisingly dominating. A bowl was pressed to his mouth. "Here. Drink this." It was water, but Eliot had no idea just what else the demon woman put it in it. He coughed it up and sputtered. "Stop fussing, boy."

"I want to know why I'm here." Eliot lost his patience. "If you think I'm going to let you have your way because you've taken me away from my home, you are very sadly mistaken."

"Does this mean I have to…?" She cocked an eyebrow. "Force myself on you?"

"You can try." Eliot said without an ounce of patronizing.

Marller eyes darted across his face, looking for something, anything that would betray his stalwart front, a twitch in his cheek, a quick glance to her bosom, something to tell her that he had the urge. Truth be told, he did, but he buried it underneath a desire to not show weakness and the discipline installed in him by his master Gen Fu.

"You say that now." Marller looked him dead in the eyes. "But once the shock wears off. When you fully…appreciate your situation, you'll come around."

"Who are you?" Eliot asked. "What are you after? Truly?"

"You wish to know me? I'm flattered." Marrler gave a small laugh. "I am a demoness. One of the strongest even before I was given the power of the Obsidian Mist. And I'm here to usurer in a new age. An age of the demon." She sighed. "Or something along those lines. To be honest I never had such…lofty dreams. I really don't care if we claim your world or not, it'll just be another place for us to trash. Nothing will really, truly change."

"Then why help them?"

"Let's just say that my goals require me to throw in with their lot." She studied her sharp nails. "You see, just like you humans, demon men and women approach things…differently. Demon men want power to control. They think strength means dominance. But women, or at least women of my caliber, know that the two don't have to be connected. We can use our abilities to…properly direct the men in our lives." She slowly ran her fingers through his hair. The nails barely glancing on his scalp. "Use their power as ours."

"A rather…shallow approach to life." Eliot said. "Manipulating others only weakens you. It creates a wall between you and others."

"Oh, such sweet things that come from your mouth." She sighed and brushed his cheek with the backs of her fingers. "But you miss the point. It is my destiny to conquer your sex. To control men."

"So they won't control you?" Eliot replied. "Perhaps because you were controlled by a man. Or maybe you felt like you were."

The sultriness in her face fell for a brief moment. "Such a clever boy. But despite your cleverness, your intellect, you discipline, you're still just a boy on the threshold on becoming a man, and men can't fight their primal instincts forever."

"I can." Eliot said. "Because I will."

Marller snickered. "You talk well. But let's see what your actions say about you." She ran her tongue across his neck. "A taste to keep me…content for later. Need to run a quick errand." She stood and vanished within the Obsidian Mist.

Donovan's Laboratory

Location Unknown

Sunday-1:21 a.m.

"Easy as pie." Marller smiled and twirled the hair ornament in her hand. "As the humans say."

Vergil arched an eyebrow, more intrigued than impressed.

"You actually did your job?" Donovan said. How a man could give such a backhanded comment and sound like he was giving genuine praise was amusing.

"All I had to do was put some pressure on the family and they folded like cowards." She tossed the ornament that fell deftly in Vergil's hand.

"Good. That's all three." Vergil said. "All that's left is to enter the Temple of Redemption and retrieve the orb of souls."

"The icebreaker ship is ready to go." Donovan said. "We can be there in a few days."

"I can get us there is seconds, Vergil." Marller said. "Why do you need the help of this human?"

"Because I posses the resources and knowledge that you don't." Donovan replied off handedly, like she was some poor student who didn't know any better.

"Huh." Marller clicked her tongue, amused that the ratty human could talk so high and mighty to someone with her power and not have even a trace of doubt or fear in his tone.

"Donovan's right. We've been away from the human world for quiet sometime. We need his expertise in manipulating the human world and information during our lost time."

"For now." Marller raised her eyebrows at Donovan.

"That'll be enough, Marller." Vergil said. "I'll call you if I need anything else."

"You be sure to do that." She winked and vanished.

"She likes to stir the pot, doesn't she?" Donovan grumbled.

"She wants to pit us against each other." Vergil said. "She's a manipulator. But that's why I keep her. She's useful in keeping our enemies disorganized."

"Still, someone like her can be very dangerous." Donovan pushed up his glasses. "Wild variables like her can through off even the most basic of equations in this campaign of ours."

"I know that she has an ulterior motive for working with us. No doubt something my father did. He always did annoy the denizens of demon world." Vergil sighed. "Right now, I'll let her think she's in control. Turning on her now would just complicate things."

"That is a very big risk you're taking." Donovan said.

"Everything has risks, Donovan." Vergil snapped. "There are no guarantees in life. As a man of science I would have thought you would have known that."

Donovan, despite his anger, chose his next words carefully. "But we can minimize the risks. Weigh our options. I don't see why letting her going about like this is productive."

"You let me worry about her." Vergil said like he was getting bored of the conversation.

Donovan sighed and clenched his teeth.

Vergil studied the trinket in his hand, his stern mask crumbling away to reveal venomous annoyance.

"What's wrong?" Donovan picked up on the mood in the room.

Vergil squeezed the orb until it shattered like wax.

"It's a fake." Vergil's normally cold voice teetered on rage.

Location Unknown

Sunday-1:22 a.m.

Eliot sighed, dug into his pocket, and produced a small ball, gently tossed into the air and caught it.

Miyako wanted to wait, but Eliot could tell from the Japanese woman's eyes that time was of the essence. He deduced that the jewel had to be on Ayame's person since she had no bags or such. He also suspected that the jewel must be apart of something larger since having the jewel by itself would have made it too obvious. If the jewel was as valuable as Miyako made it out to be, than it would have been hidden in plain sight, something inconspicuous like a locket or charm…or hair ornament. He did a quick look through of Ayame's garments while she used the shower. Not a very proud moment in his life, but it had to be done. All he had to do was a quick swap with something of similar size and shape, a fake jewel from one of his trophies, and voila. No one the wiser.

Hopefully he had bought some precious time.

The Devil's Dojo

Herein lies the techniques The Hunters have obtained in this tale so far

Dogs of War-By channeling his demonic energy, Dante is able to summon the demon wolves Freki & Geri. While strong enough to fight lower level demons, they act more as fodder and distractions, luring the attention of other demons, allowing Dante to strike more efficiently.