Fan Fiction ❯ Hell Hath No Fury ❯ Broken ( Chapter 3 )

Athos looked at his five closest henchmen. All of them had vicious reputations. It would surprise him if there were any old demons on Lagune that didn'tknow who they were. Lucifer himself had labeled all of them his personal Death Dealers.

"Come sunrise, we will wipe that island off of the face of the Earth," Athos said as he walked over to his lover. As he put his arm around her, he looked at the other pair of warriors. A pair that were quickly earning his respect. "Nelo, Darsha, you two are to handle the Slayers. As promised, he is on the island as well, and you can do whatever you see fit with him."

Darsha smiled evilly as she looked at Athos. Her mismatched eyes showed nothing but utter fury. "His blood will paint the streets," she promised.

Nelo looked at his smaller partner for a moment before nodding to Athos. Darsha was losing herself to the rage in her heart, and it was his duty to make sure she stayed in one piece. He would not lose her. Not to Lucifer's will, not to herself, not even to his little brother.

Chara looked out across the horizon. She had been staring at Mallet Island ever since the portals appeared. She could only frown at the sight. Athos was on his way, and he wouldn't stop until everything was destroyed. He was so much like his twin in that respect. She glanced over her shoulder when she heard someone approaching. It was a little old woman, one of the Elders of the Village. "I'll do what I can to protect Lagune," Chara said almost coldly. "You can go and tell the others that as well Maede."

The woman frowned. She was one of the few demons on the island that remained Chara's friends even after the Valen incident, yet when danger showed itself around the island, the angel would close herself off with everyone. "Thank you. But that's not why I'm here," she said in a soft voice. She stepped closer to Chara and started to look toward Mallet as well. "I wanted to know what you think about this situation that you're now in."

"I don't think anything of it. I'll fight, and kill, just like always." Chara kept her eyes focused on the horizon, knowing that Maede was talking about something else entirely.

"Child, don't block me out," Maede said looking at the taller woman. When Chara said nothing, she tightened her shall around her shoulders. "I've met your Dante."

"He's not mine."

"Isn't he? He lives in your home. You care for him."

"I take care of him," Chara cut in. She looked at Maede for the first time, her eyes flashing. "There's a difference."

Sapphire colored eyes looked at her calmly. "He resembles Valen," she said softly. She took note of the way Chara started to tremble.

Chara lowered her head in defeat. She knew Maede wouldn't let this go, leaving no other choice than to talk to the older woman. "I know," was all she could say.

"And you loved Valen, didn't you?"

"I know where this is going," Chara said with a sigh. "Everyone thinks that I'm being blinded somehow. That I've brought someone else here that will destroy the Island. What do I have to prove that I won't let that happen?"

Maede shook her head. "I trust you. The dangers that are coming are not your fault, nor Dante's. Those were Death Dealer portals over Mallet this afternoon. Anything could have brought them." She stopped and looked at the younger woman in front of her. "I want to know, what are you going to do about your feelings. Athos is over there. You know Valen is never too far away from him."

Chara looked into Maede's eyes and frowned. "I'll finish what I started with Valen."

"And will you start something with Dante?" the old woman asked. When she saw Chara's frown deepen, she smiled. "I saw the way he flirted with you before Gabby became ill. I believe you two would be a good match."

"He's a demon half-breed."

"That's a bullshit excuse and you know it." Maede looked at the stunned look Chara was wearing. "There will be a day when you realize that the barriers that you've built around yourself are nothing more than glass. Demons and Angels aren't that different from each other, and you need others around you to help you thrive. Dante may be that one to help you learn how to fly."

Chara snorted as she looked at her home. "I've got wings. I think I know how to use them."

"I'm talking about your soul, Dearest." Maede looked to the house as well, and smiled when she saw Dante standing at the door. "You're content here. But I think he is the one that can make you happy." She waited a moment for Chara respond. When nothing came from the young woman, she started back towards the village.

A small smile crossed Chara's face when she saw Maede offer her cheek to Dante for a kiss. "Little busy-body," she mumbled as Dante kissed the woman's cheek and wished her goodnight.

Her good mood was ruined when the rumble of thunder came from Mallet. She turned to the island and saw the portals opening, admitting more and more of Hell's troops. It was becoming clear that she wouldn't be able to fight all of them by herself. With a frown, she walked straight up to Dante. She looked into his eyes, mildly surprised to see the same amount of seriousness that she had in her own. "They'll attack in the morning," she said in a low tone. This was not something she wanted the children to hear.

Dante nodded. "Do you have any extra equipment? I'll help as much as I'm able to."

"Follow me." She walked into the house and up the stairs to her bedroom. "I think I might have something you'll like."

Dante felt his eyebrow arch as he walked after her. When he entered her room, he felt his eyes widen. "How?" he asked in a whisper.

There, on Chara's bed were a pair of hand guns, one ebony, the other, ivory, as well as the sword his father left for him. Chara looked at the weapons she had hidden in her closet and took a breath. "The guns were strapped to you and the sword was stuck in your arm." She watched as he picked up one of his guns and handled it easily. "Get some rest," she said going to the door. "We have to be ready by sunrise."

The sky was becoming heavy with the sent of rain. An ironic smirk crossed her face as she looked at the island that would be their target come daybreak. In her former life, she had been a demon hunter, in this life, she was a demon about to slay a number of her own kind. Darsha flexed her lupine claws as her mismatched eyes closed. If it hadn't been for him she would still be alive and human. And come tomorrow, she would have her revenge.

"The storm could prove beneficial tomorrow," Nelo said from behind her. His hazel/blue eyes looked across the water as he approached Darsha. "The villagers will be trying too hard to stay inside."

"He'll come out and meet us head on," she cut in confidently. "Nothing stops him from fighting. You should know that better than anyone." She looked at him from the corner of her eye. He'd been strangely distant the past few months, but only after they were placed under Athos's command did she truly notice his withdrawal.

"Yes, I do," Nelo admitted. His platinum hair lifted in the breeze, making him look even more like the twin he'd fought against.

Darsha looked away from him with a frown. "Why are you out here?" she asked in a cold voice. "We have our orders, and Zarra hasn't changed them as of yet."

Nelo tilted his head slightly. He'd become used to her swift changes in mood by now, but that didn't make them any easier to deal with. "I came out here to see if you wanted to talk."

She snorted. "Talk? What is there to talk about Nelo? For the first time in over five years I get a chance at the man that killed me. I'm going to make him suffer for abandoning me, and I'm going to laugh while doing it." She turned to him and looked into his beautiful eyes. "I know he's your brother, and you may even care about him. But that doesn't change anything. I am still going to have his head. So there is nothing for us to talk about."

A deep frown crossed Nelo's face as she stormed off towards their shelter for the night. "You're looking for the wrong man," he whispered before looking back towards Lagune Island. A growl left his throat. There was no love loss between himself and his brother. But things had changed. After being a slave to Mundus, and after seeing Sparda's effect on the nobles of Hell, Nelo found himself rethinking everything he'd done in the past.

While not ready to admit that he was wrong, Nelo would admit that going after his father's powers had been a tad on the overzealous side. After spending time in the company of Lucifer's woman, the original Darsha, did he start to see the beauty his father had wanted to protect.

And now he himself wanted to protect the young demon that once tried to kill him. With a disgusted grunt, Nelo turned to go to camp. He would deal with everything as it came, and only then. He was no longer the young man that wanted the world in an instant. He was patient, take what he could, and fight tooth and nail to keep it.

Trish frowned as she stepped off of the small puddle-jumper. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Lucia quietly talking to the pilot, and decided to take the opportunity to survey their surroundings. As her eyes crossed over the air strip, she felt as if she was transported back in time. In the distance, she could see a number of small wooden houses. There were only dirt paths for streets, and no cars in sight.

Lucia walked over to where her partner was and read her look. "It does look rather third world-ish, doesn't it," she said softly. It reminded her something of the village she grew up in. A smile crossed her face as she shouldered her bag and started to walk towards the village.

"Do you even know where you're going?" Trish asked adjusting her pack.

"Robby said that if we're looking for someone, ask the village elder. A woman named Maede. It seems that she knows everyone here," Lucia called back.

"She's not the only one," a girl's voice said from the side.

Trish quickly aimed her own handgun as Lucia reached for her throwing knives. She paused when she saw a teenager with shoulder length powder blue hair walking out of what could be called a hangar. "Who are you?" the blond asked with narrowed eyes.

"The name's Vaughn," the teen answered. "And you are?"

Lucia shared a look with Trish. This was the girl they were sent to protect. "I'm Lucia, this is Trish," she said carefully approaching the girl. "We're here to...."

"We're looking for a friend of ours. He's about 6'5", white hair, greenish eyes," Trish cut in. She ignored the glare Lucia was giving her with ease by staying focused on the girl in front of her.

Vaughn also frowned at Trish. The blonde was hiding something, and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Especially if they're looking for Dante. "What's your friend's name?" she asked as she felt her father step out of the hangar.

"His name is Dante," Lucia said as she took in the sight of the man behind Vaughn. He was tall, dark and built. He had the same shade of hair as the girl, but it stood out against his mocha colored skin. "Any help in finding him would be appreciated."

Wolfe frowned as he looked at his daughter. "Why would you want him?" he asked the two women.

Trish rolled her eyes. "Look, we're here for our friend. We were told that he's here," she said shortly. "Do you know where he is or not?"

Wolfe's eyes narrowed slightly. He never was one for pushy women. "Who told you he was here?"

Lucia put her hand on Trish's shoulder as the blonde inhaled sharply. "A woman named Ariel," she said diplomatically. She looked at the pair in front of her and brushed her hair out of her eyes. "She sent us here for him, and to protect Vaughn."

Vaughn's eyes widened as she looked at her father. "Me?" she asked. "Daddy, what's going on?"

Wolfe looked at Vaughn and touched her hair. With a sigh, he turned to Lucia. "Things are going to be that bad tomorrow, huh," he said mostly to himself. When she didn't answer, he turned to the confused teen. "Ariel can be considered distant family," he told her. "If she sent these two here for you, then I want you to stay with them."

"No," Vaughn said shaking her head. "You can't just give me to them like I'm some sort of toy. I'm your daughter damnit."

"Vaughn," Wolfe said sternly. He placed both of his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "There's going to be an attack on the village tomorrow. I'm going to stay and fight."

"Then I'll fight too."

"The Hell you will!" Wolfe yelled. His eyes stayed focused on his daughter's as she flinched. "Death Dealers are coming, and your sword skills are iffy at best. I will not let you stay here in harm's way. You are going with these two."

Vaughn lowered her head as she stepped away from Wolfe. She knew he only wanted to best for her. And with his tone, there would be no trying to convince him into changing his mind. Her eyes turned to Lucia and Trish. They were both watching with saddened expressions on their faces, and pity was something she wasn't going to stand for. "Fine, I'll go," she said lowly. She wiped her wet eyes and started to walk towards Chara's house silently.

Lucia looked at Wolfe again, and saw that he looked ready to cry. "We'll take care of her," she whispered.

"If you want your friend, come with me," Vaughn called over her shoulder.

Trish adjusted her pack and looked at Wolfe. "Lucia, I'll only be a sec," she said in a soft tone. When the redhead frowned at her, she waved her hand off. "I won't do anything stupid."

Wolfe turned his back as the blonde woman walked over to him. "I thought you wanted to find your friend," he said lowly.

She tilted her head to the side and watched him for a moment. "I'd rather hear about this attack," she answered. When he looked at her, she folded her arms over her chest. "It's not everyday Death Dealers come after demons."

"Some of the others think that your friend brought them here," Wolfe confessed.

"Do you?"

"What I think really doesn't matter. They're here, and Lagune will probably be destroyed come tomorrow's dusk." Wolfe sighed as he ran his hands through his hair. "Look, just take Vaughn, and your friend out of here."

Trish straightened as she looked around. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw the ruin's of Mallet Island glowing in a way they never had before. "Shit," she breathed. She turned back to Wolfe and frowned. The expression he wore was of a man that was accepting his death. She lowered her head slightly. There was nothing that she knew of that she could do, but there was someone that could do something, and if he knew what was going on, was probably in the middle of plotting a counterattack. Without a word, Trish started to go after Lucia and Vaughn.

And then she and Dante were going to have a nice talk about getting trapped in Hell, and then having the balls to have something like this happen when she tries to rescue them.

Dante took a deep breath as he laid his sword down. He was never really one to practice, but he needed to make sure his body was in fighting form. So far, nothing was bothering him aside from muscles protesting such movement after finally relaxing. He looked at the sky and frowned. It was going to rain soon. He hated fighting in the rain. It always reminded him of that fight he'd lost to Vergil. "But that was then," he thought. He ran his fingers through his hair as he sat down on the grass. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. There wasn't even a clear clue as to what exactly would happen. Only that there was going to be a huge fight.

The sound of someone at the front gate reached his ears. Many of the villagers had come by to see Chara at some point. Most wanted to know what was going to happen, others wanting to know what they could do to help. A bitter muse left Dante as he stood. If all this place had for guardians were children and little better, they all should simply run for the highest hills and deepest holes.

As Dante walked around to the front of the house, he felt his eyes widen. Standing at the front door with Chara was Vaughn, and the shapely redhead he'd gone to Hell for. "Lucia," he said awkwardly.

She turned to him and smiled. Her lavender eyes were bright as she ran over to him. "You're here," she whispered as she threw herself into his arms.

Dante felt a small smile cross his face as he returned her embrace. "Yeah, what are you doing here?" He pulled away from her and looked her over. She was still a knock out.

"We've been looking for you," Lucia answered. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and looked at him. It still seemed surreal. Dante was here, standing in front of her. "And here you are. What happened? How'd you escape?"

Dante held up his hand to stop her questions. "Who's we?" he asked.

"I'm we," Trish answered as she approached. She looked at him and smiled. "When you didn't come home I started to wonder," she said with a shrug.

Dante chuckled. "Right," he said sarcastically. He then looked over his shoulder and saw Chara guiding Vaughn inside. "Hey, Vaughn, you okay?" he asked. The girl looked positively crushed.

"My father's sending me with your friends off the island when the attack comes," she said bitterly.

Lucia touched Dante's cheek as she went after the girl. "I'll explain later," she whispered before going to Vaughn's side.

Trish looked at the tall woman with long black/green hair. Ever since she walked up, amethyst colored eyes had been glaring at her and Lucia. Before she could say anything, the woman went into the house and closed the door, leaving her and Dante outside. "What's she so pissed over?"

Dante sighed. Trish hadn't changed at all. She was still as subtle as a bomb. "Chara's under a lot of stress with tomorrow," he answered.

"You mean the attack?" Trish asked. When he looked at her, she shrugged. "Vaughn's father told us about it," she said offhandedly. When Dante grunted, she started to walk around the house, to where Dante's sword was laying in the ground. "Are you going to fight, or try to run?" she asked.

"What do you think?"

"That you're a bastard." Trish looked into his eyes for a moment. When he started to turn away, she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Did you know that you've been gone for two years?" she asked. Her eyes stayed locked on him. "That Lucia's been running Devil Never Cry. I can't stand her. She's a little prissy bitch about the smallest things. That's who you left me with."

"I have to help Chara," Dante said lowly. He looked into Trish's eyes and took a slow breath. "The Death Dealers are coming here because of me."

"You don't know that," Trish hissed. She stopped for a moment and took a breath. This wasn't going the way she had wanted it to. "We won't be able to leave," she said seriously. "We could be up in the air and then taken out easily. Our only choice is to stand and fight." Emerald colored eyes saw his mouth open to protest. "I don't want to hear it, you piece of shit. I'm not going to stand back and let you do all of the fighting. I won't let you leave me alone again."

Dante looked at her for a moment. He lowered his head as he realized just how upset Trish was with his entrapment. "I won't leave you again," he said wrapping one arm around her in a hug.

Chara watched from the kitchen window with a blank face. This was why she never thought of Dante as hers. The man had two women searching the Earth for him. Surely he had others that would do the same. She looked over her shoulder and saw Lucia trying to talk with Vaughn. There were still things she had to prepare for, and watching this little soap opera was only wasting her time.

The angel closed the window and growled. She had to push thoughts of Dante and his women out of her mind. The children needed her, and she wasn't going to fail them again.

Besides, she had to make sure she was ready to face Valen's older brother on the battlefield.