Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction / Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction / Devil May Cry - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Knights of the Realms ❯ Ch 7 - Divine Hate ( Chapter 7 )

KNIGHTS OF THE REALMS

 

 

Divine Hate

 

 

 

 

“Hey,” said Dante, noticing Cloud, “everyone's here. Now it really is a party!”

 

The ex-SOLDIER held the First Tsurugi, his six part sword, in a battle ready stance. “You kill Tifa,” he began, his eyes burning. “Then you try to kill me. And you act like it's a party?”

 

Dante sighed. “Listen. Like I've already told Tall, Pale, and Vengeful here, I wasn't told anything about names or anything. Just a descrip—“ But Cloud wasn't listening.

 

“Now you've really crossed the line.” Any thoughts of leniency or mercy were instantly erased. Dante must die.

 

“Is it true, Cloud? Did this man kill Tifa?” Vincent asked, gun trained on Dante.

 

“Yeah. He did.” A tiny, angry voice was coming from somewhere. Cloud glanced at the floor and saw Vincent's discarded phone, and frightened breathing brought Marlene to his attention. “Marlene, pick up the phone and tell your dad we've got everything under control.” Cloud lunged forward, bringing the First Tsurugi down in an arc.

 

Dante dodged to the left, avoiding the blow and away from Vincent, who came at him with his taloned hand again. “I gotta say—Cloud, was it?—loving the sword.” He parried one thrust and ducked beneath the next, bringing one pistol to bear and shooting at Vincent's feet. Vincent rolled out of the way, leaving Dante to face Cloud.

 

Cloud brought the First Tsurugi down in a vicious over head chop, embedding it in the floor boards when Dante hopped out of the way, then on to the blade. Cloud pulled it sharply out, and Dante used the sword as a spring board, sending him flying, his own sword extended, into Vincent. Vincent grabbed the blade in his taloned hand and pivoted, trying to send Dante into the wall.

 

It worked, but Dante brought his feet up and immediately pushed off from the wall, almost straight up into the air. Quickly sheathing his sword, he unslung both handguns and let loose. Cloud and Vincent dodged and rolled out of the rain, and Dante landed. He was met with a low sweeping sword slash and a bullet salvo at chest level. He planted his sword in the ground and swung himself behind it, effectively stopping Cloud's swing short and using the broad blade as a temporary shield against the bullets. Immediately flipping out of the way, he left his sword in the floor, not having time to retrieve it.

 

“I must say,” said Dante with a smile. “I'm thoroughly impressed. I haven't had this good a match in ages.” He paused, frowning at himself. “Actually, it was more like two weeks ago, but who's counting? Point is, this feels great! You're hate for me, it's…it's…” he snapped his fingers, “Divine! Yes, that's it. Quite poetic, actually, I'll have to remember that…” His rambling was cut off when Cloud partly dissembled the First Tsurugi to dual wield. “Woah, there!” Cloud paused, willing to accept Dante's surrender. It wouldn't save his life, but it would avoid putting Marlene in further danger.

“Two swords? Not what I'd call fair.” There was no humor in Clouds eyes, much to Dante's disappointment. “Well, okay. If that's how you wanna play.” Dante reached behind him, under his coat, and withdrew twin curving blades, one red, one blue. “Now things get interesting!” he said.

 

“Cloud!”

 

The three combatants stopped short at Marlene's shout, but remained wary. “What is it, Marlene?” asked Vincent, never taking his eyes off of Dante.

 

“Dad said that he didn't kill Tifa!”

 

Cloud and Vincent faltered. “What?”

 

Marlene explained. “He said that after Cloud left, Tifa's body turned into something else. He says that something was pretending to be Tifa, that Tifa's still alive!”

 

Cloud looked from Dante's smiling face, to Marlene's hopeful face, then back to Dante's.

 

Dante walked over to where his sword still stood in the floor. “Look, I'm not good with names, so I'm still kinda unsure on what just happened, but I think I just got acquitted, yes?” He extracted his sword and waited for an answer. None came, Cloud and Vincent still shocked at the news. “Well, either way, said Dante, leveling the sword, “I'm still good to go if you guys are. This really has been one Hell of a party!”