The Arcane Of V

Prologue

"Hey V! Wake up! Wake up, you weak skinny bastard! Wake up!" The voice of Griffon awakens the pale slender young man with raven black hair.

V weakly opens his eyes and find Griffon standing on his chest. The first thing he ever felt is confusion. Many questions popping up in his mind. Like how is this even possible? He already became one with Urizen. They became whole and turned into Vergil himself. Just how?

"Oh thank goodness you're alright. Now I know what you're thinking. How the hell we're still alive and got in this shithole? Well it's a good question that we don't have the slightest clue on the answer. For now, just move up your ass and let's look around." Griffon reprimanded him before entering inside V, the demonic bird's physical form literally disappearing and V's tattoo slightly grows bigger.

V groaned and rubbed his eyes. He feels wet. That's probably because of the heavy rain happening right now. Raising himself from the wet ground, V grunted as he clumsily stands up.

The young man looks around and it would seem he's in some sort of dock of some kind. There's some sort of ocean and a warehouse. He also sees his cane lying on the ground beside him.

Wasting no time, V picks it up and uses it to support himself. He feels weak but not too weak. He doesn't feel close to death as well which is weird for him.  His physical form no longer feels turning to ash and crumbling from his weight. Not to mention he feels more alive than usual. His flesh feels more like actual human flesh and his body feels even more human than before. Just what the hell is this? Most of all, how is he even still alive?

Suddenly, V's ears picks up a huge explosion coming from the warehouse. He saw fire and chaos coming from there.

Griffon quickly materializes and gently perches on V's shoulder, looking at the burning warehouse.

"Gee, what seems to be going on there?" Griffon questioned.

"I haven't the slightest clue. We live in a mysterious world with many things yet to be seen. Perhaps we will find some answers there." V decided as he starts heading towards the warehouse. After all, any of his questions won't be answered if he'll just idle here any longer.

"Or trouble." Griffon added casually.

"Well if it comes to that, I have you three with me. Hence there's no need for worry. He, who desires, but acts not breeds pestilence." V replied with a confident smile.

"Alright whatever you say, Shakespeare." Griffon sighed, "Geez even without that poetry book of yours, you're still goddamn poetic."

V dryly chuckled at that as he continues on, his heavy steps of echo drowned by the heavy rain.

~~~

Upon reaching the warehouse, V noted there are angry fires everywhere. It's a mess as he predicted. That explosion was nothing to scoff at. However what really caught V's attention are that there's a few body parts scattered over the ground. V rubs his chin, it would seem there were people inside when the explosion happened. He can only hope if there are any survivors.

"Geez, what a mess." Griffon commented as he looks around.

"I agree." V replied.

"Hey V! Look at that!" Griffon pointed with his wing, V's eyes followed and saw a young girl with blue hair no older than eleven or twelve near a large fire and a huge dead body behind her. The young girl is sobbing uncontrollably on the ground, "Who is that?"

"Guess we'll find out soon enough." V shrugged as he casually approaches the crying young girl, crouching down in front of her, "Hello, little one. Are you alright? What happened here?"

The girl looked at him in the eyes, uncontrollable tears run down across her bruised dirty cheek. The sight eerily reminded V of Vergil when he begged for anyone to save him from the demons. Something really bad happened in this place and this girl was at the center of it.

"It would seem we have an uninvited guest." An ominous voice suddenly spoke up behind them, catching V's attention. The voice came from a tall gangly scarred man with faded swept back dark brown hair wearing some sort of Victorian style clothing. V noted there are four others following this man and he certainly didn't like the vibe he's getting from them, "Who might you be, stranger? I haven't seen you around here before."

"No one." V answered quickly, "I am just a curious outsider."

"Well you certainly picked the bad time to be curious." The gangly scarred man replied before turning to his followers and associates, "Kill him but leave the girl and that bird of his alive. I have some questions for her and that bird looks expensive."

V sighed at what's about to happen. He just got here and now he has to fight for his life once again, it's just irritating that he has to fight a bunch of street thugs, "Griffon. Show them what lightning tastes like but don't kill them."

"You got it, boss." Griffon eagerly obeyed, nodding, which surprised everyone that the big blue bird can actually talk. However before they can even do anything and even comprehend at what's about to happen, five lightning bolts strike all of the thugs down, sending them to dream land.

"Heh, everywhere I go, common thugs still follow me around." V remarked with a dry chuckle.

"Ain't that right, V? You're lucky Shadow didn't almost skewer the thugs to death this time around." Griffon laughed.

Finished with the minor nuisances, V turns back to the young girl once more however when he laid his eyes upon her, he saw fear and terror. The girl is now scared of him, trembling. V sighed at this. He knew this was going to happen. All the people he had helped always gave him that look. But he understands. The mere sight of demons and magic always inspire fear to the heart of humans anyway.

Still, nonetheless, V gently gives the young girl a pat to the head and a smile, "You'll be alright. Just don't stay here any longer. Those people will wake up eventually. I bid thee farewell, child."

Standing up, V uses his cane for support and then starts walking away from the scene, his head still filled with unanswered questions.

"Wait! Please wait!" The young girl shouted, catching up to V rather clumsily. Then to V's sudden surprise and shock, the girl hugged him tightly while still sobbing uncontrollably, "Please take me with you! Please! Please, mister! I have no one else anymore!"

V blinked many times, more than he can count. He doesn't know what to do and doesn't know what to think. He now knows he can't just leave this girl here. She said she has no one left. What does that mean?!

"Aw look at that. Little V gets shocked from a hug by a little girl. That is a sight I never expected to see." Griffon commented with a laugh.

"Shut up." V glared at the demonic blue bird before facing the young girl, "What is your name, child?"

At first, the girl struggled to answer, stammering. However suddenly her eyes became rageful, bitter. She then answers, "My name is Jinx."

"Interesting name." V raised a brow, quietly wondering that her parents must be really messed up to name their child Jinx. That's just like calling your kid bad luck incarnate.

"Hell, we all got interesting names. You got Nightmare, Shadow, and then there's the greatest, me, Griffon!" Griffon proudly introduces himself.

V scoffed at the demonic bird's introduction and almost rolled his eyes.

"What is your name, mister?" The young Jinx questioned.

V smiled and gently caresses her blue hair, "You can call me V."