DMC4: The-Devil's Arm

Cold Blooded

It took Nero an additional twenty minutes to find the anima mercury stash in the library. Why it was held in a secret compartment was beyond him. It wasn't like the stuff was valuable. Finding the compartment was pure luck. In the previous battle with the knights, one of Blue Rose's rounds ricocheted and went stray. Light had filtered in through the hole in the wall. With Devil Bringer, he blew through the rest of the wall, and sure enough, he found a large vial on a table. It was filled with the glowing blue substance he had been searching for.

Nero grabbed the vial and started on his way back to the central courtyard. As he cut back through the art gallery, he got a chance to try an old gyro blade.

Two frost demons appeared from nowhere as soon as Nero stepped into the gallery. The demons attacked him on sight. As Nero dodged their claws, he noticed a gyro blade on display at the end of the gallery. Rather than attack the frost's directly, he continued to evade their thrown claws and lunging swipes. He lit the fuse on top of the ancient gyro with the vial of mercury when he got close enough.

The fuse burst into a bright blue flame and the device began to hum. Long serrated blades that were folded along the length of the device snapped outward. Balanced on it's tip, the giant top balanced from some internal gyroscope, hovering menacingly.

To avoid the demons' claws, Nero had to dance back the length of the gallery, only to dance back partway. He streaked Red Queen across their paths, forcing them to jump back. In one motion, Nero jumped and spun again, landing next to the blade gyro. He swung, letting Red Queen kiss the ends of the blades. The blades began to spin like a helicopter, almost a blur.

The frosts seem to hesitate, claws and shields poised to attack. Nero took the opportunity to sock the gyro with Devil Bringer. The instant he did, the device turned into a small tornado of blades. It shot across the ground, it's fine point leaving a trench in the carpet and stone floor. The gyro blade struck the first frost by surprise. The spinning blades ejected a fine white powder of ice into the air as the upper half of the demon disintegrated.

As the gyro blade collided and sliced through the frost, it ricocheted. It bounced back and forth the wall as if it were possessed. The second frost did it's best to try and avoid it, ultimately failing as it hacked off its shield arm in one pass, then rebounding and digging into it's back. Like the first one, the frost exploded into a cloud of white ice as it's body was shaved away.

Unfortunately for Nero, the gyro blade didn't stop there. It continued to rage around the room, taking chunks out of the wall and art. He had to quickly dodge it again and again, or else become a shredded mass of human remains. Finally, it slowed to a stop.

I guess that's why the Order doesn't use these things anymore.

The room, or what was left of it, was a wreck beyond repair.

Then again, I don't think it was meant to be used like that.

Nero continued on his way along the castle halls, cutting through the dining room, which was set for dinner. The table was always set, but Nero had the impression that someone had eaten recently. Several of the chairs were off centered. He entered the large u-hall on the southern end, and was at the door to the central courtyard in seconds.

It took only a minute to light all four gyro blades standing silent watch at the gate. Nero waited another, tapping his foot impatiently while he waited for the mercury to fully cycle through the machines. A series of clicks sounded, locks being released. Nero pushed open the large door, and was greeted by a blast of freezing air.

The weather outside had intensified. The light snow that Nero had seen on his run through the upper balcony had thickened. The wind had picked up measurably, turning his visibility into nothing but white like it had back on the cliffs.