DMC4: The-Devil's Arm

La Vita Nuova

Nero slowly halted his footsteps. He found himself in the middle of yet another cavern, although this one wasn't nearly as large as the other. On the far end of it, he saw what he guessed had to be the core, or the heart, or whatever the hell was powering the Savior.

It was a giant hunk of rock, pockmarked with holes that glowed with the deep red light of the power source inside. In one of the larger holes, he saw a figure, then instantly recognized it.

It was Kyrie. She was suspended just behind the membrane covering the hole. She still looked unharmed, though her hair was now loose, floating once again as if submerged by water. Her doe-like eyes flitted open as he drew closer, perhaps acknowledging him, but they were too hazy to tell.

"We had originally intended Dante to form the Savior's core..."

Sanctus had suddenly appeared out of thin air in front of him. Nero hardly recognized his former leader. He still wore the same robes, but no longer donned the episcopal mitre. Now, his white hair was wild, flying in every direction. From his back grew two great horns, the base of them drenched in wet blood. A half halo protruded from his skull, much like the Savior's, and a blue gem was set into his forehead.

He wielded the largest sword that Nero had ever seen. It dwarfed Red Queen, even the gladius that Agnus used. It was a single edged blade that seemed to be made of both flesh and steel. It burned with a bright red light, the same color of the energy that arced around Sanctus.

"...perhaps it would have been wise to adhere to that choice!" he finished with a red pulse from his eyes.

"Too late for regrets." Nero hissed back. Devil Bringer's grip tightened around Yamato. "Now release Kyrie!"

Sanctus sighed tiredly. "Why oppose the Order? I knew your faith was weak, but I always thought you served our wishes." He raised the massive sword and held the tip of it to the girl's throat.

Nero kept himself from simply attacking in rage. Sanctus was too close to Kyrie. He might not be fast enough to stop him from hurting her, or worse. He might hurt her himself. At this point, he had to just keep talking.

"Bad enough you lying about all this and tried to kill me...but what really pissed me off was using Kyrie!"

When he spoke the words, Kyrie's features seemed to respond. She looked pleadingly at him.

"What is that?" Sanctus asked in disgust. "Love?"

Kyrie fell back into the light, seemingly disintegrating amidst it.

Nero felt a charge flow from Devil Bringer into Yamato. "Look it up!" he spat, then drew back the blade and swung, letting a fly an arc of blue light.

Sanctus held up a hand, caught the blow in his own energy, then sent it back at him. Nero barely managed to raise Yamato and deflect the blow into the cavern wall. When he looked back up, Sanctus had vanished. He looked back and forth, but there was no sign of the old man.

"C'mon kid," came Dante's voice. "It's time to finish this!"

"Wrapping things up on my end." Nero muttered to himself.

"Don't be too sure, boy!"

Behind him! Nero spun and slashed. Sanctus melted into the floor with a pool of light. The beam from Yamato missed, gouging out a section of rock.

"Although flawed, the power of the Savior is beyond that which you can defeat!" The old man's voice was all around him. Nero scanned the area, anticipating a strike. He whirled around just in time as Sanctus emerged from the floor again, releasing a ball of fire from his sword. Nero fired his own charge, blasting it out of the air. The resulting shockwave was fierce, but Nero kept his ground.