At Devil May Cry!

 

The Legendary Devil Hunter has just returned. Devil Sword still summoned, he carries it propped over his shoulder as he walks in, as the rotary phone on his desk rings…

 

“Do I care? What if it’s important? If it’s a gig, I’m turning it down.” He answers, sounding professional and cheerful as he swings his sword. It disappears in a wash of hellfire, leaving behind a spritz of red sparks that vacuum into his body.

 

“Devil May Cry!”

 

“Dante, the Devil Hunter?”

 

“That’s me." 

 

“This is Batman.”

 

“Holy cow, really? No way.” He flips a switch under his desk. A computer constructs itself onto the surface and doesn’t quite match the rustic look of the shop. Nope, this computer looks like it came straight out of Cyborg’s workshop… because it did. 

 

“Oh damn, my computer says it’s actually Batman! Wow. Okay, um, why are you calling me?”

 

“I’m afraid I have something very solemn that I must ask you.”

 

“Oh. Okay, shoot.”

 

“First, are you somewhere private and safe?”

 

“I’m in my shop but you already knew that.”

 

“I mean are you in a room that is private and safe?”

 

“I’m the only one home, Batman, what’s up?”

 

“Red Hood was in a terrible battle tonight. He fought alongside another Devil Hunter that didn’t survive. He brought the body back with him, from Limbo City.”

 

As soon as Dante hears the words, Limbo City, his stomach turns.

 

“You gotta be kidding me. Batman, are you about to tell me that Little Dante is dead?”

 

“Yes. Yes, he is dead. I’m sorry.”

 

Dante puts the receiver down and lets out a long exhale, then starts pacing and distressingly running his fingers through his hair.

 

“Dante? Are you still there?” Batman can sense things becoming quite dark. The pep in the Devil Hunter’s step is completely gone. The energy coming from the phone is demonic and hot. So hot that it’s heating up the interior of the Batwing, as Batman pilots it towards the Devil Hunter’s shop. After a few seconds of ominousness…

 

“Yeah I’m fucking still here.”

 

“I’m bringing him to you. I’m going to land the Batwing on the roof. Nightwing gave me a code to send documents to your server. I’m going to send you an anatomical scan.”

 

“You have him with you?”

 

“Yes, I’m on my way to your shop.”

 

“Hurry the fuck up, Batman.” 

 

Unexpectedly, that’s the end of the call. The Devil Hunter hangs up. 

 

“I’m sorry I had to tell him that,” Batman gently says to the covered body strapped on the stretcher locked behind him. “I wish I could have prevented what happened to you.”

 

Back in the shop, Dante speedily sorts through every potion, mystical charm, and bubbling ether he can find, to see if he has something, anything, that can revive Little Dante. As he fervently sifts through shelves, drawers, and cabinets, his brother lets himself in…

 

“I still think we should have spent more time in Goth-“

 

“VERGIL!”

 

“Why are you in such a panic?”

 

“Do we have any Gold Orbs?!”

 

“I might have one or two Holy Stars. Why?”

 

“Little Dante needs them!”

 

“You found the Nephilim boy?!”

 

“No, Batman did, I mean, Red Hood did, in Limbo City. I don’t know, but he’s all fucked up and I need some fucking medicine, man!”

 

“Calm down, I told you I have a few Holy Stars. Here.” He gives him what he has on him, two Holy Stars. “What happened?”

 

“Batman’s bringing Little Dante here, like right now, in the Batwing. He said he’s dead!”

 

“What? How?”

 

The computer alerts them.

 

“Incoming anatomical scan from the Batwing.” Batman’s sent them the scan of the Nephilim’s body. They both take a look.

 

“How gruesome,” Vergil grimaces, while Dante has to turn his head, the image disturbs him so terribly. “Someone must have really wanted him dead. Dante, I don’t think two Holy Stars can fix such mutilation.”

 

“No. No, something has to fix this. There has to be something!” They hear the jet land on the roof. Dante takes off up the stairs but Vergil calls out…

 

“No, Brother, let me go first.”

 

Dante pauses, Vergil quickly goes ahead of him. 

 

Outside on the roof, Batman’s already removed the stretcher with the covered body and stands next to the Batwing, waiting for Dante. When it’s not Dante that he sees, he steps in front of the stretcher, blocking it protectively, particularly over the fact that this person is armed with a katana.

 

“Where is the Devil Hunter?” he asks firmly.

 

“I’m the Devil Hunter’s brother and a Devil Hunter myself. My name is Vergil. Dante and I agreed that I should confirm what we saw on the scan before he does so himself.”

 

Batman nods understandingly, then goes to the stretcher and asks…

 

“Would you prefer I do it, or would you rather-“

 

“I’ll do it,” Vergil says, his stoicism creating a hint of formality, perhaps this might be a mere transaction. But as soon as he unfolds the top of the sheet and sees Dante’s face, his poised facade goes down the toilet. A look of grave disappointment and heaviness overtakes him. He shakes his head and scoffs.

 

“We just came back from Gotham. Looked everywhere for you, for a long time. If we had simply sat around here at the shop and done nothing, cared in no way, would this still be your fate? To be delivered to us like this? How ragingly cruel.” 

 

“I’m sorry,” Batman says empathetically.

 

Vergil removes his fingerless gloves and presses his palms against the Nephilim’s neck. 

 

“Your flesh retains some heat. Did you try to heal yourself? What time did he…”

 

“They arrived in Gotham less than three hours ago.”

 

“Did he linger there?”

 

“It’s my understanding that he did, but not for very long.”

 

“What a pitiful waste,” Vergil says, having slightly tilted Dante’s head, he fragilely tilts it back as it was, facing upwards. “My only relationship within the Sparda-clusterfuck, for which there was no baggage, no ugliness. Only vulnerability and compassion. I see your wings have concealed themselves, Nephilim. Your Devil Trigger, your veins. Disturbing.”

 

“I didn’t realize he was the same Devil Hunter that showed up at Arkham Asylum until I saw the scan. I looked for him after that event, he must have gone back to Limbo City immediately after it happened. It’s part of the Underworld, correct?”

 

“Correct. Damnit, I can’t believe this!”

 

Dante comes running up the stairwell from the loft, to the roof, where he rushes to the stretcher.

 

“Alright, move over!” he shouts. Getting a good look for himself, he halts in his tracks. Then, he becomes eerie, both Vergil and the Dark Knight can feel it. Anxiously, they remain poised when he darkly turns to face them. Vergil, unsure if he would react the same way to Nero in the Nephilim’s place, would almost prefer Dante to be more explosive. 

 

His voice gruff and deep, Dante asks with an undertone of rage…

 

“What the hell happened, Batman?”

 

“I wasn’t there but I know he was exposed to Fear Toxin.”

 

“Who did this?”

 

“I was informed that he was attacked by demons.”

 

“I understand,” Dante says, lowering his head, his skin paling. He goes closer to the body and puts his hand on the Nephilim’s right shoulder. Then he runs his fingers down his necklace, to the pendant. He holds it in his palm. Staring at it, he remembers what it was like to be his age. They watch him grip it tightly.

 

When he looks back up, Vergil gasps!

 

“D-Dante, your eyes.”

 

“We need to bring him inside,” Dante says, unaware that his eyes are turning completely black, black like the Nephilim’s veins. The sting of death between them is ghastly. 

 

“I really messed this one up. You were right, Vergil, we should have kept searching.”

 

“You need medical attention immediately,” says Batman.

 

“No,” Vergil says, “it won’t do anything. He’s a part of him. If he’s gone, a part of Dante dies too.”

 

Batman cautiously steps closer.

 

“Dante, no matter what things were like between you two, this was not your fault. That, I know for certain. He wasn’t in Gotham anymore. I know, I looked for him after that night at Arkham Asylum. Trust me, he wasn’t there, and he wasn’t in Gotham.”

 

“He waited for me because I understand him. Like no one else does. He loved me, he wanted me, he needed me, and I failed him.” 

 

He opens his fist and takes another look at the pendant, then realizes…

 

“I know what I can do. I know what I can do to fix this.”

 

“What do you mean?” Vergil asks.

 

“My sword.“

 

“No, Dante,” says Vergil, “I know what you’re thinking. Your feelings of guilt are not worth it.”

 

Dante pauses, then chuckles unsettlingly, letting the pendant go and turning away.

 

“Dante, our swords are-“

 

“Our swords are what, worth ripping off our sons’ arms?”

 

At this remark, Batman blocks both of them from the stretcher. 

 

“I won’t let you do that!”

 

“Wait, you misunderstand,” pleas Vergil.

 

“I took him away from someone who loves him, someone who was going to fire a gun in his own mouth over losing him, all so I could bring him to you. If your plan is to rip him apart, then I’ll fight you both to take him back.”

 

Inky tears streaming from his eyes, Dante begs…

 

“No! No, Batman, don’t take him away from me! Please. Please, I’m begging you.”

 

“Batman, Dante is a far better father than me. He doesn’t want to steal something from him like I did to my son. He wants to give something away. And I’m going to help him.”

 

“You are?” says Dante.

 

“I am. Batman, please, don’t take him away.”

 

Batman pauses to read their sincerity, his firmness unwavering.

 

“Fine, but know this, you two are not the only ones who begged me not to take him away. I had to choose between you or Red Hood. It wasn’t an easy decision, but now that I’m here, how can I help?”

 

Vergil puts his gloves back on.

 

“Help us move him. Can you still see, Dante?”

 

“I can."

 

“Then we’ll bring him inside now.”

 

Vergil and Batman cover the body back up. Then, as they detach the carrier from the stretcher and bring him down the stairs, into the loft, he suggests…

 

“Do you not have a hidden place under this building, Dante? Let us place him in there, where there is more space.” 

 

“Smart idea,” Dante nods. Still holding the carrier nice and steady, they follow him down another set of stairs, back to the ground floor, to his computer, where he enters a password. 

 

“We’re placing him in your safe room then?” Batman asks. A hidden door slides open, one resembling several trap doors in Wayne Manor. 

 

“Correct,” says Vergil. 

 

They enter a cyan-lit room that’s so large, it expands to match the same square footage of the shop’s ground floor. Laced with more of Cyborg’s technology, Batman wonders what exactly the twins intend on doing down here with a dead angel.

 

“I see the Titans built this place well. What are you going to do to him?”

 

“The floor is clean, right?” Vergil asks. “Let’s rest him here in the center.” They do so as Dante addresses Batman’s question.

 

“We’re going to try to bring him back to life. What else can I do? I have to try!”

 

“How?”

 

“I’m going to give him something inside of me. Like an organ transplant. I’m going to offer him part of my own flesh and hope his body accepts it.”

 

“Explain.”

 

Vergil joins in, “He’s going to offer him his sword. He’ll will have to cut himself open to do this.”

 

Dante elaborates, “My sword is a part of me. It allows me to Sin Devil Trigger, it allows me to transform into the most powerful version of myself. I’m going to offer him that power.”

 

Batman is blunt, “That sounds like it could kill you.”

 

“It might, or it might bring him back. It’s worth a shot.”

 

“And if it doesn’t work?”

 

“Don’t.”

 

“I told you, I have to, it’s my responsibility to leave him where he won’t be made into an experiment.” 

 

“I hear ya, Batman. I wouldn’t. Never. Come on, don’t you have kids? Would you slice one of them open?” 

 

“I don’t think I could, even if lives depended on it."

 

“Haven’t had to use this space until now. The Titans did do a good job, didn’t they. Feels like being in the tower.” It occurs to him. “He’s naked, isn’t he.” 

 

“Yes,” says Batman, “he needed to be cleaned.”

 

“You went through a lot of trouble. You’re a good man. Thank you for bringing him to me. You have my word that if we can’t,” he takes a deep breath, then forces himself to say, “if we can’t, then he goes in the ground. But we will. And when we do, I’ll let you know. Gotta find him a pair of pants. Batman, thank you again. I’m about to either have a nervous breakdown or save the day. Either way, humans shouldn’t be down here. Not even one as exceptional as you.”

 

“Oracle can receive messages from you now, Devil Hunter. Send me a message when you reach a conclusion. I want to tell Red Hood that things took a turn for the best, but not without evidence.”

 

“No more wasting time,” Vergil advises. “I’ll see you out and search the library for the right incantation to reveal his wings. Dante, you’re a lit fuse, a menial task suits you best for now. Find him a pair of your pants.”