The world roared past me in a blur as I plummeted through the storm. My heart pounded louder than the wind, and lightning lit up the sky in flashes as I descended toward the spire of the demon tower. I could already hear the symphony of steel echoing up from below, Dante and Vergil, locked in a brutal dance of blades. I tried to track their movements, but they were blurs of red and blue, crashing together like twin storms.
The tower loomed beneath me. I aimed my pistols, gritted my teeth, and squeezed the triggers the bullets screamed through the air and exploded between them. Their clash stopped for half a second, just long enough for me to crash down between them with a thunderous CRACK, landing in a superhero pose that did not feel as cool as it looked. Pain radiated through my legs. I let out a growl.
Dante smirked, "Well, damn. It's raining men now?"
Vergil narrowed his eyes. "Who are you, and why are you interfering?"
I stood, legs wobbling, and answered with fire in my voice: "Name's Jasen. Leader of the Slayer Corps. I'm here to recruit you and to stop something worse than Hell opening up."
I gave Vergil the quick version, about Umbrella the viruses and how they will consume the world. Dracula and, Mundus and something ancient and vile stirring beneath reality. Vergil's face twisted with skepticism.
"So," he said coldly, "First that Umbra Witch comes spouting nonsense about viruses and the illuminati. Now a dog from the US government hoping to 'recruit' me?" He scoffed while holding the virus vial in his hand. "Amusing."
I blinked. "Wait, Umbra Witch? The Illuminati? Wait have you met Jeanne? "
Vergil didn't elaborate. "I will only say this once, stay out of my way, or I'll cut you down. You and Dante both."
Dante sighed. "Come on, Vergil. At least hear him out. Jasen's not the bad guy here. He came here here with a legitimate offer to help you out."
At the foot of the stairway leading up the platform, Jeanne watched the duel above through narrowed eyes. Her hands tightened around her pistols, ready to act.
But before she could take a step, a cool voice whispered behind her. "Not another move."
A sharp chill pierced her back. Alucard stood inches away, a pair of gleaming Ebony-enchanted daggers drawn and pressed against her spine.
Jeanne chuckled. "Alucard. It has been a while."
His golden eyes didn't blink. "Not long enough."
"If you'd shown this kind of passion back then, we might still be together," she purred.
"Cut the games Jeanne." His voice was ice. "Why are you here? Are you with Vergil?"
Jeanne turned her head just slightly. "I'm not with him, you don't have to worry about that, he's far to young for me, plus he's a brat. I'm just here to make him an offer. Either him… or Arkham. While Arkham is despicable, he is useful. And that man… the one who just fell from the sky…"
She paused, sniffing the air.
"…he smells like Sparda… and Mundus… and something else entirely."
Alucard's grip tightened. "What are you after Jeanne?"
Above, Vergil vanished only to reappear in a blur of motion, Yamato slashing toward my chest. I couldn't react in time.
But Dante was there, Rebellion crashing into Yamato mid-strike, saving me by an inch.
"Move, Jasen!" he barked.
I stumbled backward as the two vanished into motion again, blades sparking in the rain, their shockwaves so violent they parted the stormclouds around us. I pulled my pistol again, focusing on where I felt they'd land next, a flicker of instinct sharpening my senses. I threw my combat knife, but Vergil caught it mid-air.
Then I unloaded both pistols at him, enchanted rounds infused with power. I know they would do next to nothing to him, but this was all I got
Vergil's blade moved with a blur, slicing every bullet, catching them midair… and redirecting them back at me. My eyes widened.
A heartbeat later, I was the one being riddled by my own bullets. Pain tore through me. I dropped to one knee. Oh they sting more then the regular ones alright.
For a moment, my vision blurred… but something stir inside me. A pulse of power surged through my body. My eyes burned with light golden-yellow, slit-pupiled.
Vergil paused.
"…What are you?" he asked.
But he had no time to linger. The clash resumed. With a sudden advantage, Vergil outmaneuvered Dante, slashing across his chest and snatching the red half of the amulet from his neck. Before Dante could react, Vergil grabbed rebellion, plunging it forward, aiming to finish Dante.
But I was already moving. My inhuman speed kicking in. I appeared between them. I tried to stop Vergil.
Only for the blade impaled me clean through my chest… and through Dante.
Time slowed. I gasped, staring down at the Rebellion blade lodged through me.
Vergil's eyes met mine.
"You crazy bastard," Dante muttered.
Vergil's face was unreadable. He took the red amulet and walked away, turning his back towards us as if nothing had happened.
My vision dimmed. I fell to my knees, my blood staining the tower stones. Darkness crept into the edges of my sight.
Then… I heard it.
A low pulse. A drumbeat of power.
A golden light burst from within Jasen chest, blinding and pure. The wound in his chest sealed itself in an instant. His body trembled as he pulled rebellion out. His muscles surged with strength, his skin darkened into an ebony black, and golden veins pulsed across his form. Horns grew from his head as his clothes shredded off him, as Jasen grew taller and bigger, unable to contain the power.
He rose a radiant black and gold aura erupting around him.
A demonic howl tore from his throat, shaking the very tower.
The rain clouds above parted, letting a golden black beam of light's force bursting through.
Dante looked up, eyes wide. "What the hell… Jasen?!"
Vergil turned slowly. "What is this?"
While below
Jeanne's smirk dropped for the first time. She looked skyward. "The demon… has awakened."
Even Alucard blinked. "Jasen… what did you just become?"
[Image of Jasen right here]
Volume 1 Complete