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It was surreal. The child had been born almost two months ago, yet Vergil still had difficulty thinking of himself as a father. Admittedly, part of that was his age. He was fourteen, barely more than a child himself. And even beyond that, he was a boy who had barely known his own father. The idea that he could be a parent was absurd.

Yet absurd as it was, he knew it was the case. The black haired sixteen year old, barely starting to lose her extra weight from the pregnancy, was human, but the infant in her arms had a faint but unmistakable demonic aura. The woman in question frowned at Vergil, tilting her head in a way that could only be taken as questioning, and gave a slight huff. “Are you going to stand there and stare all day or are you going to hold your son?”

Vergil turned his gaze from the child to his lover's eyes and replied in a dry tone, “Lyla, I don't do well with fragile things. You know that.”

“No, I know that you don't like dealing with fragile things. But you've held him before just fine. And besides, how fragile could he be? He's your son.”

“You still use flattery to get your way. Is that how you convinced your parents to aide in the child's care, as well?” He responded with a teasing smirk even as he took the infant from Lyla's arms.

“Partly,” she admitted with mock embarrassment. “But it probably helps that he's Sparda's grandchild. I think most people here would love to have a chance to help raise the descendant of the legendary dark knight who sealed the Lacus Curtius.”

He scoffed, not even trying to hide his disapproval. “That's because they're either arrogant or thoughtless. Father left behind many enemies that even the best of this town's demon slayers would be powerless against.”

“Even the best, huh? Surely you aren't including yourself in that statement, oh mighty dark slayer.”

He averted his gaze, taking a sudden interest in the young boy playing innocently with the front of his scarf. “No...of course not. Here, take him back before he starts chewing on my clothing.”

She laughed, a sound that always made it difficult for Vergil to keep up his frown, and put her hands on her hips. “Now, he isn't that bad. Isn't that right, Nero? You can behave for daddy, right?”

Nero gurgled in reply as Vergil smirked. “He's a devil child, dear. I doubt he's capable of that kind of action.”

“Quarter devil,” she corrected sternly. “I'm human and you're half human.”

“Then I take it human children must be saints.”

The sarcasm in his tone was enough to make Lyla scratch her head sheepishly.

“Well-” She began to reply but was cut off as Nero started screaming.

Vergil sensed it too and tensed, looking toward the nearest window. Demons...and not the weak loners that so often found themselves attracted to the scent of the local Hellgate. Their power was nothing of note, but the numbers...

“Lyla, take Nero and inform your parents that the town is under attack. Whatever you do, don't leave the house.”

She glared, hand already on the spear leaning against the wall by her chair. “I'm coming with you.”

“No. You're still recovering from the pregnancy. I will not have you killed out of a foolish eagerness to fight at my side.”

She glared for a few moments longer before releasing the spear and taking Nero back. “Be careful.”

“I always am.” Vergil retorted as he walked toward the door. Of course, his reasoning for Lyla staying home had been more than he'd admitted. He suspected he would be going somewhere that was no place for an ordinary human.

Stepping outside confirmed that notion. The demons were everywhere, spreading out from the mountain at the center of town. Those in his path fell quickly to Yamato's blade, yet their numbers didn't seem to decrease. By the time he got to the chasm in the base of the mountain, the town's defenders, the spear-wielding 'knights' of the gate, were out in full force. One in particular, a man in his early forties with short brown hair and a pair of the iconic spears, intercepted him at the entrance.

“Vergil, you don't intend on going down there, do you?”

Vergil turned to look at the interloper and regarded him evenly. “Curtis. I have every intention of going down there. Our friends here seem to have found some way through this gate. That warrants investigation, don't you think?”

Curtis looked from Vergil to the cavern and back, then nodded. “Watch yourself. There are powerful demons still trapped down there.”

“I'll keep that in mind.”

“And if you're going, take this. It belonged to the man sacrificed on your father's sword to seal the gate. It might come in handy if that's coming undone.”

Curtis held out the fancier of his spears, old but ornate and well cared for. Vergil regarded it curiously but didn't take it.

“I thought that was only to be held by the head of you so-called knights.”

“Desperate times. Consider this a temporary deputization and concession of authority.”

“In that case,” Vergil began as he took the spear. “I'm ordering you to have your underlings evacuate for a few miles around the mountain. I can't guarantee that this won't be somewhat...messy.”

Curtis smiled wryly and gave a salute that Vergil couldn't help but feel was more humoring him than out of any sense of obligation. “As you command, young sir.”

“Just sir will do, Curtis. Or do you forget that despite my age, I could easily best your entire army simultaneously?”

“If I'd forgotten,” Curtis replied, now serious. “I wouldn't be allowing you to go down there at all.”

“Your concern is touching. Now, if that's everything, I'll be on my way.”

“Just keep what you're fighting for in mind. I know it's tempting to focus entirely on the job, but motivation is a powerful tool.”

“Is that all?”

“Just one more thing...”

Vergil glared, shifting impatiently. “What?”

Curtis suddenly lunged, plunging his spear into a hideous horned and clawed serpent reared up behind the half demon. “Don't forget to watch your back.”

Vergil turned, throwing the spear into the air to draw Yamato and neatly slice the writhing serpent in half. As the creature dissolved into dissipating mist, he sheathed his blade to catch the spear and hang it over his shoulders, looking down the stairs into the chasm with a smirk. A dozen more of the creatures were heading toward them, shifting between serpentine forms and clouds of dark smoke. With a snap of his fingers, he conjured four blue spectral swords. “I'll keep it in mind.”

Curtis drew a gun from his belt with his now free hand and pointed it at the demons. His shots rang out at nearly the same moment as Vergil's attack, reducing five more to screeching mist. An instant later, Vergil was gone from the top of the staircase, Yamato drawn and slicing through the air around him. He re-sheathed the blade without seeming concerned that the demons were moving toward him, watching as their own momentum tore them apart along the cuts he had left. Satisfied that they were dealt with, he turned and walked the rest of the way down the stairs.

Description
It was surreal. The child had been born almost two months ago, yet Vergil still had difficulty thinking of himself as a father. Admittedly, part of that was his age. He was fourteen, barely more than a child himself. And even beyond that, he was a boy who had barely known his own father. The idea that he could be a parent was absurd.

Yet absurd as it was, he knew it was the case. The black haired sixteen year old, barely starting to lose her extra weight from the pregnancy, was human, but the infant in her arms had a faint but unmistakable demonic aura. The woman in question frowned at Vergil, tilting her head in a way that could only be taken as questioning, and gave a slight huff. “Are you going to stand there and stare all day or are you going to hold your son?”

Vergil turned his gaze from the child to his lover's eyes and replied in a dry tone, “Lyla, I don't do well with fragile things. You know that.”

“No, I know that you don't like dealing with fragile things. But you've held him before just fine. And besides, how fragile could he be? He's your son.”

“You still use flattery to get your way. Is that how you convinced your parents to aide in the child's care, as well?” He responded with a teasing smirk even as he took the infant from Lyla's arms.

“Partly,” she admitted with mock embarrassment. “But it probably helps that he's Sparda's grandchild. I think most people here would love to have a chance to help raise the descendant of the legendary dark knight who sealed the Lacus Curtius.”

He scoffed, not even trying to hide his disapproval. “That's because they're either arrogant or thoughtless. Father left behind many enemies that even the best of this town's demon slayers would be powerless against.”

“Even the best, huh? Surely you aren't including yourself in that statement, oh mighty dark slayer.”

He averted his gaze, taking a sudden interest in the young boy playing innocently with the front of his scarf. “No...of course not. Here, take him back before he starts chewing on my clothing.”

She laughed, a sound that always made it difficult for Vergil to keep up his frown, and put her hands on her hips. “Now, he isn't that bad. Isn't that right, Nero? You can behave for daddy, right?”

Nero gurgled in reply as Vergil smirked. “He's a devil child, dear. I doubt he's capable of that kind of action.”

“Quarter devil,” she corrected sternly. “I'm human and you're half human.”

“Then I take it human children must be saints.”

The sarcasm in his tone was enough to make Lyla scratch her head sheepishly.

“Well-” She began to reply but was cut off as Nero started screaming.

Vergil sensed it too and tensed, looking toward the nearest window. Demons...and not the weak loners that so often found themselves attracted to the scent of the local Hellgate. Their power was nothing of note, but the numbers...

“Lyla, take Nero and inform your parents that the town is under attack. Whatever you do, don't leave the house.”

She glared, hand already on the spear leaning against the wall by her chair. “I'm coming with you.”

“No. You're still recovering from the pregnancy. I will not have you killed out of a foolish eagerness to fight at my side.”

She glared for a few moments longer before releasing the spear and taking Nero back. “Be careful.”

“I always am.” Vergil retorted as he walked toward the door. Of course, his reasoning for Lyla staying home had been more than he'd admitted. He suspected he would be going somewhere that was no place for an ordinary human.

Stepping outside confirmed that notion. The demons were everywhere, spreading out from the mountain at the center of town. Those in his path fell quickly to Yamato's blade, yet their numbers didn't seem to decrease. By the time he got to the chasm in the base of the mountain, the town's defenders, the spear-wielding 'knights' of the gate, were out in full force. One in particular, a man in his early forties with short brown hair and a pair of the iconic spears, intercepted him at the entrance.

“Vergil, you don't intend on going down there, do you?”

Vergil turned to look at the interloper and regarded him evenly. “Curtis. I have every intention of going down there. Our friends here seem to have found some way through this gate. That warrants investigation, don't you think?”

Curtis looked from Vergil to the cavern and back, then nodded. “Watch yourself. There are powerful demons still trapped down there.”

“I'll keep that in mind.”

“And if you're going, take this. It belonged to the man sacrificed on your father's sword to seal the gate. It might come in handy if that's coming undone.”

Curtis held out the fancier of his spears, old but ornate and well cared for. Vergil regarded it curiously but didn't take it.

“I thought that was only to be held by the head of you so-called knights.”

“Desperate times. Consider this a temporary deputization and concession of authority.”

“In that case,” Vergil began as he took the spear. “I'm ordering you to have your underlings evacuate for a few miles around the mountain. I can't guarantee that this won't be somewhat...messy.”

Curtis smiled wryly and gave a salute that Vergil couldn't help but feel was more humoring him than out of any sense of obligation. “As you command, young sir.”

“Just sir will do, Curtis. Or do you forget that despite my age, I could easily best your entire army simultaneously?”

“If I'd forgotten,” Curtis replied, now serious. “I wouldn't be allowing you to go down there at all.”

“Your concern is touching. Now, if that's everything, I'll be on my way.”

“Just keep what you're fighting for in mind. I know it's tempting to focus entirely on the job, but motivation is a powerful tool.”

“Is that all?”

“Just one more thing...”

Vergil glared, shifting impatiently. “What?”

Curtis suddenly lunged, plunging his spear into a hideous horned and clawed serpent reared up behind the half demon. “Don't forget to watch your back.”

Vergil turned, throwing the spear into the air to draw Yamato and neatly slice the writhing serpent in half. As the creature dissolved into dissipating mist, he sheathed his blade to catch the spear and hang it over his shoulders, looking down the stairs into the chasm with a smirk. A dozen more of the creatures were heading toward them, shifting between serpentine forms and clouds of dark smoke. With a snap of his fingers, he conjured four blue spectral swords. “I'll keep it in mind.”

Curtis drew a gun from his belt with his now free hand and pointed it at the demons. His shots rang out at nearly the same moment as Vergil's attack, reducing five more to screeching mist. An instant later, Vergil was gone from the top of the staircase, Yamato drawn and slicing through the air around him. He re-sheathed the blade without seeming concerned that the demons were moving toward him, watching as their own momentum tore them apart along the cuts he had left. Satisfied that they were dealt with, he turned and walked the rest of the way down the stairs.