The tower vibrated under the pressure as Dante and Vergil stared at the towering ebony-skinned monstrosity that Jasen had become.
The golden hue in his veins glowed like molten lava beneath the obsidian flesh, and his horns curved menacingly upward. His gaze wasn't focused, but his aura radiated bloodlust. The sheer force of his aura distorted the air, vibrating with a power that was primal, and wild.
It was overwhelming, and chaotic, Vergil narrowed his eyes, scanning the hulking figure. "What… is this thing?" he said coldly, gripping Yamato in his hand, yet not moving, his battle-honed senses registering the danger in the air. But he wasn't afraid
Dante, was far more cautious than usual, he looked at Rebellion in Jasen's hand, the blade still catching glints of Jasen's aura. "Jasen... you in there, man?" he called out.
Jasen didn't answer.
Instead, he let out another deep, guttural roar. A scream that ripped through the very clouds. A golden-black shockwave of power radiated from his body.
The sky itself trembled. The clouds high above split apart violently as if the heavens themselves recoiled from his presence. The moon burst through the veil of storm clouds, casting its pale light directly onto the three below. It Reflecting his twisted transformation in it's eerie glory.
Down below, Alucard stood at the edge of the broken tower steps, eyes narrowed.
"What is that?" he muttered, voice hard with confusion.
Jeanne, crouched nearby, holstered her pistols and smiled slyly. "It seems that human flew a little too close to the sun... and burned away the last of his little humanity in the process."
Alucard's gaze flicked to her sharply. "What do you mean?"
She stood, her hair fluttering in the gust of power washing over them. "You have bigger priorities, my former lover," she said with a smirk, walking backward toward the edge. "Help kill it... or run. Things are about to get messy."
With that, she backflipped from the edge of the platform and vanished into the abyss of shadow and stone.
Back above, Jasen, his demonic body still radiating power, glanced at the Rebellion blade in his hand. He gripped the hilt with one clawed hand, then hurled it across the space, straight toward Dante. Dante caught it reflexively, skidding back a few inches from the force. Then began to twirl it in his hands with ease and brought it down. His eyes flaring red for a moment, power boiling in his body.
Vergil narrowed his gaze. "Dante, what is this..." Before he could finish his sentence, Jasen vanished from sight, appearing above him in a flash. His massive arm arched downward like a falling meteor. Vergil barely had time to raise Yamato to block, the force of the impact blasting the ground beneath them and cracking a massive crater in the tower's floor.
The impact shook the entire tower. Stone and dust erupted in waves. Vergil braced, teeth gritting, trying to absorb the sheer force of the blow. "Not bad," he muttered through clenched teeth. "But I expected better from that earlier display."
Jasen's gold glowing eyes narrowed. Then a black orb formed between his horns pulsed.
A golden light surrounded it, and then flared, mixing with black edges, and suddenly a ray of pure destructive energy blasted from the orb. It struck Vergil point-blank. He was flung down through the tower, Jasen screaming in fury as Vergil was launched through several layers of stone, leaving a trail of obliterated architecture behind.
Dante stepped forward. "Jasen! You need to calm the hell down...."
BOOM
Jasen appeared behind him, one massive claw already arched. The punch came down like a hammer thunder, as lightning struck in the background.
Dante didn't have time to dodge. The impact sent him through the tower like a rocket, crashing through five levels before slamming into a shattered altar.
Lower Levels – The Altar Room
Arkham stood triumphant, his foot pressed down on a barely-conscious Lady. Her blood pooled beneath her. Her gun trembled in her hand, but Arkham kicked it away.
Saiya dangled from his left hand, her throat caught in his grip, struggling to breathe.
"I expected more from you two," Arkham said, disappointed. "The Slayer's allies... how pitiful."
Then came the shockwaves.
KRACK
Vergil came crashing down through the ceiling, barely catching himself as he hit the floor with a thud. Moments later, Dante's body followed, landing hard and rolling across the cracked marble.
Arkham turned slowly, his eyes gleaming. "Well, well... this is getting interesting. You both saved me the trouble of looking for you." Lady groaned beneath his boot, blood trickling from her mouth. "It's not over Arkham."
She tried to lift her head.
Arkham stomped her back down, hard. Saiya gasped and clawed at his hand, then he threw her against the wall with a thud. That's when the air screamed again. A golden thunder cracked as Jasen dropped from above.
But he wasn't alone. In one hand, he held a beautiful vampire-like demoness by the throat. Her skin was alabaster, her eyes glowing violet, her lips curled in pleasure. "Oh, darling... So forceful" she whispered. "You don't need to be so forceful. My power... and my body... are yours."
Then she smiled wickedly and began to dissolve, her form melting into black-and-purple lightning.
The energy surged into Jasen's hand.
ZWWWWAP
The lightning coalesced and formed into a massive black-and-purple scythe, its blade crackling with chaotic thunder. The weapon pulsed in sync with his own aura.
His body hunched, Muscles flexing with barely restrained power. Saiya, still barely conscious, gasped from the wall. "Jasen...?"
Arkham tossed her aside like trash, turning toward Jasen, eyes wide in fascination.
"Fascinating... truly fascinating," he muttered.
Across the chamber, Dante groaned and stood, cracked ribs grinding under his skin.
He stepped beside Vergil. "Well," Dante muttered, blood running down his chin. "Looks like the party's getting a little to crazy."
Vergil raised Yamato slowly, his expression unchanged, but now more intrigued . "Don't blame me if I cut down your ally before you."
Dante didn't smile. He looked serious now. "He's a big boy. He can take it. I hope" Then they both took battle stances...Rebellion and Yamato humming with anticipation.
Jasen's demonic form twisted, and for the first time, he whispered something in a deep, warped voice:
"Yamato... separate." The words were broken... unnatural... like something struggling to remember.
Neither twin understood what it meant. But the energy flared again. Lightning crackled and danced across the altar floor. The Sparda twins began to glow blue and red in faint shimmered.
Alucard stood next to a barely conscious Saiya, one hand on his blade. Eyes narrowed. "We need to stop him," he muttered.
Arkham's gaze never left Jasen. He was in awe. Beneath him, Lady's body convulsed, but still twitched with life.
Jasen took one step forward, and the marble beneath his foot shattered. He raised his scythe to the sky. The black-and-gold lightning howled. The air bent. He posed like a devil ready to rain down death.