Vergil rose slowly from the hole his body had made in the stone floor. Dust and shrapnel fell from his shoulders, but his eyes... his eyes burned blue, almost savage, like two blades of ice glinting in the darkness.
His laughter broke the silence. First low, then high, until it became a booming cackle that echoed throughout the prison.
"Hahahahaha!" Vergil wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. "That... THAT is exactly what I wanted."
Naberius watched, motionless, the flaming crown casting golden reflections across her flawless face. Her smile was soft, as if she were facing an inevitable spectacle.
Vergil, however, raised his still-stained sword and pointed it directly at her.
"Listen carefully, Naberius..." His voice deepened, firm, vibrating with power. "Don't involve them in this. Don't touch any of those women." This fight... is between you and me.
The words weren't a plea. They were an order.
