My Wives are Beautiful Demons

At Sapphire Agares' Mansion...

Well, how can I describe it? The mansion was an imposing place, almost as grand as its owner. Twisted trees reached toward the blood-red sky like claws, while flowers of impossible colors bloomed between black stones etched with ancient runes. Everything about the scenery exuded power and, above all... danger.

It was the perfect stage for a confrontation, especially between two forces like Vergil and Felicia.

Felicia, with her usual provocative smile, stood in a combat stance. She wore a simple training outfit, yet even that seemed designed to highlight her perfect curves. Her demonic wings were retracted, but her aura radiated confidence and power.

"So, my dear son, where's that smile of yours?" she teased, twirling a sharp dagger in one hand. "I guess you still don't understand your place, so let me spell it out for you... You're the challenger here."

Vergil, on the other side, held his katana firmly, his eyes locked on Felicia. He wore a black combat uniform with silver accents that gleamed under the spectral light of the environment. "You're the one who provoked me, Mother. I thought this would be a good opportunity to test your... evolution."

Felicia burst into laughter, a sound that seemed to echo across the courtyard and reverberate through the infernal realm. "You cheeky little brat, HAHAHA!"

Without further warning, Felicia charged. Her movement was so fast she seemed to vanish for a moment, reappearing in front of Vergil with her dagger already descending in an arc. He blocked it at the last second with his katana, the impact creating a shockwave that cracked the stone ground beneath their feet.

"Fast... but predictable," Vergil remarked, pushing her back with a precise strike.

Felicia stepped back without losing her balance. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Predictable? Oh, my son, you haven't seen anything yet."

She leapt backward, flapping her wings to gain momentum, and launched a series of crimson energy projectiles. Vergil dodged them effortlessly, disappearing and reappearing at various points in the courtyard, leaving shadowy trails in his wake.

"You'll need more than that," he taunted, appearing above her and coming down with a vertical slash.

Felicia twisted in midair, narrowly dodging and countering with a kick that struck Vergil's side. He was thrown back but landed gracefully, his katana already poised for the next exchange.

"You're improving," Felicia admitted, landing softly. "But you've still got a long way to go to catch up to me."

Vergil simply smirked. "We'll see."

He advanced again, this time unleashing a flurry of swift, precise strikes, each aimed at a vital point. Felicia dodged or blocked with her dagger, but the intensity of his assault began to push her back.

"You're taking this seriously, aren't you?" she noted, breathless yet still smiling.

"I always take you seriously, Mother," Vergil replied, his voice steady and filled with resolve.

Felicia decided to change tactics. She flapped her wings hard, creating a gust of wind that forced Vergil to retreat. Taking advantage of the moment, she traced a glowing crimson symbol in the air with her dagger.

The symbol erupted into a wave of energy that surged forward like a wall toward Vergil. He raised his katana, slicing the energy in half with a powerful strike, but the effort delayed him just enough for Felicia to appear behind him.

"Surprise," she whispered, before unleashing a blast of energy directly at his back.

Vergil was sent hurtling forward, but in midair, he twisted and landed on one knee, gripping his katana tightly. He looked up at Felicia, and for the first time, she saw something beyond determination in his eyes. She saw pride.

"You really are improving," she admitted.

"I said I'd prove my point," he replied, rising to his feet and brushing the dust from his clothes.

Both were panting now, neither willing to back down. Felicia fully unfurled her wings, her demonic aura intensifying. Vergil gripped his katana with both hands, lowering into a ready stance.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"Let's finish this. I'm too old to keep pretending I'm a young girl," Felicia declared.

"I agree," Vergil replied.

They charged at the same time, their auras colliding in the center of the courtyard. The impact was so intense it cracked the ground, shattered trees, and made the very air seem to vibrate with raw energy.

At the last moment, Vergil swung his katana in a perfect arc while Felicia dodged and countered with her dagger. The clash of metal against metal echoed like thunder, freezing the two combatants in place at the heart of the courtyard.

Then Felicia smiled. "Not bad, my son... but still not enough. You're still just a little fish."

Vergil wiped the sweat from his forehead with his forearm, panting as he tried to regain his stance after the intense fight. He looked at Felicia, a mix of exhaustion and determination burning in his eyes.

"You won this time..." he admitted reluctantly, a tired smile forming on his lips. "But I'll come back stronger. Count on it."

Felicia threw her head back in a satisfied laugh, patting him lightly on the shoulder. "I hope so! After all, you're my son. I won't accept anything less than perfection."

Vergil gave a brief smile, but before he could respond, hurried footsteps echoed through the courtyard. Roxanne appeared, breathless, her face pale and her eyes wide with panic. It was clear she had run as fast as she could. Find your next read on empire

"Vergil!" she called, her voice laced with urgency, drawing their attention.

He turned immediately, his expression hardening as he sensed the gravity in her tone. "Roxanne? What happened?"

She stopped, trying to catch her breath, but couldn't hold back the worry that poured from her. Her eyes locked onto his, filled with fear and desperation.

"Viviane..." Roxanne finally managed, her voice trembling. "She... she's dying."

Vergil froze for a moment, as if time itself had stopped. Felicia, still at his side, frowned, her expression shifting to something more serious.

"What?" Vergil demanded, his voice heavy with tension as he stepped forward.

"She's in the main hall," Roxanne explained quickly. "She's gravely injured... worse than anything I've ever seen. Even Morgana doesn't know what to do!"

Vergil clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles cracked, but he said nothing. His body disappeared in a blur of speed, moving like lightning toward the main hall.

When he arrived, the scene before him made his heart stop for a moment. Viviane lay sprawled on the table, a picture of devastation he would never forget.

Her right arm was completely severed, with shreds of flesh hanging loosely around the bloodied shoulder. Her left leg was destroyed beyond repair, reduced to fragments of bone barely held together by what little flesh remained. One of her eyes was obliterated, a mess of mangled tissue and blood streaming down her pale face.

But the worst was the wound on her torso. A massive hole gaped through her abdomen, grotesquely exposing her insides. Blood still dripped from the wound, pooling into a dark stain on the floor. Her breathing was shallow, each gasp a desperate struggle to cling to life.