The Darkness and The Angelus

-New York-

Gunfire. Shell casings dropped to the ground as members of a particular crime family fled from an alley. There used to be eight when they started. Now there were four. Word was that the Don of the New York crime family returned from the dead. That he was weakened and recovering.

The aspiring members of the rival families decided to try and make a name for themselves by going where the rumored recovering Don was said to be. Sadly, they chose the wrong target. Evident by how the withered body of the Don sprung to life and summoned black serpentine beings that tore through four of the aspiring thugs. They gorged themselves on the hearts of the bodies and the Don's slowly improved. Though, more than anything he was furious at the fact they came in and shot one of the only men who could help him out.

Slowly, he walked after them as the street lights burst from his power. The serpentine heads lunged forward and tore off the leg of the thug who was slower than his friends.

"AAAAAUGH!! Please, I'm sor-" 'BANG' His pleas were silenced by a gunshot to the head.

The Don continued, looking more like he was doing a simple chore rather than killing armed men who were still shooting at him. Bullets hit his body but his pain tolerance was nothing to scoff at. The wounds healed as quickly as they came and before they knew it, the last three were cut in half. Courtesy of the right serpentine head, its teeth slick red with their blood.

"Fuck.. Fuck.. Fuck!" The Don kicked the head of the now corpse as the heads devoured the remaining hearts.

He rapidly began to look better as a dark energy swirled up his body. His aged features fading and replaced by a man with shoulder length black hair. His clothes were still tattered but he didn't seem to care.

"How the fuck will I find her now..? These fuckin' pricks shot Johnny!" He said, spitting in the face of a dead thug.

"𝕵𝖆𝖆𝖆𝖆𝖆𝖆𝖈𝖐𝖎𝖊.." The Darkness spoke in his mind.

"I'm not dealing with your shit.. I have to find Jenny" Jackie picked up their pistols and tucked them away in his tattered pants.

"𝕵𝖆𝖕𝖆𝖓.. '𝕴𝖙' 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖇𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊. 𝕸𝖞 𝕯𝖆𝖚𝖌𝖍𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖌𝖗𝖔𝖜𝖘 𝖎𝖓 𝖕𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖗" The Darkness spoke, it's inhuman voice making Jackie grimace.

"Japan...? Fine. Somethin' did feel weird a little bit ago" Jackie admitted, unhappily returning to where he walked from to see his friend writing on the grass still.

They were under a bridge in Manhattan. Jackie had just gotten out of Hell courtesy of working with the Darkness. Though his relationship with the Darkness was strained, since it had been trying to convince him he was insane by pulling him into illusions. A tactic meant to get Jackie to give up his control once more. Fortunately, he saw through it and worked to get his dead girlfriend out of Hell.

Only to realize she was the host of the Angelus. The opposing force of the Darkness. It had been trapped in Hell since World War Two and seeing a pure soul such as Jenny's had been trapped there, it took her as its host.

Jackie gently lifted his friend with a grunt and a muttered curse before looking back at the city.

"First, I gotta get Johnny here some help.." Jackie sighed and started walking to the closest hospital.

"Th-Thanks.. Jackie" Johnny Powell muttered, clutching his gut wound.

"Yeah yeah.. I still need you, Johnny. Somethin' in Japan. The Darkness said the Angelus would be there. You know why?" Jackie said with a huff as he passed the bodies.

"Augh.. Okay.. Maybe? There's that freaky cult that-ugh! ..Wants to reproduce the Witchblade. And that company that makes human weapons.. I think the Witchblade's still there?" Johnny groaned out an answer.

"The fuck is a 'Witchblade'?" Jackie asked.

"I'd be happy to- ow! Tell you.. when I'm not bleedin' out. God.. first, you escape Hell after going missing for a month.. Then I get shot by some two bit punks.. Now this! Just great.. Really, I love working with you, Jackie" Johnny said, teeth grit in pain.

"I see you're in a 'mood'. I'd ask if you were on your period but seein' all your blood on me-" Johnny grunted again.

"Fu-ugh-ck.. you" Johnny cursed.

-Tokyo-

The Angelus had felt it immediately. Once she escaped Hell, she knew there was much work to be done. The Darkness had been free in the world since World War Two and she soon found herself busy. Purging heretical cultists, demons, witches and other creatures she found abhorrent. Recently she had arrived in Japan as an answer to her Daughter's increased power. She often tried to pull her over to the 'Light' side but its hosts always had a degree of freedom she herself never gave hers.

In Jenny's body and Soul she found a perfect vessel. One pure of heart and mind despite her tagic past and end. A beautiful body fitting her tastes. Jenny would be perfect if not for the love she showed for the host of the Darkness. But seeing as there were nothing else in that prison but demons, she couldn't be choosy.

As she flew across the ruined buildings in Japan, she felt them. She grasped the tip of Tokyo Tower and stood still as a scowl made its way to her face.

"Human weapons.. Clones of my daughter..!? What a wretched place this world has become" The Angelus spat out in contempt.

Inside, she felt Jenny disagreed with her statement and silenced her. Before long, she found where her daughter was.

-NSWF Compound, two days later-

~This was a terrible idea..~ Raven thought, suppressing a groan.

Pride chuckled within her head, ~"You can't say no to our kids. Face it, you're a sucker for them"~

~Not true.. Not unless there's danger anyway~ Raven retorted with a huff.

Pride hummed and raised her brow, ~"Then what do you call walking into a cult full of Cloneblade women with Yang while blatantly donning the Witchblade?"~

~This? Not even a threat. Yang can solo quite a few of the women here easy. I'll probably be taking a few of the cloneblades too. I think Neo wants them for darling Tearwyn's Valkyries~ Raven smirked, seeing Yang show her off to the women they walked by.

Quite a few of them were Clobeblade wielders but none had the courage to look at Raven's face. The armor of the Witchblade was especially intimidating on Raven. Though she was still rather exposed, she pushed through the embarrassment because Yang wanted to see her in it.

They passed by Reina's office, seeing her assistant Shiori standing outside her door, gawking at Raven. Her eyes lit up and she transformed right in front of them, pointing her crescent arm blade at Raven in a mix of excitement for battle and an increasing Lust Raven could feel directed at her from her authority.

"You.. You're way stronger than that disappointment!" Shiori licked her lips sensually as she took a step forward.

~"Does she want to fight or fuck I wonder?"~ Pride asked in amusement.

Raven rolled her crimson eyes and sidestepped a swipe from the blue armored woman. "Tch.. Probably both I reckon"

"Beat her ass, Mom!" Yang cheered, pumping her arms as she waited for the incoming violence.

Reina had just run out of her office to see Shiori attacking Raven. Who she just now found out was wearing the Witchblade. Thankfully, Raven was just sidestepping away from her attacks with an amused smile on her face.

She ducked Shiori's swing at her torso and hit her back with her hip. Shiori was about to charge again when she found herself suspended in the air by Raven's bladed hair tips. Her arms and legs restricted as Raven pulled her in close, observing her face. Shiori was panting with a flushed face as she closed in on the most dangerous and enticing woman she'd ever seen. While Raven was looking at her dilating pupils and traced her armored sharp fingers across Shiori's armor.

~Cracks. She's going to die soon. It's not very stable. Mentally it's turned her into a lust and war craving weapon~ Raven thought as she cupped her chin.

"Shiori!" Reina approached carefully, watching Raven and Yang with utmost caution.

"Don't worry. I have no intention to kill her. She's dying even now, actually" Raven said a little too carelessly.

Her casual tone had unnerved Reina but Yang shrugged as she looked up Shiori.

"Oh yeah.. I see little cracks. Is there any way to save her, Mom?" Yang asked curiously.

Reina's heart skipped a beat as she looked at the black and crimson-haired woman who had the struggling Shiori at her mercy. Raven raised her brow at her daughter and smiled.

"Why? Do you want me to save her, Little Dragon?" Raven asked with a warm smile.

"Ehhh... Maybe. She seemed more fun to fight than this lady. More hand to hand. I need a sparring partner too" Yang tilted her head and replied casually.

"I can. She just needs a dip in Artoria's black waters. The regular ones anyway.. Full power would kill her outright" Raven replied, thinking to herself.

"Excuse me? You can solve the issue with the Neogenes?" Reina asked urgently.

"Is that what you call yourselves? Yes, I can stop the decay of your minds and bodies if I assume all of you have the same issues if you overuse the Cloneblades" Raven replied, seeing Reina's eyes lit up in hope.

"Then can you help us? I'm sure our leader-" Reina stopped once she saw Raven hold her hand up.

"I could but why? What do I have to gain?" Raven asked with a flat expression on her face.

"I believe I can answer that question for you" An older man in white stepped over from within the crowd around them.

"You're the current wielder? I must ask that you give the Witchblade to me. I can ensure we create the proper wielder for it" He smiled as Raven frowned and slowly looked around at the women that surrounded her and Yang.

"Ah I see. That's why you invited me" Raven smirked, looking at the paling Reina.

"No.. We can't-" Reina was interrupted by the older man.

"All will be fine. I will create a perfect host with the next generation of Neogenes. Thank you for securing her, Reina" The old man smiled before signaling the women all around him.

All transformed immediately, brandishing their weapons at Raven and Yang. Yang grinned and pulled her blade from its sheath as her eyes and body ignited in a beautiful crimson flame. Raven snorted before pulling Omen out and cutting a rift open back to the shared dimension before tossing a struggling Shiori in like a sack of potatoes.

"I see twelve of you here, not including Reina. That's a serious disadvantage, you know?" Raven smirked at them all as Yang waited eagerly.

"Haha.. Yes, well you can't expect us to play fair. The world is not a very kind place after all" The old man replied with a condescending smile that made Raven and Yang laugh.

"Are you joining in? I advise you not to" Raven warned, seeing Reina's difficult expression.

"I.. will not. Just please.. I request you do not kill them" Reina requested and stepped back.

"Enough. Sever her arm and kill the girl if she resists too much. I want to see if she can be indoctinated" The old man ordered.

That sealed his fate then and there. Threatening her children right in front of her was asking for death. That was what he received when he saw Raven's claw buried into his flesh. His ribs grasped by a grip that could bend steel. He gasped as an inconceivable pain assailed him. Raven pulled her hand back, holding the front of his rib cage with an expression that screamed '𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲'. The next second, she walked away from him, heart in her hand.

It was beating, though she made it so using magic. Each beat sent agony throughout his body as she slowly squeezed it in front of the twelve shocked Neogenes.

"Very poor choice of words, Worm" Raven glared at the old man, prolonging his suffering for another ten seconds before squeezing her fist shut, blood splattering her exposed skin.

She looked at the Neogenes again, the edge of her lips curling up in a predatory smile as her eyes glowed.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Let's dance"