cults, who were known as "guardians". At Vie de Marli, Dante meets another one, Lucia's mother Matier who, centuries earlier, exorcised Argosax (the evilest idolized demon) with the aid of his father, Sparda. She asks Dante to fight Arius, an international businessman whose Uroboros corporation installed itself on the island. Outwardly interested in "special ores" found there and developing the place, his true intent is to transcend mortality by absorbing Argosax's power after summoning the demon with Arcanas, holy relics hidden throughout Vie de Marli. Dante flips a coin in answer, and decides to help when the coin lands on heads. He heads off to exterminate demons and find Arius, while Lucia collects the Arcanas. Both fighters spot and chase a Uroboros helicopter flying from headquarters towards an oil platform. Lucia reaches it first and faces Arius, who reveals her origin as his rejected artificial creation. He claims that she is bound to turn on humans someday, then warps her away. Shortly afterward, Dante meets up with Lucia, who gives him the last of the Arcana and leaves. She infiltrates the Uroboros tower to kill Arius, but fails and is held hostage. Dante then encounters Matier, who asks him to take the Arcanas to save Lucia. Dante flips the coin again to decide if he will help; it lands on heads, and he departs to aid Lucia. Dante arrives and trades the Arcana for Lucia, then attacks Arius. To escape, Arius forces Dante to decide between saving Lucia or killing him. Lucia, worried about the ritual and conflicted about herself, wonders how they will stop Arius. Dante waves her off, stating he will find a way. Dante leaves Lucia to think as he departs to defeat Arius. Matier arrives a short time later, reaffirms their mother-daughter bond as stronger than blood ties, and persuades her to rejoin the fight against Arius. Dante arrives at the tower to find Arius in the middle of his immortality-inducing ritual. However, Dante is not worried as he switched the Medaglia with a non-sacred coin. Another fight ensues, in which Dante finishes Arius off with his pistols. Outside, Lucia confronts Dante and demands that he kill her because she fears she will become a demon herself. Before the issue can be resolved, a large stream of energy strikes the tower and a portal to the demon world is opened. Dante and Lucia argue over who