Castlevania: Darkness Never Dies

Fan Fiction

Continued...

Part 1: Gathering darkness.

"He lay his tired head on the stone and dreamed about a ladder going all the way up to Heaven."

1. Moses: 28, 11.

Chapter 10: Cross a fear.
Warakiyan village, Warakiya. The 8th of December 2098 A.D.
He ended the ceremony and the grave-keeper did shovel the three formal shoves of earth over the coffin. His helpers then started to close the grave. He did shook his head. How many would have to die before they would see? Captain De Travis, a tall one-leged hawk of a man, with a white moustache, shaggy eye-brows and dressed in a captain's uniform, did cry silently over his oldest granddaughter's grave. "This is the fourth child to die in the same number of months." He said as he walked over to the captain and his sons. "You have said so before." De Travis said. "I warned you about what would happen if you dared throw dirt over my little child ever again. Chase him off, I don't want to see this so-called priest ever again." The two men at his side, keeping huge fierce-looking dogs, did make their move upon him. He grasped his belongings and then ran. The old graveyard didn't have its own church, like the new cemetery, and he feared that the dead resting here would be in danger. He shook his head as he opened his umbrella, there was nothing he could do about it. "Father Jeremiah, wait a moment." He turned around, the wind grasped his white scarf and slang-cape and it took him some time to bring them back in order. "Here." She said, giving him his wide-brimmed hat which the wind had taken from him as he was putting his other clothing in order. Thanking God for the cape and his tick coat, he smiled at the young child. "Sophia." He said, presenting her one of his fingerless-gloved hands. "What can I help you with?" She cast a quick look around before she placed something inside his hand. "I must go." She softly said. "Grandfather will soon miss me." She ran off, he took a step, wanting to follow, then shook his head. He and De Travis had once bean good friends, but now he wondered if anything could be as it had bean ever again. Then he looked down in his hand. She'd given him a ring, with a tiny diamond on it, and two bracelets, one of gold and one of silver. It warmed his hearth to see that someone still remembered the traditions of the church, giving him a gift for his services toward a family. "God be with you my child." He blessed before he again started walking. As he came into the village, he almost started crying again. Humans, sons of this very same village, dressed in the black and brown uniforms of the new order was almost everywhere, marching back and forth through the streets. "Hellow old man. Do you feel lonely to night?" From under a lantern, three girls, all of different nationality, did call at him. How they, dressed as they where in black leather-jackets, short skirts and thin T-shirts, could sustain the cold was a true riddle for him. "Be gone in the name of Christ." He said in a low voice, they merely laughed at him. "Go home and play with yourself!2 One of them, a black one looking like the leader, shouted after him. The two other girls, a Romanian one and a Russian one, did resume the calls. He did just continue his walk. What else could he do? He had himself prepared them before the entry into the church, but they had betrayed God when they became prostitutes to give these men pleasure. They did look a little pale and he knew why they'd become that. De Travis's daughter and the other good children of the city wasn't the only one who'd died latlely. He'd buried some of this "wild flowers", as they where called, in the past weeks too. He did stopp dead in his tracks as he saw three huge dragon-like creatures did fly pass him. They paid him no attention, he didn't even know if they'd really seen him. But it was best not taking any chances. He ran the last few quarters back to his home and did gasp as he finnaly halted before his own house. "My God, not let this happen to me." There was light shining from the windows, he'd turned off all the lights before he went to the funeral. He crossed himself and walked to the door.

Old Priest yard 21, Warakiyan village. The 8th of December 2098 A.D.
He could hear them all out in the hall. Moans and gasps of pleasure, screams and outbursts of lust. He grasped toward his trouth, bringing out his crucifix. How had they entered his house, he didn't have time to think about that now. From a secret niche in the wall he brought out a vial of the body of his God, not to mention the blood of Christ. He did the sign of the cross, before he picked them up and silently walked at the living-room. Margaret, his little house-maid, was deeply indulged in sexual endurance. A dark-haired, dark-brown eyed undead with light-brown skin and another one, a sun-haired blue-eyed luxurious vampire was "teaching" the poor house-maid in their way of life, if he could call their existence that of course. He shook his head. It'd bean a dreadful mistake of the girl to let these creatures in. As he watched, the red-haired bite into her neck, as the brunette force her to drink of her blood. "One true God, from eternity to eternity. This is the Blood of Christ, a tribute for the delivering of sins!" He opened the bottle and prepared to threw the holy liquid at the unholy duo, when a hand grasped him from behind. Dust formed into a tiny Japanese girl who did threw a strange web-like cluster at the two vampires. "Christ guide my hands!" A boy with a whip shining like whitish silver in his hands did step out from the shadows just as a bulky, middle-aged man did run from the kitchen, armed with twin shot-guns. "Let him go Gobanze. You're not getting away this time. Prey your prayers and let us finish this haunt once and for all." The boy said. He looked over his shoulder and almost wished he hadn't. A towering man, clad in a pitch black armour and cloak, with a gruesome helmet with wings and horns decorating stood behind him. Blue fire, formed into eyes and a mouth, laughed at him from inside the helmet and made him shiver in fear. "It is you who shall die." The roaring hateful voice growled at th.m. Then blasts of black lightning flew from the knight's one armoured hand. The boy slashed his whip and the lightning disappeared. "I know you and your powers." He said as he prepared the strange whip for a new defence-strike. "You was once like me. A knight who dreamed about becoming a mage with the power to save people. My ancestor, Christopher told about you in his journal. He told me that you gave up the dream and wandered off. And was like this when he saw you again. He didn't know what you have done, but Simon understood it. He wrote about it in his chronicles. All humans needs to have a dream, but your dream has turn into ambition. Ambition is the shadow of greed, I didn't lay when I said I hope God forgive you." He did look upon the boy with wide eyes. He sounded like an adult who'd studied the Bible for years. Wait, he'd spoked about Christopher and Simon. Hope rouse in his hearth. If this truly was a Belmont then God had heard his prayers. "Fool!" Gobanze roared. "Your dreams is nothing but false speakings of your deceiving uncaring God." "God care about all things. Human arrogance make us blind to see his wonders. You did kill the ones who survived Armster while we was gone speaking with the harpies and wyverns. You have bean deceived by your own ambitions and lust for power. I'll not attack you, but will do so if you not let go of the old man you have there." Then, before the dark knight could answer, if he intended to do so, the two vampires did jump from the floor with claws and fangs at the ready. The little Japanese spread her hands and threw bones, of all things, which made the sun-haired one burst into fire. The bulky man at the kitchen door shoot bullets from his guns and destroyed the other vampire. "They where not powerful ones." The boy said. "You didn't intended on facing us here. This is an agenda righted against this man." He didn't want to go on with this any longer. Without warning he threw the bottle with the holy blood behind him, but to his eternal sorrow, he missed. "Good shot little priest." The demonic knight laughed. "But not good enough. I'll take care of you later." It was like he did just disappear. One moment he was there and the next he was gone, like a shadow. "George, check the girl." The boy said. "Noriko, please, can you see if the vampires is really dead?" The girl nodded and the two went on their missions. It still was quite surprising hearing the boy sounding like a battle-comannder. "Are you allright mein Herr?" He did knelt by him, he hadn't noticed he'd fallen on the ground when the dark knight had let go off him. "My name is Christian Morris of the Belmont clan." A weak smile appared on his childish face. "Who're you who has some of the blood of Christ?" He returned the smile and slowly got to his feet and sat down in his favourite seat by the fire-place. "My name is Jeremiah Brasher, priest of Britza village." The boy sat down beside him and told him his story which really made his eyes grew vide and his mouth fell open. "So," He said when the boy finnaly became silent. "the dark lord really has returned." It wasn't a question but Christian nodded anyway. "Your little friend here seams to be all right." George, the bulky man who'd shot one of the vampires, said. "I'm not sure, but I think they didn't got any of their blood in her. With rest she'll be just fine." He nodded and George kinkly lifted her up and carried her up the stair in the back of the living-room which lead to his master's bedroom. Christian and Noriko went out on the kitchen and started preparing food for him and his serving-girl. He smiled. For once, this old house felt like a home.

Camp, Warakiya. The 8th of December 2098 A.D.
It had bean a catastrophe. The black knight should never have come here. But now he was here and he had to cooperate with him. General Lupine gave her a look, she was careful not to use her powers so that he shouldn't be turned into stone. "Britza is a village without importance. The local cell of servants has it well under their control so why should I send you any soldiers just to eliminate one priest?" "Because lord Dracula have ordered us to dispose all priests and other servants of Him in the areas where the new order rule." The black knight said through the hologram. "The locals are in charge of such things. The Belmonts are here somewhere and I am concentrating all my troops on haunting them. If he is to attack them with an army or other organized resistance I will not help you. And Gobanze, do not try to force the true commander down there to go your errands." The hologram vanished without any replay and Lupine smiled. "He is hiding something." She calmly said. "Of course." He merely said. "That is why I intend to send a contingent of victory armours and demon-knights to investigate the matters further." "With all due respect sir, we only have the group lord Dracula sent with me to aid you in your search." The general nodded. "I know that. But here I am in command." Then a grin crossed his face. "And if I was to send you down there too, it would be perfectly legal." She did actually smile. He was just as good as the circle of blood had told her he would be. "As you say sir." He nodded and went to gather the troops.

Old priest yard 21, Warakiya. The 8th of December 2098 A.D.
George had gone up to Margaret with some food and now they all sat around the table eating what Christian had fixed for them. "Now," Christian said. "could you please tell us what's going on in Brizta?" He swallowed the potatoes and meat he had on his fork, before answered. "As you can see, Dracula has this village under his rule. I don't know if we should be lucky or not that there is mere human soldiers here, but that was until newly." He took a sip of water before he continued. "For or five months ago a man called Oldrey came to our village. Before he left us, a girl called Jasmine Olden died. Then boys from her class at school started falling ill and died. Their parents all made sure to burry them in the old graveyard. I don't know if for sure, but I think that is also part in Jasmine's plan. If I'm right that she's in actuall command of this happenings. However, I have taken my free initiative to behead and impale them. But the town-guard figured that out and told it to the parents and now bought they and the parents have placed guards around the resting-places. The result is more than dramatic. The prostitutes have bean drained of blood but none of them have died yet. So my question is, have you any suggestions about how to end this all?" Christian did finished his meal and then he and Noriko did went to clean the dishes. "When they returned, they had with them more glasses of water to themselves and goblets with wine to the adults. "I was a salesman of the army and think I know something about this." George said as he took a sip from his goblet. "After what I've seen the cells seams to to fall together when you remove their heads." Christian nodded. "I think you're right. If you free the soul of the origin of the curse in one area, all who had bean hit by the curse will be freed." Noriko gave them some quick look, giving away her understanding of their language. "Sorry," He said in Japanese. "We're speaking about what to do with the vampires." He quickly told her what was going on. "Then we must find this Jasmine's grave." He told them what she'd said and they nodded. He smiled and they rouse from the table. George gave them a nervous look. "Don't keep this against me but I'll stay here and guard Margaret." He nodded and clapped his arm. "I don't. Stay here and trust us that we'll do what's need to be done." George smailed and turned around and walked up the stair in the back of the room. "Lead the way." He told father Jeremiah.

Graveyard, Warakiya. The 8th of December 2098 A.D.
She did look around. This graveyard was beautiful, in a strange exotic way. With piles of snow, pine-trees and grave-stones placed in strict lines. The snow blew with the wind and… The wind? There was no wind. Just from the grave before here a rotting raving corpse shrouded in a white funeral-robe. She shook her head and summoned the gargoyle essence and threw three lances right at him. Two pinned right through its body and the last one chopped of its head. Christian was at her side, whip in hand, whipping at other corpses who where rising from other graves. "Those who wander in the shadow of death, your souls belong to God, from eternity to eternity, amen!" Jeremiah did sprinkle around himself with the blood of Christ and the walking-corpses burst into fire. They raved back to their graves and disappeared back down. "Not bad." Christian said. "God is really with you father Jeremiah." The boy did the sign of the cross. The priest shook his head. "That was all I had left of the Host's wine." Even as he spoke, more wandering dead started rising from their graves. "We must find her grave quickly before we get overwhelmed." Christian said as he cracked his strange whip at the ones coming at them. She nodded and summoned the spirit of the gargoyle.

Old Priest court 21, Warakiya. The 8th of December 2098 A.D.
He did load his gun as he slowly walked toward the door. "Enter in the name of God." He said as he pointed the gun at the girl who did enter. "In the name of God, Christ and the Holy Ghost," She said, facing him as she calmly spoke each and every word. "I'm no servant or slave of Dracula or his master." She did the sign of the cross and he lowered the gun. "My name is Sophia De Travis." She said as she brought of her coat, placing it upon one of the hangers in the hall. "I'm a friend of father Jesaiah and I've come to tell him that my father have seen walkind dead in the graveyard and now believe in him. He has gattered the people of the town. We've imprisoned the human traitors and the prostitutes who served the vampires blood." He nodded and smiled. "That's good news. The father and some of my friends have gone to take care of the head-vampire." She gave him a look, then returned the smile. "I should've known you did know about it too. My father only said I should tell this to the priest but I'll tell it to you now. He and some of my friends have closed the village-gates while some of the others are looking for Gobanze." As she said so, he felt how chills went down his spine. "You shouldn't try going against him." He nearly shouted. "He's a servant of darkness. He's possibly nearly as dangerous as the dark wanderers." He did walk painfully back and forth as he said this. He knew what his duty was, to defend the people against the forces of Dracula. So much he'd figured out by fighting against the monsters inside that hell-hole of a mansion. But he'd also promised to stay here and protect Margaret. He didn't notice he'd spoken his mind out loud before Sophia put a hand upon his shoulder. "My boyfriend and my brothers are outside now, some of them might protect Margaret and this house while you go and find Gobanze?" She softly suggested. That really left a weight of his shoulders. "Let's go and ask them." He said.

Forest, Warakiya. The 8th of December 2098 A.D.
He felt how his eyes grew larger, then he gathered himself. "You try to tell me that a banner carreing the sign of the cross waves over Britza." Medusa was so shocked that she merely nodded. "Hell swallow them all!" He cursed as he hammered his hand his fist into his other open hand. Then he grasped a hold on himself. "Concentrate your troops around the village." He ordered. "I will give the command over to my two aids and the ones you brought with you from the castle and take what troops I have here to join you there. This town is to be crushed." "Yes sir." Medusa saluted him and the hologram vanished. "Remises, Akmodan! Get your rotting corpses over here. And get the rocky charkas of that Leviathan with you." They gathered around him as quickly as they could. "I am going to crush that village for revolting against lord Dracula and you are to keep it quiet down here while I'm gone." HE knew it had bean a catastrophe sending Gobanze out to search for the Belmont and his girl. He was a dominating fool who thought to good about himself. Well, he was a good commander in battle, but this wasn't meant to become one! "Now gather the troops."

Graveyard, Warakiya. The 8th of December 2098 A.D.
It didn't felt good, it didn't looked good and it didn't even smelled good. He shook his head. The wandering dead had disappeared a few minutes ago, but somehow he almost wanted them back. Now the wind really was blowing and that being the only sound made him feel even more nervous than when the dead had bean swarming all over them. He took a deep breath and did the sign of the cross. "God, guide us and let Your will be, amen." HE softly prayed as he, Noriko and father Jeremiah did wander up the sloped leading to the crypt on the of the Olden family. Jeremiah lifted the tiny bottle containing the blood of their god into the air. "By the blood of Christ who died for our sins, I summons you from darkness into light and cast you back into Hell. One true God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, from eternity to eternity, amen." He did the sign of the cross together with the good father and did then bring out his envelope in which the pieces of of the Host rested. "By Michael the Archangel, Johannes the Baptist and St. Peter the apostle, glory be the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Lead us and guide us as we wander through the valley of darkness, amen." Noriko did look upon them and then mumbled something which sounded like a prayer in Japanese. Evend dough he'd bean learning quite fast he wasn't that good yet. "All true Kamis," She said after doing three ceremonial clasps. "give us the power to withstand the power of the Onis and make our family be proad of us." The last she said in English so they should understand. He smiled at her as she did end the summoning with yet another trio of clapping. When they where so prepared, the priest brought out the key to the crypt and opened the door.

Crypt, graveyard, Warakiya. The 8th of December 2098 A.D.
As they did step inside, he again wondered if it was right bringing children into this. They had fought gallantry when those wandering dead had attacked, but this was different. This was vampire hunting. Just as he was about to lit an old candelabra standing on an alcove in the wall, it became enlighted with a sickening blue glow. "Greetings father." A young musical voice sounded and from the shadows someone came walking toward them. It was her, she recogniced her from the Mass before the vampires came. She was still as dark-haired and grey-eyed as he remembered, and she was still as beautiful as he remembered. No, she was even more beautiful than ever before. She had grown into a woman, with a woman's body and a look in her face which told she had seen more than he would ever do. "Whore of Satan." It was Christian who silently cursed her. That broke the spell he hadn't noticed she'd cast over him. Agains she was the little girl she'd last seen her as. She was on the border of becoming a woman but wasn't an adult yet. And there where other things which made him look away. Her soft grey eyes where now filled with Hell's fire and her eyes and ears where that of a bat. Her lips where full and crimson, with sharp beast-like fangs and a voluptuousness which almost made him throw-up. She was like an evil joke of the kind girl he'd once known. With a wave of his hand, he threw the vial containing the blood of Christ at her and missed her fattaly. She turned into bats and even dough he managed to burn some of them, she appared in another part of the crypt seemingly unharmed. "May God forgive you of your sins." Christian was on the offensive as he did bring out his crucifix. His eyes grew large as the boy did make a multitude of silvery crosses appare over his head and then explode outward with holy energy. Just then, the little Jaøanese girl threw three lances right out of nothing and pined the vampire to the ground. Jasmine screamed and then disappeared as bats yet again. "You must've missed the hearth." Christian said as he did crack his whip at the bats who did come at him. He brought out the hammer he'd brought here to use on the stake and destroyed some of the bats by himself. As the girl did manifest yet again, she looked upon something beyond them and then seamed to faint. She fell down and lay motionless before them. "The sun is finally rising." Christian smiled. Then the boy turned to Noriko. "Go out, you don't have to see this." She nodded and went outside. The boy said a soft prayer, to low for him to hear, before he did motion for him to help him carry her. "I don't know which coffin is her's." He said as he came over to him. "It is that one my child." He said, pointing at the coffin closest to the door. Christian nodded and they joined as they bought lifted her and put her inside the already opened tomb. He did look down upon her for one last time in this state and tried to look her as she'd once bean. "Will you read the prayer?" He did merely nod. He'd thought this would be easy just because it had bean easy giving the others back to God, but it wasn't. He opened the book of the hymns and started speaking the one in the ritual of burials. As he did so, the boy folded his hands and said a short prayer, before he started. He picked up a stake from his own backpack and a hammer. Then said another prayer before he placed the stake over her hearth and striked. The scream almost made him go deaf, but in some strange way he'd found strength in the ritual and did continue the simple yet beautiful ritual for those who are dead and is wandered to God. Again Christian prayed a short prayer before he picked out a short-sword from his backpack and cut of the stake's pinted end so that it could stay in the hearth. Then he did find forth a little wooden cross and some garlic. He knew what was to come, but he forced himself to watch as Christian chapped of her head, then filled her mouth with garlic and then placed the head the other way up and put the cross over the head. As it was all over, the boy said another prayer before he put the head back where it should be and then put the cross into her hands. "The ones who wander the paths of Hell, your time is over. What was taken have bean restored. We belive in the resurrection of the body, forgiveness of sins and the life everlasting. God is with us, as He is with you, amen." They bought did the sign of the cross and then sunk upon their knees. As that happened, Noriko came back in and knelt beside them. "May she be welcomed by her family in the next world." She brought forth a piece of paper, with strange-looking symbols upon it, then she lighted a match and burned the paper in fromt of the coffin. He put his hand upon the little girl. Even dough she where no Catholic, she was a kind-hearted girl who thought well about those who where dead. As they did all get to their feet, she softly told them that, outside, there where someone waiting for them. "A man called De Travis, a younger woman of the same name and George." Her English was not good, but he understood what she meant. A light of hope became lit in his hearth. "Then let us go and meet them." He said.

Britza, Warakiya. The 8th of December 2098 A.D.
He knew he'd found him as soon he heard the crowd scream. It was at the plaxa at the hearth of the city, beside an old well. The dark knight sat upon an equally black horse and was blasting of black energy at random, seemingly just to amuse himself. He did bring out his guns and fired a twin shot, not at the black knight, but at his hoarse. He gasped as he saw it transform into shadows and the black knight then stood just before him. He heard a strange clicking sound and then jumped on instinct. A chained hook shot just past him and he did fire at the knight's head. He felt how chills went down his spine as the helmet exploded and nothing could be sean. Gobanze merely withdrew the hook and then bent over and picked up the helmet, placing it back on its shoulder. "You shall die." The way he spoke it, it was more a statement than a promise. He swallowed, his throat suddenly felt dry like sand. The knight drew his sword and black energy appared around the blade. Almost without thinking, he brought out one of his vials of holy water and threw it right at the blade which exploded and this time he didn't just let go of it, the blade shattered into pieces which seemed to burn the gloves and armour where they hit. "Die!" Black bursts of energy was sent at him with a shocking speed and he had no other chance then run or die on the spot. He threw some more vials of holy water, destroying some of the spheres, but for the most part he ran. Then the black knight stopped, why he didn't know or cared about knowing. He dashed at Gobanze and pressed the throwing-cross right at its abdomen. Black and silvery energy blasted everywhere as they bought screamed in pain and anger. Then he was forcefully thrown backward as Gobanze just exploded, sending burning pieces of steel and iron all over the place. "Curse you, that was such a good body!" HE looked upon the little lizard-like creature who glared upon him with burning eyes. It still had the hook-shot and it still could fire bursts of black energy. Bought he got a quick and painfull experience of as the little pest pierced his leg with the hook-shot and burned his arm with the other attack. The throwing-cross had burned into a crisp and the buns lay where he couldn't get them, all he'd left was a vial with holy water. "God be with me!" HE shouted as he jumped at the little creature and black energy tore into him. He screamed in pain as he and the lizard collided with each other.

Graveyard, Warakiya. The 9th of December 2098 A.D.
He did look around. Now when the sun was shining over the snow and trees in the graveyard, it looked really nice in here. Then he noticed the two standing just outside the crypt and he quickly went over to them. "Where's George?" He asked them. By what Noriko had told he'd expected to meet him just outside. "He's at the inn." The old man said. "I'm sorry, but he became wounded in battle with knight Gobanze and our doctor is unsure if he's to survive." The thought of George dying made tears go down his face. He'd seen so many die and without John or anybody else to turn to he almost didn't know what to do. Then he saw Noriko who was speaking her bad English, trying to get some information from them. When he told her, she demanded to be taken there. He did also want to go there, but wasn't sure if he should. But when Noriko asked it, he knew it was right. It was allways better to know than to guess. As he went along, he felt how tired he really was and the next thing he noticed was that he lay on the snow, then he fall asleep.

Graveyard, Warakiya. The 9th of December 2098 A.D.
As he fell to the ground, she ran right to him. She thanked the Kamis as she noticed he was merely sleeping. She could understand that. He'd bean up all night and the entire day before that. "Hel my carry?" She asked in an English who was badder than ever. It often became that when she became exited. She shook her head, the Warakiyan people did at least understand her as they picked up Christian and carried him down toward the graveyard gate, where they put him upon a horse-driven wagon. "Jump up." The driver said, presenting her his hand. His English was just as bad as her's but she understood him and grabbed the hand, climbing up on the seat.

Forest, Warakiya. The 10th of December 2098 A.D.
She accurately placed an arrow to her bow. If it was one of the village-fools she would have him stoned just as the arrow pierced his or her hearth. "Medusa, we are here." She turned around and faced Lupine, this time sided by two vampires, dressed in black hoods and robes, this time. "Stay where you are." She hissed as she once again wheeled around and again had the bow at the ready. But now it was gone, whatever it was. "I'm sorry sir." She said as she brought the arrow back in the quiver and hung the bow over her shoulder. "What do you got sir?" "Vampires, not that they are to much use in sunlight. But for the most there is lizardemn, goat-men and human servants." He shook his head. "A few darksides and snake-men joined us along the way. In total we have less than 1.000 soldiers How about you?" She shook her head. "Except for the victory armours and rock fighters you sent with me and some more human servants, I have less then 200 soldiers." The general nodded. "All to many where spread following Armster's defeat. But no matter. When the sun set, our living dead friends will join us." "Indeed they will." She smiled with excitement and her superior returned it. "You're servants of lord Dracula, aren't you?" By the sound of the strange voice, her sword was out from its scabbard as fast as a lightning bolt and wo was her shield. But however fast she was, Lupine was quicker. He had his sword out and so had his vampire aids. From the bushes, a youthful looking human male, dressed in a black leather-jacket, trousers, boots and a cap, appared. "My name is Charles. I was an informant of the former village-guard of Britza. My grandfather and my sister and borther are servants of your enemy." The boy quickly said. "And there's Belmonts in the town too. They know you're out here and plan to send them out of town through a secret entrance." She nodded. She'd bean with lord Dracula when he made sledge to this city when Simon was the one to do battle against them and knew about the entrance. "I'll go there and stop them." She said. "There's more." Charles said. "I don't know if it's important, but he has with him a girl who seems to absorb folks like you." She felt how a smile appared on his face. "It's her sir." She told Lupine. "The one lord Dracula want us to find." The same grin she had on her face appeared upon Lupine's face. "Then go and bring me her to me." "Yes sir."

St. Andrew's & St.Simon's church, Warakiya. The 10th of December 2098 A.D.
He felt him before he saw him. As the dark presence came closer, he stayed on his knees before the candle he'd lit before the image of Saints this church was build for. "What bring you here, your highness?" The warlock lord seemed to tower over him in his black shroud of a robe. "Since I am a spirit, I might enter a church." The enemy answered his greetings. "Although it bring me great pain and strips me of all my powers, I might still enter." Then his voice became… HE didn't know what, but he knew it was a threat. "I know Noriko is with you. You know she belong to the other side. Give her to me now, I speak for all of us when I speak these words, that you and all your family and friends shall be spared. Your churches shall not be left alone and we shall only hunt for what we need. We shall not turn anyone into vampires, all shall die or be healed by your powers." He shook his head and then did the sign of the cross. "Be gone in the name of God." He softly yet determined said. "Your words are poison from Dracula and Satan. I will never surrender my friends to you or anyone of the dark wanderers." A hiss, or so it sounded, came from the warlock lord as he from within his robe unsheathed a short blade so dark that I almost gave of its own form of none-light. "I could have killed you now." The forsaken one said. "And your soul would have belonged to me. You know, as I do, that no mere human, and that goes for Belmonts too, cannot defeat me." "Maybe not." HE said as he cracked the Vampire Killer. "But I'm sure I can strip you of your disguise and send you naked and shapeless back to the dark lord." The warlock lord nodded and then resheathed the blade. "You and I shall face each-other again in battle." He said as the darkness tightened around him. "Somewhere where your God cannot help you." Then he was gone. "You where right." Father Jeremiah came wandering out from the shadows at the alter. "They are hunting you and your friend. And if they really took upon them the pain it is for a dark spirit to enter the house of God, they really wants her. I will give you the blood of Christ as you asked me for." He smiled up at the old priest. "Thank you father. I know it's not my right to ask for the blood of Christ," He did the sign of the cross. "but when Dracula wans's something the Belmonts must do whatever they can to stop him from getting i." The priest took his hand and lead him up to the alter. There he removed the red light signalling there where Host blessed in the name of God in the church and opened the secret fax and then brought out the simple yet beautiful crystal-bottle containing the holy liquid. "In the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Ghost, let it be done, amen." They bought prayed and did the sign of the cross. "May the Lord bless you my child of the Belmont clan." "My He bless you too father." He said, once again doing the sign of the cross. "Come, they are waiting for you." He nodded as he put the crystal-container into the purse where he stored the Belmont's crystal weapon. Then he followed the good father out the door of the church.

Britza, Warakiya. The 10th of December 2098 A.D.
They where all there. Father Jeremiah, captain De Travis, his granddaughter Sophia and her boyfriend Jackob Creshner. Her brothers, James and Charles where there and Dr. Kepler, the one taking care of George, stood there too. They had all said their's goodbyes and blessings and now he was climbing down the ladder they'd sank into the well. Just to be sure he'd desided to go down first in case there where some of the dark servants down there. He cast a last look upon the goog people of the village before he ventured down into the well. He prayed to God that these men and women would outstand the dark servants who where gathering outside their walls and that they could once again meet each-other when this was all over.

The bottom of the well, Warakiya. The 10th of December 2098 A.D.
It was pitch-dark down in the well, but thank to the lamps father Jeremiah had given them, they at least could see where they walked. As they reached the bottom of the well, she noticed that what Jackob had said was true, the water was still running free, as if there where no ice on the land above. She could only hope they didn't freeze when they came back up. "Over here Noriko." Christian took her hand and led her over to where the water ran out from the mountain and led further inn. Here there at least was a dry cliff to walk on beside the water. She shuddered a little as he did whip at the spiders and bats which where inside the tunnel. "The dark lord has many creature in his services." He calmly said as he did threw the boomerang-cross at some fishes in the river. She saw him smile as they didn't burst into fire like the bats and spiders had. "Even beasts and birds could be spies of Dracula. You remember those ravens that flew over us while we entered Armster's domain?" She shuddered, how could she have forgotten those threatening birds? "Stop!" He said, she did and they smelled the scent of rotting flesh drift toward them. "Witches who weren't witches, women who died in the so-called "water-test" was thrown into this well." Christian said as he prepared his whip and throwing-cross. She nodded as she did summon the spirit of the spider-woman. "In 1688, when Dracula was resurrected, he invaded this village who then was called Jova. Then dark spirits rouse from this well and became part of his army." He fell silent as their enemy came into view. It was the corpse of a woman, with banks of dripping-wheat hair hanging down over her what was left of her face. Skeletal hands came from the just as weath robe and grasped at them. "They're called Cruellas and might curse you if they should touch you." He said as he cracked his whip at the rotting creature. She shuddered as she heard it moan and then bursti into fire. She then dashed past him and threw a web over yet another Cruella who had stalked the first one. But it wasn't over with that, more cruellas came swarming at them and so did bats and spiders. She danced, that was the only correct word for it, around and threw webs and poisonous orbs of spit, another power she'd gather from the spider-women. Then, just when she thought they would be overwhelmed, it was all over. Christian stood leaning to the wall, then he suddenly lifted his head and smiled to her. "This is the place." He said. "This is the place Simon Belmont buried his artefacts after lifting the curse Dracula had plased on him." "You mean, there could still be artefacts in here?" He nodded. "I hope so." His face became thoughtful. "If only I can remember the correct words…" He drifted off as he seemed to look right into the solid rock wall.

The bottom of the well, Warakiya. The 10th of December 2098 A.D.
To see beyond the ordinary, that was what John and the pope had tried to tell him. He concentrated his mind and tried to remember from what he'd read from Simon's chronicle.

Paragraph from Simon Belmont's chronicle.
The 19th of October, the year of the Lord 1691.

Jova, Warakiya.
I writhe this so that my descendants shall not forget what happened with me and know the dangers of Dracula, the lord of darkness. I understand the importance when I read the journals of Sonia, Trevor and Christopher…

So I went back through the forest of death, the war was over and the treasures God had given me along this journey should not go unused. So I went down the path which lead to the tunnel to the city's well and there I stored some of them. The whip, the laurels, the daggers, cross, holy water and axe is weapons of my family and shall sty with me, but the other mysterious artefacts I stored behind the eye of the god, there tey should be safe from…

End of paragraph.

He did open his eyes and then went some few metres down and smiled. The side-tunnel where just where Simon said it would be. "Where ar you going?" Noriko asked him. "Father Jeremiah said we should follow the watery tunnel until we got out in the forest." She threw webs at some Cruellas who came drifting down the tunnel, he almost didn't pay attention. Down the corridor and then… He stopped dead in his track, before him the tunnel opened up to a larger room with tiny stome-pilars with perfectly sculptures of naked women. He blushed and then remember that Simon did say something about that type of statues from his adventure in 1688 when Dracula did first rise. He took a deep breath and walked out under where rays of moon-light shone down upon a complete circular pond of crystal-blue water. "The eye of God." He whispered, nearly shocked by the ponds beauty. "Wait up here Noriko." He said as he put away the whip. "And please turn around." She nodded and did as he said. He brought of his cloths and then dived into the water.

The bottom of the well, Warakiya. The 10th of December 2098 A.D.
He was so cute and so shy. She felt how her cheeks became red as she thought about it. But then she thought about that she was eight and he twelve oo perhaps older and that she was a creature of chaos just as much as the Cruellas was. She hadn't told Christian all she'd heard them talk about. Not that they'd said that her powers came from Dracula and that she sooner or later would become his pawn either she liked it or not. Told her that when she died her spirit would become one with the dark lord once again. "Don't look." Christian's head did appeared from the water. She quickly turned around and didn't turn until he put a hand on her shoulder. She turned and noticed he'd redressed and did hold a package wrapped in leather. But what she also noticed, which made her mouth fall open, was the undead bony head of a dragon rise from the pond behind him. He noticed her face, dropped the package and had his whip in his hands just before she started telling him was what going on. He threw himself right at her and pushed her to the ground as the creature breathed a wavy ball of flames at them. He then jumped back up and threw his boomerang-cross right in its head and then followed up with some vials of holy water. The creature screamed and pieces of its spine flew right at them and not just at them, they flew all over the place. "Take it easy." He smiled as he did retake the throwing-cross and put it back into one of his purses. "It was merely a bone dragon, no king." She didn't fully understand, but now the creature where gone and Christian bent down and did start to open the leather-package. "Here's the morning-star I've searched so long for." HE brought up something which looked like a spiked silver-ball and hell it over the whip. He mumbled something she couldn't hear and the whip and the ball became one. Then a flash of silvery light blinded her and when she could see again, the whip was no leather-whip anymore. "Some of my ancestors, like Juste Belmont, did store these things so that their descendants could use tehm when they where to face Dracula. It's said that Richter Belmont and some other did enchant the Vampire Killer with the morning stars before they started their adventures and…" HE shook his head, she placed her hand over her mouth so he shouldn't hear her giggle. Christian again looked into the package. "The silver-daggers." He picked up one dagger after another. "I know that he stored the golden ones but these things where merely a lengend." He smiled as he put them into his clothing and also hung one on his belt. "This I'll store for John." He brought out a strange hour-glass-looking object and something who looked like a bracelet of flowers. "The stop-watch is something Torah should never had gotten to use. I know it was a gift to her family, but it's nothing a sorceress should use." She cast him a look. Never before she'd beard him sound so serious. "Do that thing actually control time?" He nodded as he put the last two objects into his backpack. "The flower-bracelet is on the other hand something Torah should have, it amplifies the healing powers of the laurels or so I've heard." She got back up on her feet. "Now that this is setteled, could we please get out of here?" She pleaded. He laughed. "Of course Noriko, of course." He got to his own feet and then they walked out of the tunnel and into the watery-cave again.

The bottom of the well, Warakiya. The 10th of December 2098 A.D.
More Cruellas did attack them as they wandered down the corridor, as did more bats and strangely enough, rats and some of the fishes. As he cracked the whip at them, they all burst into fire and disappeared. But had it not bean for Noriko, the ape-skeletons who did came out from the numerous side-tunnels, he might not have pulled it through. He shook his head, now they stood before a statue shaped like a fish-like monster who spit water from its mouth. Pillars of raw-rock rouse from the floor where ponds softly ran here or there, and statues of ape-skeletons, Cruellas and fishmen stood everywhere. The tunnel did end in a slope who ended in a winter forest, lighted by the calm light of the moon. There where something wrong here. If he could only… "Medusa." Noriko softly whispered behind him. "She's here." He nodded, that dark feeling did make sense. He slowly turned around carefully not to look her in the eyes. He blushed as he looked right into the most spectacular breasts he'd ever seen. He knew it was a trick trying to make him look her in the eyes. She hissed and a trio of snakes where thrown at him. He just as quick cracked the Vampire Killer, beheading the creatures. "Watch out!" Noriko's shout made him jump to the side as arrows went past him. He threw the boomerang-cross at the eternal-suffering snake-woman's bow and made it burst into burning pieces in her hands. Screaming in pain and anger Medusa threw the burning pieces aside and then shot a strange circle-shaped beam from her eyes. He knew what was coming and rouse his crucifix and concentrated his mind to God. Towering images of the cross, shaped from silvery-white energy rouse all around him and absorbed the stoning gaze. Then more energy blasted outward and blinded him. When he could see again, Medusa looked out from behind a strange stone-shield and blasted off another mass of snakes at him. Noriko dashed at them and trapped them inside more webs. Then she threw of bones which did explode against the gorgon mother's stone-shield. Medusa did counter by throwing more snakes just as she shot gazes to ward the little Japanese. He did bring out his throwing-cross and summoned the power of the crest of silver and threw it right at the gorgon. Silvery fire blazed around it and crashed into the shield and the sones shattered and pieces of stone did fly all over the place. "Get down!" Noriko jumped at him and dragged him to the floor. The gorgon-mother did blast beaming-gazes and snakes all over the place, even bringing out the arrows she'd left and shot them right at them. He did manifest the cross-barricade again to defend them against the stone-inducing beams before he threw some of the silver-daggers. The gorgon-mother did drew her sword and then just swung the daggers away with one swing. They returned to him in that strange way the mystic weapons did and he replaced them inside his clothing. Noriko sprung to her feet and then summoned the black energy of her spirit and executed a spell which made him face the floor and don't move in a long time. HE knew it was a disgrace of him doing so. But for the first time in a very, very long time, he felt fear well up in his hearth.

The bottom of the well, Warakiya. The 10th of December 2098 A.D.
She summoned the powers of the cracking skull and made energy blast down in a perfect circle around herself. It exploded and charges of black electricity blasted in multiply directions and she summoned the spirit-essence of the vampire and blasted out a wave of bat-inhabited blue flame-spheres. And even so, none of it hit Medusa. The gorgon-mother dashed and jumped and rolled to get out of the way or even shot gazes or threw snakes to block more energy. She threw herself to the floor and summoned more energy and made the tunnel shake. Medusa fell on the floor before she jumped right up and whipped at her with her tail, throwing her against the wall. She felt dazed as she picked her up with her tail and rouse her sword into the air, most likely to behead her. Then a silver-dagger bit into Medusa's tail. Medusa screamed and she threw a little rain of crimson needles and where they hit, it looked like acid had washed over her. She let go of her and she manifested bubbles of blue frost and threw them at her. Medusa swung her sword at them and it burst into many frozen pieces. The gorgon-mother threw away the icy-pieces and then threw more snakes at them. Christian was at her side, throwing vials of holy water at the snakes and then cracked the whip at the gorgon-mother and made her retreat more and more until she was out in one of the ponds. She whipped her tail at the young Belmont and threw snakes at him. The boy did threw his boomerang-cross at her and then followed up with more of those silver-daggers. Medusa did spread her hands, trying to fetch the daggers, but failed as they pierced into her lover snake-form. But it was the throwing-cross she should've concentrated upon. It did fly right at her and cut of her head. Then she did look upon them and exploded. Then a shining-white unicorn came galloping right at them with the cross, a multitude of crosses, shining around it. "The crest of whitish gold, situated in the very core of the temple of life." Christian smiled and lifted his hand at the shining creature. A flash of light blinded her and when she could see again, the Belmont did hold the usual cross in his hand.

The bottom of the well, Warakiya. The 10th of December 2098 A.D.
As he did turn to climb the slope of the tunnel-side when he reappeared, the warlock lord. In his hands he held a black rod with a blue perfectly-spahed crystal orb at the end. His hood was drawn back and a simple helmet was displayed, upon the helmet there was a crown. It was of red gold, decorated with black diamonds and with short yet sharp spikes going upward. Black and blue flames burned around him but it was still the chilling presence who did make him shudder. "You grows stronger." The warlock lord calmly said. "I do." He just as calmly retorted. "Your friends at the village is victorious. Our troops have bean forced to withdraw." There where nothing he could see inside the opening of the helmet, no nothing. But he was sure he could feel the black wanderer smile. "Why do you tell me this? Why do you haunt me this way?" "I want Noriko." The warlock lord said. "She belongs to the lord of darkness. She is a being of our side. You and the young master will sooner or later be forced to see it." He shook his head and then moved before Noriko. "She's a human, she'll have to chose her own destiny in life." The warlock lord did lift his head as if he could feel something distant. "We will meet again and then you shall know our power." Then he was gone. He wondered what had summoned him. Most likely more use of power, he shook his head again, a bad habit he'd taken on this last days and started climbing again.

Forest, Warakiya. The 10th of December 2098 A.D.
He did look around upon what was left of his troops. Even with the aid of the bone-soldiers and the walking dead they hadn't bean able to penetrate the walls of the village. He gnarled his teeth thinking about it. Even some of the victory armours the castle had sent him where destroyed and now this Cruella came to tell him that his second-in-caooand was dead too. He did turn to the holographic images of his two aids. "They know we have gathered our troops north-east of the marsh of the morbid morons." Remises pointed out. "Even if they are just as powerful the reports conclude they wouldn't dare go against more than 3.000 men. It would be suicide." Akmodan nodded. "If they intend to continue northward, the only place is to go right north through the dead forest and clean across the fogy lake to Aliba." "They could continue eastward." The Cyclops, his new second-in-command argued. "Ravenberg power-plant is no good alternative but it do have train-connection the entire way to the city." "You," He pointed at the Cyclops. "you two," He nodded at his aids. "and Medusa's former aid is to go to the shore north of the lake and wait there. Turn the command of the troops over to bone-captain Redhill and inform him to go to Aliba and report to the doctor fro further instructions." "Yes sir." They said before they vanished. "I don't understand sir." The Cyclops said. "Why are you giving your power over to the locals? When I and those other three are gone and the troops you've gathered are back in the city, you don't have anyone left." A smile crept over his face. "I still have enough troops gathered in the forest do do their life into a nightmare. Take the troops here with you and do as I command you." The Cyclops saluted him and did then go to gather the other officers. HE again turned into his beast form and started running. The Cyclops where a fool and so was the Belmont if they really thought they'd escaped him. He'd garrisoned the back-troops in the forest months ago when he first knew about his new mantle of power. The one who where many was a more than good commander-at-war. He did run as fast as he could.

Forest, Warakiya. The 11th of December 2098 A.D.
This forest was scary. There was only winter-naked green-trees and they made it look like the entire landscape was rotting. It was really a mystery, but somehow the green-trees had found a way to outlive the eternal winter without growing any leafs. He smiled, even as Death did his beast to destroy life, God gave the gift of life with a free-hand. It gave him hope, but it didn't make the forest less scary. The fact that the ravens where back wasn't exactly helping him suppress the feelings. But the most shocking fact, was that it seamed like the spiders and walking dead from the well did hunt them or something like that. Well, not exactly that, the spiders just where there and the wandering dead where not wandering dead, they where ghosts and that almost did matters worse. He didn't know why but he'd allways bean afraid of ghosts and these spirits, shrouded in dark misty almost see-through spectres did set his braveness on a hard test. Then again, the training down in the secret haunted catacombs under the Vatican had prepared him for situations like this so he just grinned his teeth and grasped his crucifix and went on. Beside him, Noriko blasted of a wave of bones, making one of the ghosts burst into fire. "Watch out." He calmly said as he threw a vial of holy water at another ghost. "We musn't set the forest on fire or the troops around the city might see us." The Cruz descendant nodded and he gave her a smile. "Thanks for saving my back while I refilled my vials." She greatly returned the smile. "No need to thank.Had it not bean for you I might not have found the courage to fight these spirits." He nodded. Telling her that some spirits where fought to leave their eternal sleep or had chosen to abonden it by their own free will was something she hadn't considered before one ghost did spit, or at least had tried to do so, on the gift she'd presented as he was refilling his vials. He cracked his whip and made some spider burst into nothingness. The great problem was that it was first now there where hordes of them. Something from Maria Renard's fragmented journal did drift into his memory.

Paragraph from Maria Renard's journal.
Underground catacombs, The 12th of July 1793 A.D.

That where yet another blue door. I felt how fear did go through my body. Adrian had carried me through the shadowed caves in these caverns of Hell's fire. "You should stay out of this." Adrian said as he turned toward the wandering deads who where no gathering at the centre of the room. "No." I said as I gathered my powers. I had stayed back to long, he was a vampire, but he had proved he was trustworthy of our couse. As they started to form into one giant blob I decided to face him. "I have read the chronicle of Juste Belmont, I know how to do this." He brought out his sword and shield and then saluted me. "So let it be in the name of God." I nodded and gotheter we did the sign of the cross.

End of paragraph.

Richter Belmont had brought with him his sister-in-law's diary, fragmented and unfinished to the Vatican and he'd never told anybody what've happened with her or Adrian Lecarde. He did shake his head. He'd read bought Juste's and Maria's diaries and knew what to do if it really should come to battle against a Legion. But he was afraid, terrified really, he did the sign of the cross. "God, give me strength." He softly prayed. Noriko did summon energy and blasted the ghosts coming at them into oblivion. Then she stretched out her arms and harvested two crystalline orbs as they came from the ghosts. He did crack his whip at a naked female torso and long slender arms from one of the trees, a wall-widow if he remembered correctly, smiling as he watched it burn. He hoped the entrapped soul would find forgiveness. Then they did came to a clearing in the forest and Hell broke loose around them.

Castlevania, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
Death, Tyrannos and the warlock lord was gathered around him. Nipora, Malus and Malphas was also nearby. He did walk down the stairs leading to the giant main-communication room of the audience hall. The leaders and commanders of the renegade bands and groups of refuges who had entered his domain. Some of these men and women had already pledged fealty to him as their lord, while other still where doubtful. "The world is changing." He greeted them. "You have seen your land and people be destroyed by the nature, twisted and polluted by those in the nations south, east and west from you. They live in luxury and bounty while you starve and freeze to death. This is not right!" He had begun in a low soft voice, but now he was speaking in a high and determined tone. "This is not right I tell you! They call you renegades, thieves and murderes when all you did was securing your survival. Europe did bring the light of civilization out to the world and they close you out here to die!" Many of them now nodded and mumbled their agreement, but that wasn't enough. He would end up with much more than that when he was finished. "They have grown soft and weak. Now you are many and you have become strong by struggle. Is it right to let them have it all for themselves!?" He felt how rage welled up inside them. "I already have an army and the weapons to arm many more men and women. Pick them up and you will have the strength to fight for was is rightfully yours and your children's!" He saw how their eyes became lighted with hope for their friends and people live lives of dignty once again. He waved his hand at droid-general Tyrannos. The half-droid/half were-bat nodded and droids holding guns and rifles, blasters, grenade-throwers and missile-launchers came inside and threw the weapons before their feet. "Take them and strike against those who keep you here!" He shouted. "Overthrow the ones in the Vatican who do hunt you and kills you for what you are. Then we shall wander southward and retake the lands of our fathers and mothers so that it can be our children!" "Heil der Graff!" It was his ones were-foxes, black-elves, human servants and other living servants who called this out and soon the human leaders did shout the same. "Join my legions!" He called. "You know my military leaders and they now know you. March together and no-one will be able to stand against us!" The commanders of his 13 brigades came marching inside the room and gathered around him. "The Vatican shall fall!" He shouted at them. "Then the rest of the world shall follow. They let you stay here to die of cold and hunger. Let them be the one to suffer this time! March forward, show no mercy. They have never showed you anyone. The time of independence has come!" They nodded and hailed him, eyes shining with determination and hope. "Gather your men and women!" He said. "Train them in the arts of war and then no-one will stand against you! The Vatican's thousands whill shiver by yours hundreds of thousands. We cannot be defeated!" He had them now. He was sure about it. All had indeed transpired as he had planned it. He was a ruler of men again and he should never let that power slip from his hands again. They had something to fight for now. Not him nor The master, but for life and the lives of their loved ones. He rouse his hand into the air, summoning a ball of blue fire and they applauded him like his supervisors had reported back in the 1930s. That man had bean a genious mastermind and tacticians of such brilliance he had not seen for hundreds of years. He had even during his last ruling months bean so clear in his mind that he had seen the armies of The master. It was a shame that man had disapared. If only he could have turned him to his side they would have ruled the world by now. As he returned to this time and place, he noticed that all, except for Death, Tyrranos and Nipora where gone. "General Tyrannos," He said, summonig the droid-commander to his side. "I want you to inform your droids to keep a sharp eye out for Shaft." "Yes my lord." The bizarre creature said, then saluted him and went out. He did follow him as he went. Beside Death, there where no allies left from the first time he resurrected. Of course, there where Gilles and Orlock, but they he had turned or resurrected later, they had not come to serve him as he returned as a vampire. This was not the time for such rubbish. To night he had taken the first step to retake the throne of this land who was so rightfully his. The Belmonts and their helpers where coming, but not soon enough to save their world. "Any reports of the Belmonts?" He asked Death. What he heard made him furious.

(A.N: This chapter is short, I know. But it's a build-up toward another highlighted situation when our heroes is to battle Lupine and the deadly trio. And again I guarantee I'm no fan of Hitler or Nazi-Germany. Another thing is that some of this chapter is dedicated to Bram Stoker's book. The unicorn is a creature from CotM and Medusa is a blend from all the games she'd appared in. Gobanze is a blend between how he is in the game and the iron doll.)

Chapter 11: The Story Continues | Back to Chapter 9