Castlevania: Darkness Never Dies

Fan Fiction

Continued...

Part 1: Gathering darkness.

"I knew you before you was created in your mother's raom. I marked you to speak to my people as a prophet."

Jeremiah: 1. 2.

Chapter 11: New Messiah.
Forest, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
He didn't liked this place and he had nothing against speaking his hearth. One of the goat-men cast him a look and he smiled and turned his head toward one of the stages. "This is a marvellous example of a mistress." The muscular cyclop shouted. "She's young and healthy." One of the lizardmen at his side forced the young girl at his side to take of the simple dark robe so that she stood naked to the world. He saw tears on her face. She must've freezing without clots. "Ruth," Anna asked in a low voice. "who's the Chinese vampire? The one with the braid and those victory armours? She's bidding on the girl just now." It was almost impossible knowing if she'd heard what she said, but the voice came out from her helmet with the usual hollow sound which made chills go down his spine. "That's Noail Hoa. She serves the dark lord by supplying him with girls. She's head of his servants, usual servants if you can call them that, and she's a quite powerful vampire too." He'd not paid any attention to what Ruth said, but now he recognised one of the girls who was about to be sold. "Here we have a strong young woman. Attractive and strong, with many assets and tricks in store on many areas." He grinned a meaningful grin. "She's unfortunately no virgin so I starts the round at the prize of 10 pieces of silver. Do I have 15?" Noail Hoa lifted an eye-brow, he didn't care if it drew atention, he lifted his hand. "19 pieces of silver." Noail gave him a cold hard smile before she rouse her hand this time. "24 pieces of silver." He gave her a smile sharp as a dagger, before he said. "27 pieces of silver." "Don't do this John." Anna whispered at his said. He paid her no attention and instead watched if the Chinese vampire would rise the stake. "30 pieces of silver, in the name of lord Dracula." The words was shut from her lips like frozen stones. "35 pieces of silver." He said without caring if the two victory armours by his opponent's side started looking at him. Then the vampire nodded. "Let him have the girl then. She is to pale for the dark lord anyway." The Cyclops nodded and two of the lizardmen took of the woman's chains and robes and brought her down to him. "Here, does these go as goods?" He held up some of the giant crystals he'd gattered along their journey. The lizardmen nodded and he gave them four crystals and they walked off. Then he noticed that Noail was coming over to him, her simple black robe blowing around her in the cold. The promsiquoce crimson silk-gown she wore underneath the cloak surely made him stare. She saw his gaze and stroke her hands along her slender attractive features. "Have good luck with your new girlfriend renegade. She cost you enough so I'll give you a good advice. Go to the women in the house called "Siren's pleasure". It's a good supplement after what I hear and they are more in your class." "Thanks my lady." He bowed, not daring anything else. "But I think I'll take it out with my new girl here first." The vampire smiled and then went back to bid on another girl, a Costa Rican one with long hair and looking like a virgin he thought. But how a Latina had ended up in Eastern -Europe, but he didn't had courage left to truly wonder about that. He thanked God of a full hearth for that she'd done nothing else than giving him a real fright. "Come on." Ruth whispered hollowly in his ear and dragged him along the podiums. "I just had to save you Liza." He told the light-haired Trantoil-descendant. She gave him a look, then just hung her head. He put his hand on her shoulder and she nearly threw it away. "Don't tuch me!" She nearly screamed at him. "I hate you, hate all men!" Some of the lizardmen and goat-men walking along the streets of the market roughly laughed. "She's gonna be a real mouthful for you!" It was a female vampire dressed in their favourite black cloaks and hoods who shouted at them with a gleeful look in her eyes.. He did merely stopp at a dressed to find her something to wear. The seller was yet another lizardman but by now that was such an ordinary look that he didn't even blink. A shirt, underwear, tunic, trousers, jacket and boots was cheap, but now it was Ruth who payed for them. He couldn't see her face, but he had a good guess she was smiling. He didn't have more crystals to give away to not make his weapons entirely ineffective. Not that the most of his weapons rested upon that powers, but even so. "Satan give you power." The lizardman greeted them as they left and he tried not to shudder. At yet another dresser they got a cloak, gloves, a belt with scabbard and even a light leather breast-plate. This lizardman gave them a look. "What is it?" He asked as Ruth brought out the needed gold. "That's a slave-girl." The mutated creature said in a slippery voice who nearly did swallow all it's words. "You dress her like she should've bean a free renegade. Not that I have anything to do with it, but there's a dresser on the other side of the market selling things for the slaves." "Thank. I'll think about it." He forced a smile before he turned away. It all started that night when they ran off from the beast-riders and lost Thomas to SS. They'd met other vampires, who'd tried to kill them and which they'd brought back to their eternal rest. The paper the troops who'd taken him had left behind had led them to this place. It had surprised them to find this market outside of the tower, or at least near the tower. It was still a half day's walk until they found the tower of winds. He shook his head and concentrated on the work at head. They stopped outside a weapon's dealer and he started looking around for the weapons Liza would need. Anna had his crossbow and Thomas's shot-gun, while Ruth still had the battle-axe and throwing-axe she'd got in such a mysterious way, while he had the throwing-axe of the Belmonts, the throwing-daggers, bought a normal set and the ones of gold. Not to mention his sword, crucifix and the Host. The grenades and stakes he'd used up while battling the beast-riders and their vampire commanders. The weapon-dealer, a human dressed in ruff clothing and pieces of armour did help them look around his shop. Not that it was much more than a few tables and some shelf covered with weapons and guns. But it was what they search for so it would have to do. She took a short-sword fit for the scabbard and a set of daggers and an old moring-star club which really looked nasty. "I saw the thing hanging around your neck." The salesman said quietly. "I think I know who you are. Here, something for your slave." Ruth gave him the money and they walked off. "I hope he didn't plan to slander about us to the tower-guard." Ruth said as they walked toward the border of the market. "I don't think so." He calmly said. "Look on what he gave Liza." She brought out a simple leather bracelet with a simple bronze cross. "Must our kindness tear at his merciless soul." The Trantoil just said. He gave her a weak smile and she gave him a look which made him take some steps back. "I'm sorry." Was all he could say.

Forest, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
He looked upon the little ring-hologram displaying lord Wold. "They are all dead. Kaufman is the only one left of the original you sent to aid me in my hunt." He threw a look over his shoulder. Amber and Crystal, now sided by a vampire called Bronze Mortle, which did really fit her name. Being a bronze-skinned female covered in a simple black leather armour with a whip at her side. "I do have promoted new soldiers to replace them, but the facts still stands tall. Your so-called doom-troopers where to now great help either. All they did was messing up with everything." He'd changed from the slange-cape into a normal SS-uniform of the standard they all used and so was Kaufman standing at his side. "This is all alarming news." The lord said. "Who else are still out there with you?" "Noail Hoa and a detail of the dark lord's victory armours and a group of your tower-guard. Lizardmen and goat-men mostly." Wold gave him a cold look. "They where ment to guard the local meat-market. If you have left it all unguarded…" He didn't end the sentence but that wasn't necessary. A thin sharp smile crept over his face. "I can assure you my lord, your little publicity-stunt is well guarded from would-be trouble-makers." The giant vampire lowered his head. "I know you are in the SS Oldrey but you are to show proper respect for the local lord." Again a smile crept over his face. "But I do lord Wold. But SS is lord Dracula's hand that gives me right to imprison you if so want it." Wold opened his mouth, but he spoke before he could say anything. "This dispute is pointless my lord. Noail Hoa tells me that according to our identifications we have on the enemy some of the Belmonts was at your meat-market. She reports to me that they have bean joined by one of our axe-knights and that they now have with them one of the leaders of their little rebellion. But she also reports that one of the women is gone and that the one called Thomas is not with them either." Wold merely nodded. "Continue your search commander Oldrey. If you need anything contact my tower-guard and they will supply you with more troops is need be." He lightly nodded. "I thank you my lord. Satan give you power. Hail der Graff!" The boyar returned the pleasantries and the hologram faded. "Amber, Crystal, you are to escort Hoa and the new servants back to the castle. Do it right and you'll gain my trust." The two were-foxes nodded and left him along with Noail Hoa and the victory armours, the the lizardmen and goat-men who'd volunteered to aid them. "Bronze, Kaufman, you are to take the other troops with you and search the forest in circles around the tower." They nodded and roude off. He let his hand go through his white hair and then looked upon the soldiers he'd left. "We'll go directly to the tower and see if we find them there." His second in command, a blue were-fox by the name Sathraph, nodded. Then the tiny holo-projector lit up and a picture of supreme warlord Spahre showed up. "Commander Oldrey, you are to return to the castle. Your reports mention a vampire called Greta Kaufman. You are to bring her here." "Yes my lord." He formally bowed and the hologram disappeared. "Sathraph, you are to resume command. When you find Bronze you are to take command of the SS. I will go and find Kaufman." "Yes sir." They ran off to to do his orders. He went over to where one of the beast-riders who held his Raptor and he sat up.

Burkly mannor, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
"Are you sure that it was a vice move my lord?" Nautica Brander, as she called herself as she was now, gave him a worried look. He smiled. "Trust me advicor, the SS are blind fools. Let them search themselves to death while I give the Belmonts to lord Dracula." Galamoth and Galldrian, the cloaked warlock, gave each-others a look before they resumed their unmovable state. Nautica was beautiful, with long wavy blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes, with milky-white skin and tall in built with long grace-filled moves. And it was all a lie. It wasn't her real face, it was one she'd stolen from the woman she'd killed when she took their souls and their heads. She was a headhunter and a powerful one too. He teared his eyes off of her and instead focused on what was important. "Give the snake-woman my command to "take care" of our friend Thomas." She nodded. "Yes my lord." She went some steps back and then left the chamber. "She is to go up to the top of the western tower. As you are to go to the eastern one." The cloaked warlock bowed before him and then went off. "You are to go to the chamber below me and…" The hologram of a bronze-skinned vampire showed up. "My lord, we have found them. Commander Oldrey and second-in-command Kaufman has bean ordered back to the castle and I'm new commanding officer, my name is Bronze. Your tower-guards and my SS-soldiers have bean facing them in battle and forced to retreat. My second-in-command Sathraph have bean murdered. Your lightning-elemental is battling them now and is doing quite the good work." "Very good." That was all he said.

Forest, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
He did swing his sword and a green wave of energy blasted at the lightning-elemental. But he had no chance. The towering creature countered with a three-way blast of lightning and the snow exploded and more lightning spread all over the place. Then Ruth came up from the behind and swung her axe as blazing orange fire burned around the blade. She'd told them she'd learned how to concentrate her mind and channel power to upgrade their attacks. It was just fire, ice, lightning, death or darkness. But since she first met them, he'd only seen her use the three first ones. He didn't care about that for the moment. After they'd defeated that black vampire they'd found that strange orb with red, green and purple light inside. They'd argued about what it meant and who to take it. He'd finally given in to them to take it and his control over his weapons, the throwing-axe, his sword and the daggers. "Watch out!" Anna's voice ripped him out from his thoughts as the lightning-elemental did fire away series of circle-shaped static-blasts. Liza did jump up from behind and cracked her morning-star into the towering form of lightning-elemental. Dark force blasted from the club and the elemental-demon roared in pain. "I hate you." The Trantoil snarled and continued to hack loose on the elemental. Anna grabed at her from the behind and then screamed as black energy washed over her. The lightning-elemental flashed with static electricity and showed up further away. It then sent off a wave of thunder-spheres at them. The two women was cought off guard and was thrown far back. He did threw his axe at the elemental and concentrated his mind. Red energy did showed up around the axe and it split into a multitude of axes which struck down into the elemental and made static force and sparks exploded all around the elemental and when they could see again. The lightning-elemental had shrunk into a lower form. Before she could attack, the elemental did strike back. It lifted its lance into the air and it seamed liked it almost rained with lightning all around them. He did avoid the lightning, but was sent off balance as the snow exploded and sparks went all around them. Ruth did jump at the elemental and blue force shone around the battle-axe and when she hitt home, the elemental seamed to freeze in place. Then the elemental blast into pieces and then vanished into nothingness. He did clap the Van Helsing on the shoulder before he ran over to where Anna and Lixa lay on the dunes of snow. "Give me some of those healing-potions." He shouted at Ruth as he helped the two to lay more comfortable. "Right away." She ran over to where he'd piled their backpacks. So much had bean left behind when the SS had attacked their camp. "Here." Ruth knelt by him and gave him two of those yellow bottles the strange salesman had sold them. "What do you actually feels about this women?" She asked him. "After what I've heard they're your friend Thomas's girlfriends." He gave her a look, then remembered something he'd read from the book of the books. The part about that Jews could have more than one wife or something like that. "Why do you ask?" He said as he helped the two drink the strange liquid. "Acording to the law only one man shall love the woman they love. If you desire one of them then try let go of them. If Thomas really does love them so don't get in their way." So this was why she'd given him all those strange looks. "Lissten," He said. "I don't love any of them. All I did back at that market was to save our lives." Then he noticed that she was actually smiling, why he didn't understand. He shook his head and got to his feet. The healing-potions was clearly beginning to work as the burns and bruises was starting to disappare. "What do you know about this tower of winds?" He asked. Acording to his military schooling, know the battle-field was one of the most important ruels. "It'll take some time to tell the entire story." Ruth said. "Let's make a fire so that we'll not freeze and I'll tell you everything." He nodded in agreement and then went off in search for fire-wood. His hand was clouse to his sword. They could see the tower from here and it was a good guess to think that perhaps they could see them.

Laruba mannor, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
He did open his eyes. He didn't know what had awakened him. He lay on the bed he and Malpheffa had performed their love on the earlier night. Then he noticed it. She was gone. He got up, shrouded himself inside one of his dark cloaks, well, one of Malpheffa's cloaks, it was a little small to him, but he didn't care. He did wander down the corridor of the top floor on which her bedroom was, to his own bedroom, where he did dress himself. Not in the tunic and ceremonial clothings he'd wore the night before, which the servants had brought back to his own room, but some more fitting clothing. A white silk-shirt with lace-work at the neck and sleeves, with a black calf-cross at his neck, under-wear in the finest line and knee-stockings of white silk and black trousers and a gold-embroidered black velvet, then boots of the same colour with golden boot-buttons. He completed his outfit with a black knee-long black velvet coat with gold-decorated sleeves and around the neck of the coat. He brought on the cloth-belt with his family-sword at the side. He just stopped to bring along his gloves and cloak before he left the room. Where would she have gone too? The fountain-court to amuse herself with the gigolos and prostitutes there? He knew he was a good lover so that was not likely. Or so he hoped. She wasn't his type and he'd merely went to bed with her because she'd given signals of wanting him to do so. You didn't said no to your supperiour, at least not if you didn't want to become part of her other main-hobby. Speaking of which, perhaps she was in the dungeons? Some of the possessed knights patrolling the corridors gave him a look, some of the vampires did walk toward him, he just waved them off. She could also be inside the library of the mannor. He made up his mind and teleported away. When he opened his eyes he was inside the dungeons. A snarl went over his face as the dank dreary caverns at the bottom of the mannor made his clothings go wet. Humans and vampires where changed to the wall or kept inside the cells at the sides of the tunnel. A karasu demon, dressed in black spiky armour, with a whip and a curved sword at his side, walked over to him and bowed. "Good morning my lord, how might I be of service?" "Lead me to lady Malpheffa." He commanded. The karasu nodded and turned around as he gestured for him to follow. As they came out inside a chamber carved out of the mountain, a huge black three-headed dog started barking at him, two hunchbacks did manage to calm them, but not before the hound had bit them several times. An old vampire with rusty breaths and burning eyes, dressed in a light crimson robe, walked toward them and bowed. "I greet you my lord. What can the key-master do for you?" He repeated his earlier command and the ancient vampire led him over to one of the old wooden-doors and calmly opened it. Inside Malpheffa lay naked upon the floor, moaning as she did strangle one goat-man as he did make love to her. Arround her, other goat-men and lizardmen, female ones he noticed, whipping and tortured humans, all supervised by a white-fured female were-cat, clad in a black tunic and spiked armour. "I think I might wait out here." He calmly instructed the key-master. "Of course my lord." The ancient vampire said, leading him over to a wooden table where some were-cats, goat-men and lizardmen already sat. "Bring our guest some refreshment." He ordered the karasu demon. "Yes my lord." He went over to another door and soon returned with a young African human. "Strange." He softly remarked. "How many blacks there is spread across the countryside these days." "There is many servants coming from the dark continent my lord." The key-master said. "They bring with them tribute to the dark lord. That tribute often consist of young virgins ready to give up their virginity, blood and souls to lord Dracula." He nodded. Now he did knew where his lady was, which was his sole intention of coming down here. He could just as well get himself some free-time as he was down here. "Is there a room where we can be left alone?" "Of course my lord." Was the answer of the key-master. This time it was the karasu who lead him down a tunnel toward a wooden door. "Tell the guards when you are finished, they will bring the girl back to her cell, if that is needed, of course." He turned around and left and he did turn toward the black girl. "I'm looking forward to this." He said, folding his black robe around her body. She tried to resist him, but he looked her in the eyes, casting a spell on her and she smiled up at him with desire in her eyes. "Love me." She said. He laughed and opened the door. HE wanted blood and he was about to get that and much more.

Burkley mannor, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
Even dough this cell looked large enough to keep at least a hundred prisoners, he was all alone. This time they'd not just stripped him of all his weapons, but his clothings too. All he had left was his cross and he did thank God for that. It was at least not cold in here and the little pond at the end of the cell was good enough to bath in. But there where no-place he could go on the bathroom so his escrements did lay in one of the more remote corners and filled the iar with its foul smell. Rats, lizards and flyes where crawling in that corner and did things he didn't want to think about. "Thomas." He turned around, but couldn't see anything. "Thomas." The voice again cooed, making chills go down his spine. "Go away vampire or whatever you are!" He shouted. "I don't want anything to do with your kinds." "But I think you will." From the water, three girls roused, two Egyptian ones and one Nubian one, as beautiful as he'd seen those nationalities in the prison-camp. He shook his head. This was most likely vampires, or something worse, but he couldn't hinder himself in looking them up and down. The thought of Sara gave him the strength he needed to rip his eyes off of them. "Whores of Satan!" He growled. "Be gone in the name of God." It was the phrase John had used against the vampires in the forest during the battle against the SS. The creatures giggled, giggled, and starting performing erotic doings right in front of him. He couldn't help getting excited by watching them. He turned away in shame and knelt down and started praying. "Dear God, please, give me strength to withstand the temptations of Lucifer." "Just surrender yourself." The Nubian one cooed. "Whe need you." One of the Egyptian ones said. "We know you desire us." The other Egyptian said while licking her lips. "God help me!" He cried, over and over again. "Show me the truth, I beg you!" The female creatures waverd, that was the only word for it, he felt a new desire, the desire to scream. They did still have the same hair and skin-colour, but now he saw their fangs, snake-like thongs and cold dead eyes. Their voices became a hissing poisonous sound which made his skin crawl and chills go down his spine. But even so, he felt more attracted to them than ever before. They hadn't bean sent to kill him, that he was sure of, but they'd come to torture him. He didn't noticed he'd put his arms around the Nubian one, if she really was a Nubian, before she did kiss him and the two other "kissed" him elsewhere. His last rational thought was. "God help me, I'm in great peril."

Forest, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
"The story about the tower of winds, as some calls it, is the story about the white countess and the mad bishop." Ruth began. "It's said that in 1533 there was a pishop Richter who governed the Warakiyan church-province. He fell in love with the countess of Warakiya. Sophia Weber. He was forbidened by the Vatican to have any contact with women so he instead started giving her gifts and hinder her from having contact with any other men. This fitted her well, she was a lesbian and didn't want to marry any man. She used the power over the poor man to become one of the wealthiest in Warakiya's history. She even manipulated him into building her an entire new castle just for her and her friends. He used what fortune he had left, it was nothing little that I can asure you, and the result was a tower nobody before had ever seen. The entire tower-complex is made out of shining white marble and the windows are all marvellous drawings of stained-glass. When the tower was finished, the pishop died, seemingly he'd fell down the stairs in the mid-tower. When he died, the countess became a real disgrace. She lived together with nobody lesser than twelve woman at the same time, or so the tales goes. She did even perform black magic, and seeing who lives there now I don't doupt that." A humourless smile went over her face. "One morning however, she found her girlfriends dead in their beds. The servants had left the tower in fear of some new plouge and had barged the doors when they left. How long she survived on the food in the cellars the stories dosen't say. What they say however is that she finally was forced to feed on the flesh and blood of her dead girlfriends. What did finnaly happen, nobody know, the story tells that soon the ones living around the tower heard mad laugher camming from the tower. At last, some brave men did went inside the tower, just to find the countess, a raving madwoman, standing at the top of the stair in the main-tower. She screamed out that she'd killed the bishop and hid the corpse in the cellar and that she would finally get rid of him. Then she threw herself out from the stair and crushed herself at the floor before them. Horrofied by this, they went to the cellar and underneath the floor they found the bishop's body. They did bring it to the arch-bishop who permitted him to be buried inside his own church." Her voice became a whisper. He saw that, even after all the time she'd had among the undead and their servants, she was still afraid of them. He could understand that, he was afraid of them hiself. "Continue the story." Anna pleaded. He saw tears in her eyes, but also a keen interest in hearing the end of the story. "Later," Ruth continued. "folk could see a white woman threw herself out from the stairs of the main-tower. Or hear mad laugher or moaning giggles coming from the higher rooms. Nobody wanted to live there and the tower fell into ruins. That was until Dracula rouse again in 1596. He cast a spell over this place and linked it to his own castle. I've heard that some gay called Christopher destroyed it some months later and that now is the first time since that it have showed up again." He nodded, then got to his feet and started digging snow over the fire. The other got to their feet to and started picking up their things. "Let's go." HE said and they went off throughout the forest.

Forest, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
"Ready! Fire!" The shouts came from a dead soldier and the answer came from bone-soldiers manufacturing the cannon. "Get away!" She shouted. "Fire in the haul!" Iron balls came blasting at them and sent them running for cover. When they'd sent of the bullet, they ran forth and she did swing her morning-star at the cannon, focusing her hatred like the hammer-knight had told her. She decired her and hated all men. Men where animals who violated her and only thought about sex. She hammered loose on the thing and black fire bathed the thing wherever she stroke. "Liza, take it easy." It was that weak Anna-woman. She'd seen the looks she gave that bastard John and now she was trying to hinder her in destroying the cannon. "I hate you!" She didn't know it, but black fire, so black that it almost seemed to give of its own strange light, appared in her eyes. She dashed at the little weakling and strock her morning-star at her. She lifted her arm to protect herself and it became crushed by the spikes of the morning-star. "Take it easy Liza." John put a hand on her shoulder and she leashed out at him to. "Curse you!" She screamed. "Curse all men!" She thought she heard someone laugh, well, she whoudl soon find something to laugh about as soon she'd killed these bastards and made that hammer-knight hers.

Forest, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
She'd just destroyed the final bone-soldiers when she noticed what was going on with Liza and her other friends. But that wasn't the wourst. A creature, dressed entirely in red silk and velvet, stood laughing as he watched Liza kill John and Anna. She lifted her battle-axe and dashed at the berserker. "Take care of the warlock!" She shouted at John who was giving Anna yet another healing-potion as he'd managed to jump out of the way of Liza. "I shall do what I can." He said, but she didn't have time to hear him out as Liza was summoning blackness all around herself. "You!" The Trantoil shouted. "You are to become my lover as soon these fools are dead!" "Not in my life." She said as she countered her attack with her axe, who blazed with burning orange fire. Elemental sparks flew all around them as the two weapons struck each-other. "If you're not with me," The girl shouted. "you're my enemy." She tried to smash her head and she managed to counter it just in time. They did battle back and forth between the cannon, none of them being able to get the best of the other. The element of darkness was all the Trantoil used, but that was more than enough. She regretted ever having learned her how to channel elemental power. She countered yet another blow from her enemy, then an arrow came flying right through the air and buried itself deep inside the chest of Liza. "I hate you," Blood came bubbling form her mouth as she swung the morning-star yet again. "hate you all." Then she fell forward and lay dead on the snow. She gasped heavy breaths of fresh air and then dropped the battle-axe. It was the first time she'd worked to kill another. She turned around and saw Anna standing there with the crossbow in her hands and with a look of eternal shock on her face. "I'm so sorry." She said. "You was my friend, my sister. And I killed you." She started walking toward her, a hollow feeling welling up inside her. They where together in this. It was they bought who'd killed her. Yet another laugher, a familiar one, made her stop dead in her tracks. She didn't want to turn around, by the look upon Anna's face she already knew what she would see, but she took a hold on herself and turned around. Liza, with blood still running from her mouth and with dead glazed eyes, rouse from the ground, laughing as she rouse. "black magic." She whispered. She then dashed at the axe just as Anna shot an arrow at a chandle-stand hanging on a near-by tree. From it fell one of those staffs she'd seen the bone-mage and shadow-droids use in combat. She did clash against Liza's corpse, or whatever she was, and tried to pierce her skull. Then Anna came up on her side, swinging her staff as best she could. The undead, or whatever she was, laughed at them yet again and threw them far back with a blazing shock-wave of black non-light. "In the name of God, you have bean deceived by your own hatred against men." Anna said, holding up her little crucifix. "How so?" Liza snarled at them. "Now I have all the power I need to destroy all those weakling you call men. Women and vampires shall rule the world as it's rightfully theirs!" This woman was mad, or had bean mad. Now she was a vampire, she clearly saw that now as fangs grew from her mouth and claws appared on her hands. "Where's the puncture-marks?" She qqasked mystified. "Where a prostitute of top standards would set her drugs." Liza snarled. "Want to see?" "But, but the healing-potions worked on you? They only work on humans or living creatures, so how did…" Anna wasn't alloved to finish her sentence. "I tricked you." She mearly said as she summoned more black energy around her. "Then I know how to kill you." It was still a riddle how she'd survived the arrow, then she knew it and her eyes grew wide. "You have your hearth on your right side." "You're a clever one." Liza darkly smiled. "It'll be my pleasure to turn you into a vampire. I knew you served lord Dracula the first time I saw you." "No." She said, bringing of the braclet of the dragon, her ID-card as a hammer-knight and put inside her purse. "I'm a Jew, one of the chosen of God." She again grabed inside her purse and brought out her Star of David, in silver. Liza snarled and backed off. She noticed that Anna was still at her side, with her crucifix roused into the air, praying underneath her breath. "God!" They called out in unison. "Let us be Your servants like Josiah and Jeremiah was." She heard Anna place "Johannes the Baptist" and "Simon the zealot" instead of her own holy men, but that didn't matter. She saw how Liza drew back and how her black powers faided away. "No! Not you!" She shouted, looking beyond them, seeing something they couldn't see. "You can't wander outside the temple of light!" "All is possible in the name of The One." A childish although calm voice answered. Someone dressed in the purest white robes, with shoulder-length light-brown hair and soft brown eyes in a face she couldn't make out. Bought around her and around the star-shaped crest around her neck their shone a clear shining silvery-white light. At the celestial apparition's right side was a true female angel and to her left was an equally shining white cat a ring of shining silver around its tale. She was small, no higher than the child she sounded like, but the power of light shone from her like warmth shone from a camp-fire out in the snow. Then she spoke again and a hint of iron had entered her voice. "By the prayers of those in need and by the crest of silver, I say, let it be in the name of The One." The light became so bright that she couldn't see. When it subsided, bought Liza and the divine ones where gone. "Amen." Anna was on her knees and so where she. It was a long time before they rouse. But finally she came to think about John, who was involved in the battle against the cloaked warlock. "Com on!" She shouted at Anna who just as quick got back on her feet and started running.

Forest, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
He dropped himself to the forest's snow-covered floor as the cloaked warlock blasted of a wave of four-directional fireballs. He summoned the power of winds and blew a wave which did short work of the fireballs but the warlock was already ahead of him. "Duplicates of man!" The spell made the snow gather into strange wavering piles then rise into strange humanoid forms with nails sharp as claws. He threw his axe at the warlock, who's cloak became stained with blood as he did summon and sent away the power of lightning. Christian and the pope had mumbled something about crests of different powers who generated the elements of the world, with guardian spirits chosen by God to guard them. But he merely called them by the effect they had and let it be with that. The snow-men, at a lost of a better name for the creatures, became hit with lightning bolts and was reduced back to normal snow again. The warlock, although wounded, had used the time well. He'd surrounded himself with a shield of black stones and where now sending them off in his direction. Out of clean instinct he slashed at them with his sword and they shattered upon contact. He smiled and then summoned the power of earth and made stones of his own appare, which he threw at the cloaked warlock as they did transform. The warlock countered by blasting off more fireballs which destroyed the roks, but that he'd knew he would and was instead dashing just at the warlock from the side, swinging his sword as best he could. Even dough the warlock did manage to create a stone which hindered him in beheading him, he managed to drain more blood from him. He threw some of the "ordinary" daggers and made them even more powerful by giving them the power of lightning. The explosion sent the darkrobe flying and made him crack hard into a tree. "Thank you God!" He cheered as he did fetch his axe and daggers who where laying all over the battle-field. Then a fireball came blasting and threw him against a tree. "You did try to destroy me? Young fool, your small tricks is no match against my powers." The warlock did walk against him, not carring that he tried to get back on his feet. It was like the fireball, who should've burned him instead had stunned him or something like that. "You shall die, here and now. Your friends will be puppets and play-things to my master's will, like your corpse will soon become." He did start to channel yet another fireball and this time he knew it wasn't one to stun. Just then he felt his powers return to him. He jumped back on his feet and swung his blade right at the warlock's fireball and jumped back just as he did so. It was a vice move. Not had his sword made contact with the fireball, it did all explode like it was nitro or explosive of some sort. "Very clever." The cloaked warlock, with a shabby cloak, stained with blood and ashes, did look upon him with burning eyes. He couldn't see anything inside the deep hood, but he felt it anyway. "Maybe you're not as foolish as I thought. Whatever the case however, I will destroy you." "Not today demon!" Anna was there, with a strange black rod in her hands. Ruth appared on his other side, with her axe blazing with blue power. "Then I will kill you all." He calmly said. Then, without warning, fireballs appared all around him. About three or four did each rocket at them. He feared that Anna's staf might not be able to fend of the fire, but it looked like she was doing more then enough in that sport. Electricety seamed to flash around the rod each time a fireball hit it. Then more snow-men rouse and Anna and Ruth did attack them and once again alone to fight the warlock. His sword did tair his cloak and blood oozed from him and splashed over his tunic. Fire blazed around his hands and flashes and sparks flashed all around them as his sword and the warlock's fire made contact. "Die you cursed Belmont!" "God is my lord, as He is lord on Heaven and Earth!" He tried to rip loose his blade. Then he instead summoned the powers from that orb, all three of them, and sent them through the sword and right into the cloaked warlock. The darkrobe screamed and then exploded and flooded him with blood and pieces of flesh and bones. He felt all messed up, but then it all suddenly it all vanished. "You deserve to face the enemies in a proper state, young Belmont." He turned around and saw Anna and Ruth, with a strange little woman with light-blue skin, blue eyes and blonde hair, dressed in a blue dress and a brown robe. "My name is Marina Seaflower, a naiad from this land." He just blinked. "I have greetings from your friends, Edward Morris, Alicia Schneider, Adrian Fairheight and Victor Grant." He couldn't hinder it, a broad smile spread all over his face. She didn't know where Christian where and he didn't know who Alicia and that Adrian was, a faint memory did linger his mind but he wasn't able to fetch it. "I, I greet you too Marina." He almost babbled, but then she said something which made him stop dead in his track. "Your friend is inside the tower and he's making out with three snake-woman. We must save him before they learn him to like their twisted performance to good." He nodded and his grip around his sword hid harden. "Then, le's get to it." He looked around. "Is she dead." Anna nodded sorrowfully and he felt some tears run down his face. She'd bean such a good friend. They'd lead the prisoners in those short moments they'd thought they should've got away from the dark forces. He forcefully dried them away and concentrated on his mission. He wouldn't let Thomas suffer the same fate as Liza had suffered.

Burkley mansion, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
He looked inside the hologram of the shadow droid commander. "So he is dead." It wasn't a question but the skeletal-looking droid answered anyway. "Yes my lord. He executed a manipulated intrigue which he thought should give him the Belmont. It failed and he tried to kill him." The dark soul who'd possessed the droid seamed to shroud it just like the black cloak did hung around its tecno-branch armoured body. He'd known the vampire who'd bean that essence, Heinrich Rohn, and he still was his friend. That was why he really flet amused by what he was about to do. "Then you are to resume command over all forces under my command." "Yes my lord." He calmly answered and then vanished. "Is this vice my lord? I mean, he is just a droid, no real servant." Nautica had returned when she'd heard about the demise of the warlock. Only Lucifer knew where she'd heard that from, the shadow droid had just informed him about it. "He is a much better commander than any other I might mention." She blushed but he didn't paid it any attention. "I commanded you to stay on your post. He betrayed me, not you do so too." Her cheeks became even redder and she bowed her head. He nodded and went over to where his trone was situated. "My lord." From the holo-projector the image of Galamoth appared. "I have bean informed of the sad news that our warlock has bean destroyed by the Belmont." A smile crept over his face. Captain, now commander, Heinrich was constituted in the exact same room. "Not so sad." He coldly said. "He betrayed us." He already knew that, but this could serve as just as good an example for him too. "You are to resume the command of the magicans which the warlock governed. I expect you two to deliver me the other enemy of lord Dracula to me just like you delivered me the Lecarde." Galamoth nodded. "Of course my lord." The hologram disappeared and he turned against the headhunter. "You know what to do?" She deeply bowed. "Of course," She took a breath before she said. "my lord." She turned around and left the room. He smiled and leaned back in his throne. He actually hoped he would get the chance to challenge the Belmonts somehow. Only time and fate would show if he actually would get that showdown.

Burkly mansion, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
He did rest on top of the Nubian snake-woman. So satisfied as this before. His mind tried to tell him that a true relationship contained more than sexual pleasure. He didn't care. These creatures had done all he'd wanted them to do and much more. The two Egyptians lay themselves over him and he felt so exited that it almost hurt. "You're my girls." He said as he put his arms around them.

She hissed and licked him across the face. Why the great ones chosed this weaklings over the snake-people still gnawed at her. Well, he had already fallen to their spells and soon everything he would think off would be the pleasure they could give. Oh, he could still desire other females, but she would allways be linked to her. Strange that he'd chosen her over the two others, they where old in this kind of performance, this was her first ceremony. Lord Wold had bean careful in picking out those who should do this, careful that they had more human blood in them than snake-blood. She didn't know when how it was with the two others, but her grandmother and father had bean full-blooded human Nubians. "Rise and shine." He whispered in her ear. She smiled. He was after all a very handsome human.

Forest, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
It had bean more cannons placed in the landscape. But without other troops to slow them down while they reloaded their weapons, they had actually very little chance in killing them. He shook his head. He just tried to ignore their battle against those vampires.

Flashback.

He stood looking around by the ruins of the last cannon they'd destroyed, checking if there was any other cannons near-by. Ruth, who'd taken over Thomas's gun, they'd found it on the dead soldier commanding this cannon. He'd used it in a short service to make sure it wasn't cursed or anything. A smile crept over his face, he wasn't good about such things. Holy rituals where Christian's department. "I feel cold." Marina mumbled. It had bean a real surprise when she greated them, but she'd later told them that there was a river nearby, hidden underneath the snow. He cast her a look. "It's winter you now." He jokingly said. "You misunderstand." She said. He could see fear in her eyes. "It feels like…" She was never allowed to finish that statement however. The air seamed to transform into bats as four vampires manifested themselves. His sword was out quicker than lightning and so was Ruth's axe. Marina attakeced with quick bursts of water, making flames erupt on their bodies. He behaded one just as Ruth pierced its hearth. Homing bats and steam-blasts flew everywhere and he felt claws scratch on his tunic-shells his crucifix shone like silvery-white fire and made yet another burst into fire. Then tt was suddenly all over. In more than one way. The four vampires where reduced to ash and dust, but two harpies had grabbed Anna and where flying away with her. She tried to destroy them with her staff first, but as she came higher up, she didn't have any other choice than being carried away. "You must save her!" Marina insisted. "She is the last human allaive with Trantoil blood in her. I will follow them through the water. I see you later." She then vanished and they where all alone yet again. "Is Anna a Trantoil too?" He asked right into the air, then he took a hold on himself. He'd failed Thomas and Sara, he'd then failed Liza. He wouldn't fail Anna the same way. He would find bought Thomas and Anna alive and without any curse. That he swore in the name of God and before all good Saints.

End of flashback.

He took a deep breath before he drew his sword. "Are you ready?" He asked Ruth. She drew out the gun and nodded. "Let's go." The former hammer-knight said. They went toward the tower, some bone-knights and dead soldiers blocked the way. But Ruth shot them down before they could gather for an attack. He lay his hand upon the huge bronze-doors and they slowly cracked opened. As he stepped inside, he for a moment stood still with shock as he viewed the true glory of the tower of winds.

Burkly mansion. Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
The tower's inside was a huge empty pillar, with enormous stain-glass windows and monstrous curtains in blue and silver with images of gorgons, hydras and other ancient creatures was on bought the windows and curtains. As they did the carpets lining the floor. All this silk and velvet must've bean worth a fortune when they where brought here and now they most likely where priceless. Towering pillars with countless golden candle-stands all with black candles lit with eerie blue flames. In the dome far above them where painted to show a Greece battlefield. But there where other things there who didn't looked quite as beautiful. Pillars of bones stood upon platforms connected to the pillars, bone dragons where chained to the stairs and he didn't liked the armours which was standing on the stair-platforms. There where doors leading out from this tower and for some strange reason he felt attracted toward the door leading to the south. "Do you feel it?" Ruth asked him. "It's like the southern door summon us." "It's your friend's souls who calls upon you." He almost jumped. It allways felt strange when Marina did that. He shook his head and a smile appared upon his face. "Then lead the way." She shook her head. "I can't. I hope they will be my friends someday, but until now, you're the only one who can feel it." He nodded and then started walking. A crashing breaking sound made him look up and gasp as stain-glass knights dropped down to face them. "Oh Lord!" He cried his war-cry as he drew his sword. "Into Your hands I surrender my spirit!" Bursts of green energy shot from the blade, all while Ruth swung her axe at the knights with fierce determination. But it was Marina who really did made them run away, or at least turn back into stain-glass. She did splash water all around her, crushing the glass into pieces. "Niece work." He said as he put back the Kishine family's blade. "I hope nobody felt that." The little naiad merely said. "I feel great amounts of dark power in this tower." "Nice of you trying to cheer us up." Ruth dryly said. He shoot her a look as he went over to the door and opened it.

Burkly mansion, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
His eyes flew open. He'd daxed off after the last act and now noticed that the two Egyptian ones where gone. "Where are they?" He demanded to kinow. Salmissra, she'd told him her name during that last act, smiled up at him. "They had to go." She softly hissed. "But don't worry. Lord Wold said he would give you a new toy to play with." "Well." He shrugged. "I hopes he comes up with her pretty quick." "Thomas!" He quickly swung around and found Anna, who did stare upon him just as she tried to cover herself. "She's all yours." Salmissra softly hissed. "No." He calmly said. "Not here, not her, not like this." He'd bean together with her, when they'd fled the prison-camp. But it had bean different. Not like this at all. "What are you talking about?" She demanded to know, but was cut short as he did jump at her, forcing her to the ground. His lance flew right over where she'd bean mere seconds before. He juped right up and grabed it and turned against the two Egyptian ones who'd stood just behind Anna. "Then, you'll die!" One of them hissed. "I don't think so." He coldly replied. "Your curse is broken. I don't know what I really feel about her, but she's not to be violated by your ceremonies." HE again summoned God, praying forgiveness for his sins and his cross started to shine whit a clear silver-white glow. He remembered how the cross had burned them during their performances. "Thanks Lord." He said, doing the sign of the cross before he dashed at them. The first one became pinned to the floor then and there, paralyzed by the sign of the cross. But the other one carried a strange black rod which she used with skills which did really press him to his limits. Then Anna did jump on her from the behind, pressing her own crucifix against her hearth, making her burst into flames. "One left to go." HE said. Anna grimly smiled as she picked up the rod. "Stop!" From the stalagmites lining the ceiling water dripped, shaping itself into a tiny-looking girl. "You must kill her." The Nubian snake-woman still lay where he'd left her. First now she gracefully got to her feet and moved into a defensive pose. "You desires her." The little woman calmly said. "She are your soul-mate now" He couldn't belive it. But judging by the look in her eyes, it had to be true. "What must I do?" He asked. "You can do nothing." The naiad, it had to be a naiad going at the way she'd manifested herself. "You must chose." That was pointed at the Nubian snake-woman. "He loves this Trantoil of the humans. But he desires you. If you deside to remain loyal to your dark lord, he'll destroy you and go through his life without ever being able to perform the act of love ever again. Or, you can choose to join him in the war and stay by his side so that he in life or death might be a full human being." How she knew all this, about him and all these other things, he didn't understood and Salmissra didn't either. Anna cast unsure looks from person to person with confused face. The naiad bowed before him. "My name is Marina Seaflower. I will go to tell your friends about where you are. The One with you." She then changed back into water and disappeared. "I don't like naiads very much." Salmissra said in the silence who lasted since Marina vanished. "But she's right. But I don't do this for you, or her," She nodded at Anna. "only Satan knows wh." It looked like she took a deep breath. "I desires you too. I'll go with you." He felt excitement well up inside him again, but instead started concentrating on something else instead. "Why haven't you told us you're a Trantoil?" Anna hung her head. "I was afraid." She confessed. "I saw what they did to Liza. And although she's my cousin, I didn't do anything. I don't deserve to bear that name. Just forget it." He put his hand upon her shoulder. "Don't think about it. My family is synonymous with betrayal. Maxim Kishine let his dreams of becoming a true vampire hunter be absorbed with ambition and through that became possessed by Dracula." A grim smile crept over his face. Best to tell her everything. "That's not all. Clifford Graves did even resurrect the dark lord himself and became one of his servants. We all do mistakes, we'll have to face that sooner or later. But if you've learned anything of it then perhaps it wasn't all in vain." He gave forth a short laugh. "Lissten to me. Here I speak like Christian." "Who's that?" He hadn't noticed Salmissra coming up beside him. With a bit of cruelty he told her that and smiled as he saw her shudder. "Don't do that." Anna sharply said. "She've just given up anything to follow you. Don't be rude." HE jokingly bowed. "Yes my lady." "That's not entirely true." Salmissra softly hissed. "Your race dosen't like it, but we build our lives around the pleasure the life might give us. Sexuality has an important place in our culture and if what Marina said is true, even if you let me go I could never experience that again. I would become an outcast." He didn't like her, but he put a hand upon her shoulder, forcing himself not to touch her elsewhere. "I'm sorry. But your fate wouldn't bean any better if you and your friends had broken my morality." They actually had done that, at least considering what they'd done together. He shook his head, again focusing his mind towards God. "Lord, please," He prayed. "give me strength to withstands the lies of Your enemy." "You know it's something natural in the way of life." Anna carefully pointed out. "I know." He answered. "But you know, or so I hope, that it's also one of The Devil's most used plots. To make ourself destroy ourself through desire for what we could we found by just following the crest of rubies." He'd had some time talking with Christian when they'd first travelled to the castle. He shook his head. Anna had a thoughtful look on her face and Salmissra looked upon him with an inviting look in her eyes. If they could just get themselves some clothings… "How did you get in here?" Anna shook her head and then looked upward. "I don't know how those whores came in, I mean," She cast a look at Salmissra then seemed to gather herself. "I don't know how the snake-people came in, but the harpies dropped me through a hole in the corridor above." "Do you turns into real snakes or something?" He asked Salmissra who looked like she was holding back a laugh. "By Seth and Isis, no. You where so occupied with me that you didn't notice there's an entrance through the pond." He nodded, a grim smile came upon his face. "Ready for a night-bath?" He asked them.

Burkly mansion, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
As he walked steadly back and forth, the magnetic pulses in his boots made him walk even more steadly than any other living or dead servant of the darl lord. There where few who knew it outside of the most trusted of Dracula's inner circle, that he was no mere droid. He was, or rather, had bean, one of the last surviving were-bats, the creatures which where the models lord Dracula's cloners had built there creature-bats upon. The few who still remembered a were-bat serving the dark lord in 1476 didn't linked him to that long dead creature. But the dark lord who schemed for the eternity had sent him into the future to this place where his technology where able to give him new life. Ture, he was mostly machine, but not entirely and that was what was important. Wold merely thought he was that fool Heinrich who'd given him more supernatural power, and since it gave him free pass into the fools court, it suited him just fine. But in his mind, he was the one he'd allways bean, lord Tyrannos, lord of the were-bats. If Galamoth didn't have bean removed from his former rank, he would've knowns such things. "My… Sir." He turned around, already knowing who it was. The eco-sitnature of him was clear to his mind, a power he'd had as a were-bat and still possessed. "Yes, droid lieutenant Sliff. What is it?" His second-in-command among the droids, a half-droid, half lizardman who'd volunteered to try out the new technology before he was to be used in it. It had worked out most eficently bought for him and the dark lord. "He wants you to make contact with him." Galamoth gave him a strange look, he was no fool, but he didn't care. Wold wasn't important enough to ask lord Dracula for his head. "Prepare my personal communication-lounge." "Yes sir." Sliff turned around and left the room. "You are lucky." Galamoth softly remarked. "The dark lord commands me." He just as softly retorthed. The ancient creature nodded and sat down in his chair. "When are you to tell him about us?" He remarked as he did take up his wander back and forth. Galamoth nodded. Wold thought they where his servants, when the truth was that they where servants sent here to keep an eye on the prison-camps. "He is powerful you know." He smiled under the gold-coloured howle-covering skull-shaped helmet. "That is not relevant." He said. "The lord of darkness delegates his power as he chose and not how the servants, how we, wish or believe it is." He was more than sure Galamoth had secrets he didn't told him about, just as he had his, but they where, at least for now, equal in rank and power. "Sir, the lounge is ready." He nodded and followed the droid-lieutenant out. They where in a floor over all those rubbish stain-class portion which made Wold feel important since it resembled some sections of the royal chapel of the castle. "Stay guard." He commanded. "See to that I am not to be disturbed." "Yes my lord." Now that they where alone they could let go of this theatre-gestures. He waved his hand and the doors opened. As they closed behind him, he went down those few stairs and down upon the simple dish-shaped platforms on-which he would be sipalyed for the wather. Before him, on another large circle-shaped platform, his guest would be shown. As he heard the soft hummong sound of the holographic machinery, he knelt down upon the platform. "I salute you my lord." He said in the ancient demon language they now only used in ceremonies and spell-casting. "What is my bidding, Death?" The face of Death, enlarged so that it looked like a giant, steered down upon him. "Disturbing news have being spread throughout the domain the dark lord controls." The angel of Death began. "It is true what our servant Malpheffa tells us, that those who upose us has destroyed one of Wold's camps?" A much smaller hologram, just as huge as the vampire wust be in real life, appared to his left. "Yes my lord. Two of lord Dracula's enemies are inside this very tower as we speak." "Uriel, may I speak?" Malpheffa shyly asked. After a sharp nod from Death, she continued. "Why have not these bean reported earlier?" Death slowly nodded and then turned his head toward him again. "Death, Wold want to use them in one of his personal games. If I may say so, the lord of this domain have grown far to independent. I think it might be best they merely destroy him and then we capture them as they think danger is over?" "With all due respect." Malpheffa interrupted. "If they do destroy lord Wold, their next target would suretanlly be my domain. I am one of the few in this quadrant who know the password to Aliba." "However interesting this argument might be," Death cut them off. "it has to end now. You are to return to the castle, droid-general.." He bowed his head and the two holograms disappeared. He slowly got to his feet and exited the chamber.

He stood at attention as the doors opened and commander Tyrannos came into view. "Droid-commander sliff." His superior greeted. His eyes grew wide and although the black T-shaped visor did hid his lizard-head, he was sure Tyrannos saw it. "I have bean summoned." He calmly continued. "Yes, my lord," He took a deep breath, he knew if it hadn't bean for the machinery aiding his lungs, he wouldn't even breathed. "general." He ended his statement. "Join me commander." General Tyrannos said. "We must report my leave from Wold's service." He nodded and followed him as the general walked toward the stair leading toward Wold's personal chambers. "So it was like I thought." He wirled around, finding Galamoth standing behind him. "It was Death who was behind you, not no mere member of the circle, but it's second-in-command." "Attention servant Galamoth." Tyrannos just said. "My new command is to return to the castle to resume command of the droid armies of lord Dracula." Galamoth merely nodded before he knelt. "Then I salute you my lord." He got back on his feet and left them. "Bevare of the chief-advisor." Tyrannos instructed. "He is no fool and he and you will have to work toeghether to do the dark lord's commands." He started walking and he quickly followed, not sure if he really was ready for this.

Laruba manor, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
She didn't move an inch from her kneeling position, trying as hard as she could to hide her fear. The hologram of Death still steering down upon her. "Being of Chaos!" A shining brown, black and grey orb fell down before her. "Chaos, Death and Darkness." Death calmly said. "Take it." Almost without shivering, she picked it up. The result where a high-point of pleasure, she couldn't put it otherwise. She felt how the lust for blood became less maddening. "You have now gotten the power which make you a circle-master. Your desire for blood becomes less desprerate, you can control it. You have now the power to resurrect the beasts you yourself pick and summon the creatures from the depths you yourself choose." She felt how the power grew inside her as the angel of Death spoke. "But remember, you are still weaker than most of the members of the circle of blood. You will now be capable of protecting yourself against our enemies. Satan give you power." Then he was gone and she rouse to her feet. "I salute you my lady." It was Von Bork, standing at the door with a black vampire at his side. "Bronxe, is that you?" Then she felt her, knowing what she thought about, how she felt and with that came the knowledge about how to control her. She knew this was how lord Dracula felt about all vampires. He could even control them from afar and didn't have to have them by his side, like she had to. She could feel the same from Von Bork. Of course, she'd placed the curse upon them bought. Of course, Von Bork was older than her, but he'd pledged fealty towards lord Dracula through her and sow become one of her servants. She smiled at them, then she heard what Bronze had to say and her smile died.

Burkly mansion, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
He did look upon himself in the mirror. Strange really, finding a mirror down here, but the more living of the dark servants might like it. The white silk-shirt and velvet underwear still felt strange, not to mention that bought his scarf and stockings where also made of silk. His simple black trousers and jacket was also made of velvet, but the breast-plate and shoulder-plates where of good steel and so was the protection on the army gloves and the buckle on his belt. He didn't know what to think about the golden pins upon his boots but the other ones they'd found where even more decorated and most of them had high heels, on men's shoes. The jacket had at least no lace-work at the collar and sleeves, but the golden flowers and leaves around the neck and sleeves was something he just had to live with. The cape was at least made of good black wool and only had a simple crimson pin shaped like a fox, although with small blue jewels at its eyes. Then there where the weapons to worry about, the spear and cross was all he had. His gun he'd lended to Ruth and the pieces of the Host, he slowly did the sign of the cross, where also gone. A quick smile went over his lips as he hoped those who'd stolen it would've got more than their fingers burned. His mind drifted back to what've happened as they came out the watery tunnel.

Flashback.

As he swam at the light, he thought he saw swimming forms gather around him. He didn't care however as his head just then broke the surface. He gasped for air and thanked God as he did so. Down in the water he'd more than once thought about letting go of the spear but threw it aside in fear of what he might face up here. Now he threw it at the nearest dry land he could see, a marble-bricked floor with lines of gold, iron and other materials, before he threw a look around. First he noticed that Anna did threw her staff upon the floor just like he've done, before she too started looking around. Then his eyes grew vide. They where in a pool, with towering white marble pillars and floor-paintings of bathing nymphs, gorgons and other Greek sea-creatures. The walls where equally painted with the same creatures, only here there where sirens and harpies who occupied the paintings. On an elevated platform, sirens did sing and play harps and other Greek instruments, as other sirens went around with fruit and drinks upon golden dishes. The surface of the water was littered with sea-flowers so beautiful that he almost cried and the comfortable warmth almost made him lean backward into the water and just drift away. Upon marble-benches, other sirens, nymphs and even harpies who where talking and laughing, while others of their spicies, along with snake-woman and even a few normal human women joyously swam around. Vampires, male vampires, and human men was there to, taking full pleasure in all the luxury being about. He felt how anger welled up inside him. So this was how the servants of Dracula spent their free time while other suffered and died of cold and hunger, or in prison-camps made by these creatures. Seeing humans among them just made his blood burn even more. He grabbed his cross and lifted it into the air and concentrated at all he could upon how pitty he felt it about other humans and none-humans. From the corner in his eye he saw Anna do the same thing. Then he jumped at his spear and dashed at the nearest of the dark servants.

End of Flasback.

"Thomas?" He spun around and Anna just had time to jump aside as he swung his spear at her. She lifted her staff and he got back the control of his weapon. "Sorry Anna." He apologized, then he noticed how she was dressed. "Where did you get those robes?" He laughed. She folded the robes in simple gold and crimson sild around herself and brought her hood over her head. "From a necromancer most likely." Salmissra, now dressed in simple pointed boots, bagy black silk-trousers and a tight'sitting black west and cloth-belt. She'd even gotten hold on a dagger and sword the Arabian people used. "You look gorgeous." The snake-woman merely said. He took a deep breath and smiled at her. "Thanks Samissra." It was difficult not liking one who'd saved your back and your loved one's back against some of her own people. She smiled he let his fingers run through his whitish-blonde hair. With his hair and eye-colour he and John did nearly look like brothers, he shook his head. He had to take a grip on himself. For a moment he'd thought about tearing off her cloths and… He grabed at his cross. Then he turned around and tied his scarf around his neck as he wanted it and then put on a cap of the ype he'd seen Victor use. It didn't fit with the other clothings but that made him remember how these things misfitted him. He would have to see if he could find something better later. Again picking up the spear he walked out of the men's room. Although he'd almost threwn-up when he saw what he'd done with the servants it didn't made him feel any less sorry for them. They'd chosen to join Dracula and should've known what the result might've bean. "Step back." Anna said as she channelled power into her free hand and blasted the bronxe-decorated doors open. "In the name of God, I summon you from darkness into light and cast you back into Hell!" A voice called from outside the door. "Let me take care of those whores of Satan." Another voice spoke as a throwing-axe came flying at them. "John, Ruth!" He shouted. "It's us, Thomas and Anna." He took a deep breath. "And my concubine Salmissra." "I see you've accepted your destiny." He did merely smile as Marina came wandering up from the pool without a drop of water upon her dress or robe. They where together again and should surly get out sooner or later. There where one vampire he was out for first.

(A.N: Sorry for the long chapter and for all the sexual stuff in it. I tried to show you the depraved and tsisted form of life the servants of the dark lord really have. Then again, I'm a fan of Star Wars, but the droid-commander and his aid are creature showcasted in the games Castlevania Legends and Legacy of Darkness. Until next time, see you.)

Chapter 12: The Story Continues | Back to Chapter 10